I want a hippopotamus for Christmas Only a hippopotamus will do I don't want a doll, no dinky Tinkertoy I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy I want a hippopotamus for Christmas I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you? He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue Just bring him through the front door That's the easy thing to do I can see me now on Christmas morning Creeping down the stairs Oh, what joy and what surprise When I open up my eyes To see my hippo hero standing there I want a hippopotamus for Christmas Only a hippopotamus will do No crocodiles, or rhinoceroseses I only like hippopotamuseses And hippopotamuses like me too I want a hippopotamus for Christmas a hippopotamus is all I want Mom says the hippo would eat me up But then teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian I want a hippopotamus for Christmas The kind I saw this summer at the zoo there's lots of room for him in our two car garage I'd feed him there and wash him there And give him his massage I can see me now on Christmas morning Creeping down the stairs Oh, what joy and what surprise When I open up my eyes To see my hippo hero standing there I want a hippopotamus for Christmas Only a hippopotamus will do No crocodiles, or rhinoceroseses I only like hippopotamuses And hippopotamuses like me too