a christmas minute

Yesterday evening, my daughter-in-law, two friends and I attended "A Candlelight Christmas" in its Fiftieth Anniversary season at the Kennedy Center. We were lucky enough to have front-row seats, where we could hear and see the full effect of the massed choirs and the National Capital Brass Ensemble, including the handsome young tuba player. :) We loved seeing all the happy expressions of the young singers from W.T. Woodson High School Vocal Ensemble, who were this year's guest performers. Especially jolly was their breathless rendition of "Christmas in a Minute," words and arrangement based on Chopin's "Minute Waltz" by Jeffrey Biegel. Imagine singing these words, as printed in the program, as fast as you can say them (at Chopin's piano pace)!

Christmas in a Minute

Jeffrey Biegel

Christmas is a comin' quickly you can't stop it, all the busy people busy buzzin' round the mall,

a buyin' lotsa presents since the fall the advertisers stop at nothing!

Little Johnny, Sammy, Suzie, Jack n' Lucy in a tizzy don't know what to buy for them on time,

perhaps it's easier to go on-line! They have enough already!

So I have a lot of cards to write to everybody, when I'm finished it's time to drink a toddy! (hands raised)

Then I have to get the dinner ready for the aunts and uncles, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews!

Everybody thinks that Christmas is so jolly, it's a lotta work for mistletoe and holly.

After I am finished with this Christmas minute I would like to take a rest!

(sing slower, in waltz tempo)

All the pretty candles glow, they simmer, glimmer over the Christmas snow.

Frosty moonlight, chilly air;

Skaters are gliding and tourists are riding in the horse-drawn coaches through the park;

Angels whispering messages sweetly; church bells ringing overhead; children are in their beds.

(sing fast again)

I got lost in all the shuffle, now it's time to find the recipe for making chocolate truffles.

Here we go again, another Christmas season's comin' up, it seems another year gone so fast,

I can't keep up, I don't think I can last another minute, so I guess it's time to buy the decorations,

Trim the tree with lotsa lights and lotsa tinsel, hurry up!

The phone is ringing, answer it! I know the tone, it's Auntie Penny, "Can I bring another guest for dinner?"

That makes twenty-three, I need a ton of food to feed an armory!

The turkey needs a stuffin' bake a batch of muffins!

Oh I just forgot to hang the stocking stuffers!

Carolers are singin', mailmen are bringin' packages and cards and gifts of wine for drinking!

Oh, it's getting very hectic in my house preparin' for the busy bees!

The lines at all the shopping stores are getting longer; websites on the internet are selling stronger!

Where is all the simple meaning, charm and reason that we celebrate together for the season?

All the television stations are a burnin' many Christmas advertisements they're a churnin'!

Now my time is up, I've nothing else to say, but "Merry Christmas one and all!"
All!