I live in the Pacific NW, Zone 8.  Our winters are mainly drizzly rain with temps in the 30's-40's.  However, it will get below freezing a couple of times each winter, and may even hit 20F.  I have four established fig trees in the ground that do fine with no winter protection.  However, I did plant two small (18" tall) ones about 3 months ago (a Nero and a Deanne).  I don't want to bother with wrapping these heavily, but I would like to give them some modest protection this first winter.  Does anyone have a suggestion for what to do that would be simple...and hopefully not be a haven for mice?

4 inches of straw.

Hi Kudzu9,
I am in zone 7b (Central Texas) with winters like yours and planted a few figs in the ground as well this year.  We have nights that can fall below freezing but quickly warm back up the next day, so I don't want to do anything labor intensive for just a day or two.  Because I am on top of a hill I have to worry about the wind more than anything.  

I use card board boxes for protection.  I have found that frito-lay has boxes the same size in width but different heights.  I guess a box for small bags and a box for big bags of chips.  Anyway, I weight the flaps down on the first box with big rocks, then loosely close the flaps over the fig, then slip a second box on top of the first box closing the flaps over the top of the fig tightly.  Because the 2 boxes are the same width, the second box fits snugly over the first box which is weighted down with the rocks and everything makes it through the night just fine.
If it looks like another cold night, I'll just open the box (unfold the flaps) and then after dark, close it again.  On days that I don't have to worry about dipping below freezing, the boxes are folded flat and stored in the garage.

Hi Alan,
Plus the price is right.

I'm not too far from Cathy.  The big issue I have is wind.  We've had a couple of near freezing night time temps that have already crisped up the leaves on my trees.... because the cooler temps come with a lot of wind.  If your trees are small, you might want to find some five gallon buckets and turn them over on top of the trees.  You can set a brick or two on top to weight it down, then mulch around the base of the bucket.  When the weather is warm, it comes off very easily.

~james

btw... one can usually find five gallon buckets for free at bakeries (frosting and stuff come in them).