English subtitles for clip: File:President Obama Lights the National Christmas Tree - 2010.webm

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The President:
Merry Christmas, everybody!

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Audience:
Merry Christmas!

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The President:
Happy holidays.

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We are just thrilled to
have all of you here.

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Thank you, Secretary Salazar,
for the kind introduction and

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for all that you're doing to
protect our national parks and

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our public lands for
the future generations.

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I also want to recognize Neil
Mulholland and everyone at the

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National Park Foundation and at
the National Park Service who

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helped put this event together.

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I want to thank Pastor Darrell
Morton for that wonderful

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invocation, and of course,
thanks to Common and all of

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tonight's performers for joining
us here as we light the National

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Christmas Tree
for the 88th time.

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(applause)

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Now this is a very
proud holiday tradition.

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Snow or shine, in good times
and in periods of hardship,

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folks like you have gathered
with Presidents to light our

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national tree.

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Now, it hasn't always
gone off without a hitch.

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On one occasion, two sheep left
the safety of the Nativity scene

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and wandered into
rush-hour traffic.

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(laughter)

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That caused some commotion.

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(laughter)

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Often, the ceremony itself has
reflected the pain and sacrifice

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of the times.

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There were years during the
Second World War when no lights

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were hung in order
to save electricity.

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In the days following
Pearl Harbor,

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Winston Churchill joined
President Roosevelt to wish our

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nation a Happy Christmas
even in such perilous days.

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But without fail, each
year, we have gathered here.

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Each year we've come together
to celebrate a story that has

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endured for two millennia.

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It's a story that's dear to
Michelle and me as Christians,

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but it's a message that's
universal: A child was born far

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from home to spread a simple
message of love and redemption

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to every human being
around the world.

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It's a message that says no
matter who we are or where we

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are from, no matter the pain we
endure or the wrongs we face,

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we are called to love one
another as brothers and as sisters.

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And so during a time in which we
try our hardest to live with a

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spirit of charity and goodwill,
we remember our brothers and

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sisters who have lost a job or
are struggling to make ends meet.

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We pray for the men and women in
uniform serving in Afghanistan

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and Iraq and in faraway places
who can't be home this holiday season.

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And we thank their families, who
will mark this Christmas with an

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empty seat at the dinner table.

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On behalf of Malia, Sasha,
Michelle, Marian --

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who's our
Grandmother-in-Chief --

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(laughter)

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-- and Bo -- don't forget Bo --

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(applause)

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-- I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a blessed holiday season.

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And now I'm going to invite the
entire Obama crew up here to

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help me light this
Christmas tree.

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(applause)

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All right, everybody, we're
going to count from five --

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five, four, three, two, one.

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(the tree is lit)

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(applause)

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Announcer:
Here with a holiday classic,
please welcome the incomparable

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First Lady, Michelle Obama!

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(applause and cheering)

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Mrs. Obama:
All right, you guys,
you ready for the story?

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Children:
Yes.

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Mrs. Obama:
All right, here we go.

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"'Twas the night
before Christmas,

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when all through the house
not a creature was stirring,

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not even a mouse.

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The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care,

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in hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there.

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When out on the lawn
there arose such a --"

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I skipped a page --

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(laughter)

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Wait -- "The children were
nestled all snug in their beds --"

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(laughter)

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Did I skip another page?

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(laughter)

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Okay, here we go.

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There we go.

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(cheering)

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We're ready.

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The First Lady is
taking off her gloves.

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(laughter)

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Ready?

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"The children were nestled
all snug in their beds,

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while visions of sugar plums
danced in their heads.

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And Mama in her 'kerchief,
and I in my cap,

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had just settled down
for a long winter's nap.

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When out on the lawn there
arose such a clatter,

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I sprang from the bed to
see what was the matter.

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Away to the window
I flew like a flash,

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tore open the shutters
and threw up the sash.

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The moon on the breast of the
new-fallen snow gave the lustre

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of midday to
objects below, when,

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what to my wondering
eyes should appear,

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but a miniature sleigh
and eight tiny reindeer.

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With a little old driver,
so lively and quick,

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I knew in a moment
it must be St. Nick.

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More rapid than eagles,
his coursers they came,

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and he whistled and shouted
and called them by name:

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'Now, Dasher!

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Now, Dancer!

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Now, Prancer and Vixen!

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On, Comet!

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On, Cupid!

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On, Donder and Blitzen!

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To the top of the porch!

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To the top of the wall!

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Now dash away!

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Dash away!

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Dash away all!'

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As dry leaves that before
the wild hurricane fly,

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when they meet with an
obstacle, mount to the sky.

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So up to the house-top
the coursers they flew,

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with a sleigh full of toys,
and St. Nicholas, too.

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And then, in a twinkling, I
heard on the roof the prancing

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and pawing of each little hoof.

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As I drew in my head
and was turning around,

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down the chimney St.
Nicholas came with a bound.

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He was dressed all in fur,
from his head to his foot,

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and his clothes were all
tarnished with ashes and soot.

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A bundle of toys he
had flung on his back,

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and he looked like a peddler
just opening his pack.

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His eyes -- how they twinkled!

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His dimples, how merry!

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His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry!

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His droll little mouth
was drawn up like a bow,

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and the beard of his chin
was as white as the snow.

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The stump of a pipe he
held tight in his teeth,

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and the smoke it encircled
his head like a wreath.

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He had a broad face and
a little round belly,

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that shook when he laughed,
like a bowl full of jelly.

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He was chubby and plump,
a right jolly old elf,

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and I laughed when I saw
him, in spite of myself.

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A wink of his eye and a twist of
his head soon gave me to know I

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had nothing to dread.

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He spoke not a word, but
went straight to his work,

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and filled all the stockings,
then turned with a jerk.

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And laying his finger aside of
his nose, and giving a nod,

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up the chimney he rose.

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He sprang to his sleigh,
to his team gave a whistle,

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and away they all flew
like the down of a thistle.

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But I heard him exclaim,
'ere he drove out of sight,

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'Happy Christmas to all,
and to all a good night!'"

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(applause)

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Santa:
Ho, ho, ho!

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Mrs. Obama:
Oh, that's him, right there.

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Santa:
Yes, yes, that's exactly
how I remember it!

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Ho, ho!

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Mrs. Obama:
Listen.

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Who is that?

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Do you hear that?

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Children:
Santa Claus!

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Mrs. Obama:
I think -- I think I hear Santa.

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Santa:
Hello! Ho!

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I hope you don't mind, I was
just keeping your seat warm.

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Mrs. Obama:
Thank you, Santa.

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Santa:
But it gave us a chance to
go over your Christmas list.

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(laughter)

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I have it on good authority that
you've been nice this year.

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That was a wonderful reading.

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Wasn't that wonderful?

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Yes.

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(cheering)

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Ho, ho, ho, ho!

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You know, there's only one part
of that story I don't like so much.

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I never thought my belly shook
like a bowl full of jelly.

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I always thought this suit
made me look rather slim, yes?

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No?

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But what a wonderful reading!

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Wonderful!

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Wonderful!

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Yeah.

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Ho, ho, ho!

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It's wonderful!

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It's a wonderful season!

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You know what?

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I think I feel a song coming on.

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Yes?

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What do you say?

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♪♪(music playing)♪♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful
time of the year ♪

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♪ With the kids jingle-belling ♪

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♪ And everyone telling you ♪

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♪ Be of good cheer ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful
time of the year ♪

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♪ It's the hap-happiest
season of all ♪

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♪ With those great
happy meetings ♪

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♪ And wonderful greetings
when friends come to call ♪

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♪ It's the hap-happiest
season of all ♪

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♪ There'll be
parties for hosting ♪

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♪ Marshmallows for toasting ♪

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♪ And caroling out in the snow ♪

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♪ There'll be scary
ghost stories ♪

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♪ And tales of the glories ♪

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♪ Of Christmases
long, long ago ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful
time of the year ♪

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♪ There'll be much
mistletoe-ing ♪

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♪ And hearts will be glowing ♪

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♪ When loved ones are near ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful
time of the year ♪

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Ho, ho!

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Oh, wonderful!

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Yes!

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Hello, everyone!

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Hello, there!

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It's so good to see you!

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I'll be back in a few weeks!

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Ho, ho, ho!

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Oh, yes!

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Hello over there!

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♪ There'll be
parties for hosting ♪

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♪ Marshmallows for toasting ♪

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♪ And caroling out in the snow ♪

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♪ There'll be scary
ghost stories ♪

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♪ And tales of the glories ♪

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♪ Of Christmases
long, long ago ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful
time of the year ♪

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♪ There'll be much
mistletoe-ing ♪

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♪ And hearts will be glowing ♪

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♪ When loved ones are near ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful time ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful time ♪

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♪ It's the most wonderful
time of the year! ♪

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Ho, ho, ho, ho!

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Merry Christmas!

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Ho, ho, yes!

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Ho, ho, ho, ho!