@dearophelia - SARA, HI! :) Hope this makes you giggle!
I can't believe this all began out of a silly post about ice cream...
BUT CALEB & KAIDAN'S MOOSE IS NOW A THING!
After the war...
It revives with Abby. Because, of course, it does.
That first Christmas after the war, when Shepard is still recovering, before anything is really 'settled' between him and Kaidan (I mean, seriously, we're talking like 4 months after the war; he's barely been awake for two of them) it begins with a mug. No one knows where she gets it and Abby, true to form, isn't telling. ;) Just a thing to cheer the bed-ridden Shepard, still healing after yet another surgery, to up and remind him that MOOSE are a THING (who knew?), especially in the Canadian wilds. (Or, Kaidanadian, as she tells them; Coats just stands off to the side equally proud of her for saying that with a straight face, and hiding the fact he wants to laugh his ass off. He pointedly ignores the glare Caleb sends his way.)
The next year, come holiday time, Niamh, all of nearly six-years-old, goes tearing through the house (Kaidan happens to be home at the time), dragging poor Big Mr. Teddy behind her with one hand, free arm wrapped around a package the postal carrier just dropped off. She runs into the kitchen - smack into Kaidan's knees (ouch!) - heaves Big Mr. Teddy into Papa's chair at the table (he isn't using it since he's standing)(6-year-old logic FTW!) and then sets the box on the table asking Daidi if she can open it. Caleb checks the label - it's to him from an unknown address but the postal stamp is Rio. He has Kaidan scan it just to be safe (Kaidan snickers, but clears it) - then loosens the tape so Niamh has an easier time with it. Out of the wrappings comes...
Squooshy Moose! (a plush I intend to knit as soon as I find my brown yarns) Caleb groans. Kaidan laughs. Niamh squeals in delight, tucks "Mooses (like Mrs. but with an o) Squoosh" beneath her arm and then drags Big Mr. Teddy behind her, heading off to find Tadhg to introduce him to the newest member of their family and wondering aloud whether Mooses Squoosh likes spicy noodles like big brother Grunt.
(Kaidan is still laughing even as Caleb sends Abby a strongly worded message...)
And, so it keeps going. Over time, a collection of mugs, plushies, Christmas tree ornaments, sweaters (even one with Christmas tree lights wrapped around the moose's antlers - Kaidan isn't as original with his ideas as he thinks he is! ;) (from this fic here)), a chess set (Traynor shows up unexpectedly one year...), a baseball cap with antlers, etc...
When the kids get old enough to understand a bit better, they get involved too. Abby convinces Coats and some of the other former Normandy crew to participate. Hell, one year she has one of the N-classes currently in session all get together to take a photo to send Shepard of them forming the shape of a moose's head, complete with antlers). After Tadhg heads off to the academy at eighteen, the moose migrate (migratory moose?) into his room. Or, maybe they replicate like rabbits. *shrug*
And to this day, it's still 'a thing.'.. A think that all began with some ice cream during the war with the reapers... (this prompt started it all)