I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Words and Music by John Rox

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door,
that's the easy thing to do

I can see me now on Christmas morning,
creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
when I open up my eyes
to see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too

Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian.

(Short Music Interlude)

There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage
I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage

I can see me now on Christmas morning,
creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
when I open up my eyes
to see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me too!

Midi sequenced by Ron Tidden.

For Parents

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a little twist on giftgiving for the holidays: Give the gift of health and safety. Here are 12 tips to light up your holidays.

For Kids

You probably don’t want a hippo, but are you asking for a dog or cat or other pet as a gift this year? It’s a big job to take care of a pet. Are you ready? And do you or anyone else in your family have allergies? Here are some ideas from NIEHS about dealing with pet allergies (but not allergies to hippos!)