As Christmas and Hanukkah decorations fill the classrooms and school halls, Mr. Guareschi announces that students should begin preparing for the New York State Standardized Achievement Test, coming up in January. However, Mrs. Baker doesn’t seem to be in the holiday spirit; she won’t allow any decorations in her classroom. Meanwhile, Holling dreads his upcoming Shakespeare performance as a fairy, and tries to talk Mr. Goldman out of making him wear the feathered costume to no avail.

One day, Mrs. Baker announces that Mickey Mantle will be signing baseballs at the Baker Sporting Emporium next week, and invites the class to come. She also invites the class to the production of The Tempest on the same night. Holling is mortified that his classmates might see him in his feathery yellow tights, but knowing he’ll get to have a baseball signed by Mickey Mantle after the play eases his anguish.

The night of the play, Holling’s father drops him off at the theater; his parents refuse to miss the Bing Crosby Christmas special on TV, so they won’t stay to watch him. Holling reminds his father to pick him up right after the show so that they can make it to Baker’s Sporting Emporium to see Mickey Mantle.