“All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” is a novelty Christmas song written in 1944 by Donald Yetter Gardner while teaching music at public schools in Smithtown, New York. He asked his second grade class what they wanted for Christmas, and noticed that almost all of the students had at least one front tooth missing as they answered in a lisp.
Gardner wrote the song in 30 minutes. In 1995 interview, Gardner said, “I was amazed at the way that silly little song was picked up by the whole country.” The song was published in 1948 after an employee of Witman Music Company heard Gardner sing it at a music teacher’s conference.
Christmas music has long been a favorite of mine; there are so many types of special songs that we associate with the holiday season. The song noted above has special meaning to me this year as I have undergone extension oral surgery this past week and will have multiple adjustments into the New Year. Could it really be as simple as wishing for “my two front” teeth all those years ago? And the belief that Santa would deliver them just in time for Christmas? I am ending my article with the lyrics from this song because if you are like me you know the simple chorus of the first verse of a Christmas song but never get the whole meaning without reading or singing the entire song.
I challenge you to read or sing all the verses of your favorite Christmas carol or secular Christmas song and learn the whole story about how it came into being, many a song was written with an interesting story behind the reason it was written.
Every body stops 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 Christmas.”
It seems so long since I could say,
“Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!”
Gosh oh gee, how happy I’d be, If I could only whistle (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 Christmas!”
With one more week until Christmas, I hope for you a wonderful holiday season and may you find your two front teeth (or whatever else you are looking for this season!)
Many churches in our community will be celebrating with a Christmas Eve Service – to date, I have heard from one that invites to community to join them this year. If your church has special services planned for next Tuesday evening, please reach out to me as I will be compiling a list to print in next week’s edition.
Faith United Methodist Church, 101 South Street will hold their annual Christmas Eve Service at 7 p.m. with Pastor Gregory Herndon. Please note that this is a different time this year from years past.
