In response to hints, a local couple sent a grandson who lives near Portland a lookalike University of Oregon football jersey for his seventh birthday.

It was a hit. The boy, whose name is Ian, wrote back: “Thank you for the Duck shirt. I love it.”

Only he accidentally left one key letter out of the word “shirt.”

Ian’s mother had read the thank-you note before it went in the mail. But, recognizing that this was an innocent mistake, she elected to simply add a happy-face and print “shirt” beneath the misspelled word.

Well, the boy’s grandparents loved the note. And they will think of it whenever Oregon’s teams are on TV, wearing their Duck you-know-what.

Slice answer (Christmas Day alternatives): “My wife (Sue) and I are part of Spokane’s Jewish community,” wrote Howard Glass. “We often go to a movie on Christmas and invariably find many of our Jewish friends there.

“This year there is a bit of a complication. Christmas falls on our Sabbath. Jewish attendance at the movies may be slightly less than usual.”

Notebook winner: John Knadler was among those who knew that the movie scene alluded to in Saturday’s Slice was an exchange between a priest and a parochial school student in “The Bells of St. Mary’s.” That 1945 film featured Bing Crosby.

Slice answer (when holiday-attired pets attack): “I’m sporting a painful greenish-yellow bruise on my left hand,” wrote Liz Cox. “It’s dotted with three puncture wounds inflicted by my cute, fluffy dog, Marty, after I stuffed him into a festive green sweater.”

Speaking of pets and irksome apparel: “I was at a friend’s house dressing to go out and part of my outfit included a shawl with long fringe,” wrote Cathy McCoy. “Their cat attacked me every time I moved. I finally put the shawl in a bag to get out the door.”

Today’s Slice question: What would be the perfect Northwest snack to leave out for Santa?