All I Want for Christmas…

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  So, here’s a question for you… what do you want for Christmas?  Well, just this last week I heard a song that brought back memories of something I wanted very badly as a 5-year old in December of 1959.  Yes, I am old enough to remember that far back! 

I’m riding with my Aunt Ethel on a Tuesday morning.  I was a very unhappy kindergartner who had just left the dentist without my two front teeth.  My protesting and tears fell on deaf ears, powerless.  They had to be pulled to make room for my big-people teeth.  Guess what I wanted to Christmas?  I remember it like it was yesterday, when this song came over the radio.  It changed my world. 

Every body Pauses and stares at me, these two teeth are gone as you can see.  I don't know just who to blame for this catastrophe!  But my one wish on Christmas Eve is as plain as it can be!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, see my two front teeth!  Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth, then I could wish you "Merry Christh-mas."

It seems so long since I could say, "Thister Thusie sitting on a thistle!"  Gosh oh gee, how happy I'd be, if I could only whithhle (thhhh, thhhh).

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, see my two front teeth.  Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth, then I could wish you "Merry Christh-mas!"

I was stunned.  My Aunt told me the song was written just for me – she was quick and I bought it!  From that moment on I proudly would show everyone the gapping hole in my teeth and then proceed to tell them about my song.  I apparently got a lot of mileage out of my missing teeth that Christmas. 

In 1944, Donald Gardner, a music teacher from Smithtown, NY wrote that song.  He asked his second grade class one day what they wanted for Christmas and noticed that almost all of his students had at least one front tooth missing as they answered in a lisp.  Gardner wrote the song in 30 minutes.  After singing it at a music teachers conference in 1948 the song went ‘viral’ nationally and became an annual hit each Christmas.

It first became a #1 hit for Spike Jones & His City Slickers in 1948 and was recorded by many people over five decades including…  Danny Kaye, The Andrews Sisters, The Platters, Nat King Cole, The Chipmunks, the Three Stooges and (yes, believe it or not) Led Zeppelin. 

It was a silly little song that changed my attitude at the age of five.  So… what do you want for Christmas?  Do you have a similar special childhood memory? 

As we wrap this year, we should count our many blessings and thank the good Lord for our family and friends.  And you know one thing I’d like today for Christmas is for everyone to remember the REAL reason why Christmas even exits.  It’s the birthday celebration of Jesus Christ, who was sent to this earth over 2000 years ago.  I want people to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

May you and yours have a very Merry Christmas a blessed New Year!  And this is the bottom of the news on this Friday December 23^rd, our last report for 2011!

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