Some “researcher” with “data” at his disposal (https://caitlinhudon.com/2017/12/22/blue-christmas/) has decided that according to his occult calculations, the most depressing Christmas lyrics belong to (brace yourself): “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley, and “The First Noël” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Bing Crosby. Such a display of gross ignorance causes one to wonder whether the computer was a good idea, after all.
Without pausing for breath I can recite a hundred sadder songs than those three, but the scholarly brain turns at once to this gem. “Christmas Shoes” will give listeners instant diabetes, so chock full of syrup of melancholia it is. It reached the top of the music charts in 2000 and spawned a novelization and a movie. Read it and weep.
Christmas Shoes
Tryin’ to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing ’round like little boys do,
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes
His clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn’t believe what I heard him say.
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size.
Could you hurry, sir, daddy says there’s not much time,
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile.
And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight.”
Then the cashier said, “Son, there’s not enough here.”
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me.
He said “Mama made Christmas good at our house,
Though most years she just did without.
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,
Somehow I’ve got to buy her these Christmas shoes.”
And I’ll never forget the look on his face when he said:
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight.”
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about.
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight