“I love The Quirky Mouse! The owner is humble, delightful, kind, and genuine. How she does business makes me love her product even more! You can't be disappointed with The Quirky Mouse!”
4.96/5 from 212 reviews
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas Shirt

This high-quality, garment-dyed vintage tee is for Disney devotees who know that their ‘great big beautiful tomorrow’ starts with the perfect outfit.
Iconic Comfort Colors® "broken-in" feel
Breathable 100% ring-spun cotton for 20k+ step park days
Hand-drawn, super-niche design – “if you know, you know.”
Free Shipping Over $50
Always happy customers!
All Day Park Comfort
Iconic Comfort Colors® "broken-in" feel
Breathable 100% ring-spun cotton for 20k+ step park days
Hand-drawn, super-niche design – “if you know, you know.”
“I love The Quirky Mouse! The owner is humble, delightful, kind, and genuine. How she does business makes me love her product even more! You can't be disappointed with The Quirky Mouse!”
In 1953 a ten-year-old from Oklahoma City recorded a novelty song about wanting a hippopotamus for Christmas. It hit number 24 on the Billboard chart, she sang it on Ed Sullivan, and the local zoo — which did not have a hippo — started a fund.
Children mailed in nickels. They raised about $3,000. On Christmas Eve, a 700-pound baby hippo named Matilda landed at the Oklahoma City airport in fifteen-degree weather, and Gayla Peevey was there to meet her.
She got the hippopotamus. That's the part nobody remembers.
Printed on Comfort Colors 1717 garment-dyed cotton — soft on arrival, softer after. Hand-drawn, with the greetings running in five languages around the edges, which is its own reference if you know where you've heard them before.
Details
- Comfort Colors 1717, 6.1 oz garment-dyed cotton
- Relaxed unisex fit — size down for a fitted look
- Available in Blue Spruce and Blossom
- Printed and shipped from the US
- Free shipping on orders over $50
- Order by December 10 for Christmas delivery
Machine wash cold, inside out. Tumble dry low. Don’t iron the print.
A note on the garment dye: slight color variation between washes is completely normal — it's part of what gives these tees their vintage character, not a sign anything's gone wrong.
Tees ship from an external warehouse within 3–5 business days. From there, USPS typically delivers within 5–7 business days.
Planning a park trip? Order at least 14 business days before you travel, or drop me an email at kylie@thequirkymouse.com and I'll help you figure out the timing.
Returns and exchanges aren't something I'm able to offer through the warehouse — but if your tee arrives damaged, I'll always make it right. Email me with your order number and a photo of the damage and we'll sort it out.
