Counting Down to Christmas Lyrics

NARRATOR:
There it is. The house on Cleveland Street.

MOTHER:
Now! I'm not kidding. Do you want to miss it?

NARRATOR:
My mother in the kitchen. Trying in vain to get us bundled up and out the door.

MOTHER:
Randy, I mean now.

RANDY:
But, Mom!

MOTHER:
Randy, now!

NARRATOR:
My kid brother, Randy.

RANDY:
Aw!

NARRATOR:
And there I am, realizing for the first time that time was my enemy.

RALPHIE:
Goodbye November
Thanksgiving's gone
Now every house in Hohman has a plastic reindeer on its lawn

MOTHER:
Ralphie, please!

RALPHIE:
The season's starting
I'll give ya proof
The Millers bought a nine-foot dancing Santa for their roof

MOTHER:
Frank, start the car. The boys are almost ready.

RALPHIE:
But this year
Don't need another plaid tie
This year
I want a gift my parents won't spy
And I'm
Running out of time

'Cause it's almost nearly getting close to counting down to Christmas
It's almost time to see the tree light up the town for Christmas
It's thirty-four thousand, fifty-eight minutes away
It's almost nearly getting close to counting down to Christmas Day

THE OLD MAN:
Get away! Get away! Shoo! Shoo!

NARRATOR:
And then there's my old man.

THE OLD MAN:
Gotsacha go kacken fracken mangy mutts!

NARRATOR:
My old man and the neighbor's hounds.

THE OLD MAN:
Bumpus! Call 'em off! Bumpus!

NARRATOR:
A battle as fierce as the front lines of 1940.

RALPHIE:
You have a mission
You set a plan
You know to get that gift you also got to get to your Old Man

THE OLD MAN:
Stupid hillbillies!

RALPHIE:
And then there's Mother
She can be tough
But gently drop some hints and maybe that might be enough

MOTHER:
Ralphie, let's go!

[in counterpoint...

RALPHIE:
'Cause this year
Who wants another wool cap
I wanna gift I wanna unwrap
And I'm
Running out of time

THE OLD MAN:
Come on, Ralphie
Keep moving

MOTHER:
Ooh, let's take the back roads

RANDY:
Yes, we're gonna miss it

THE OLD MAN/MOTHER/RANDY
There's not enough time
There's not enough time
There's not enough time
To hit these
That window
You're gonna love it
... end counterpoint]

ALL:
'Cause it's almost nearly getting close to counting down to Christmas
It's almost time to see the tree light up the town for Christmas
It's thirty-four thousand, fifty-eight minutes away
It's almost nearly getting close to counting down to Christmas Day
It's almost nearly getting close to counting down to Christmas Day
Christmas Day

NARRATOR:
Ah. Higbee's department store. The high water mark of the pre-Christmas season
was the corner window display at Higbee's.
For several days that window was curtained and dark awaiting the magical night of color
and dazzle that would make Salvador Dali look like Norman Rockwell.