CHRISTMAS WRAPPING-CHRISTMAS SONGS

Good morning / afternoon / evening everyone, depending on when you are reading this lesson. Welcome back to the Daily Vitamin. I hope your week has started off well.

Today we look at another "not-so-traditional" Christmas song. Today's song is "Christmas Wrapping" by the New-Wave band "The Waitresses."

The song was released in 1981 and the lyrics are quite cynical and anti-Christmas, but the song feels very festive. You can listen to the song at the following link: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARq6uYSsUq0

I wanted to point out a couple of things in the song. First, you will see the song starts with the expression "bah Humbug." This is an expression we use when we don't approve of or enjoy something that other people enjoy, especially a special occasion, such as Christmas. The expression was used by the character Ebenezer Scrooge in the story "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. 

I also wanted to point out that in the song you will see reference to A&P, which was a chain of grocery stores in the northeast of the United States that went out of business in 2015.

CHRISTMAS WRAPPING
Bah Humbug, now that's too strong!
'Cause it is my favorite holiday
But all this year's been a busy blur
Don't think I have the energy
To add to my already mad rush
Just 'cause it's 'tis the season
The perfect gift for me would be
Completions and connections left from last year
Ski shop encounter most interesting
Had his number but never the time
Most of '81 passed along those lines
So deck those halls, trim those trees
Raise up cups of Christmas cheer
I just need to catch my breath
Christmas by myself this year

Calendar picture, frozen landscape
Chill this room for twenty-four days
Evergreens, sparkling snow
Get this winter over with!
Flash back to spring time saw him again
Would have been good to go for lunch
Couldn't agree when we were both free
We tried, we said we'd keep in touch
Didn't of course 'till summertime
Out to the beach to his boat, could I join him?
No This time it was me
Sunburn in the third degree
Now the calendar's just one page
Of course I am excited
Tonight's the night I've set my mind
Not to do too much about it

Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
But I think I'll miss this one this year
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
But I think I'll miss this one this year
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
But I think I'll miss this one this year
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
But I think I'll miss this one this year

Hardly dashing through the snow
'Cause I bundled up too tight
Last minute have-to-dos
A few cards, a few calls, because it's RSVP
No, thanks, no party lights
It's Christmas Eve, gonna relax
Turn down all of my invites
Last fall I had a night to myself
Same guy called, Halloween party
Waited all night for him to show
This time his car wouldn't go
Forget it, it's cold, it's getting late
Trudge on home to celebrate
In a quiet way unwind
Doing Christmas right this time

A&P has provided me
With the world's smallest turkey
Already in the oven, nice and hot
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot
So on with the boots back out in the snow
To the only all night grocery
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
In the line is that guy I've been chasing all year
'Spending this one alone, ' he said
'Need a break, this year's been crazy'
I said 'Me too, but why are you
You mean you forgot cranberries too?'
Then suddenly we laughed and laughed
Caught on to what was happening
That Christmas magic's brought this tale
To a very happy ending

Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
Couldn't miss this one this year
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
Couldn't miss this one this year
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
Couldn't miss this one this year

Did you know this song before today's lesson? Do you like it? To get some English practice, tell us your opinion on one of our social media sites (Facebook or Twitter/X) and we will give you feedback about your English writing ASAP.

I hope the rest of your day goes well. 

All the best!

I invite you to read my article (in Spanish) about using benchmarking with language training in organizations: "Impulsa el aprendizaje de idiomas en tu empresa gracias al benchmarking" (https://www.ziggurat.es/blog/impulsa-el-aprendizaje-de-idiomas-en-tu-empresa-gracias-al-benchmarking/)