Listen, my children, and you shall hear,

How Santa is coming to Hampton this year.

 

In the good old days of long ago,

He came in a sleigh on top of the snow.

His sled was pulled by reindeer eight,

And he was never, never later.

 

He sprung to the housetops and chimneys tall,

Filled the stockings, large and small,

With dolls and skates for girls and boys

And books and trains and other toys.

 

Then he climbed up the chimney and back to his sled.

And off to the next house he quickly sped.

 

Then he decided to come up to date

And decided a Ford would be first-rate.

 

The old thing rattled like an old buck board,

But ‘twas really the best that he could afford.

Then he bought a new streamline

That was really mighty fine.

 

Then they decided to ration the gas.

Santa sighed “alas, alas.”

An “A” card was given him by the Ration Board.

And Santa decided his car should be stored.

 

Then it came flashing over the wires

That the nation needed even his tires.

Then he decided to sell it for scrap

To help us all to beat the Jap.

 

So Santa said, “It’s no use talking,

I’ll have to go to Hampton, walking.”

 

And now my children, let’s have fun,

For here comes Santa, on the run!

Written during World War II, December, 1942, by Pearl Emmons Scarpino, discovered in Vera Hoffman’s mother’s scrap book.