countdown to christmas - day five

I usually don't start listening to Christmas music this early. In fact, I often hold off as long as possible, not wanting to grow tired of the jingling bells and decked halls. But, I must admit that this year was different. My radio station has been tuned to the "all Christmas music" station since the weekend after Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, I've yet to tire of it. Instead, I've found myself freshly inspired by both new and old holiday compositions.

Without a doubt, the best find of the season has been "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," a song from 1953 performed by Gayla Peevey. I had never heard the piece before, and I found it so completely cheerful, funny, and inspiring even. It seems that I'm thinking too much of hippopotamuses these days, because I spied a hippo face in one of our doorknobs. From there, this Christmas illustration was born.

(To hear the Hippo song for yourself, view this very funny...albeit cheesy... YouTube video.)