“Do It Early”

Do your Christmas shopping early, do it early, mother dear. For you know you were exhausted with the flurry yesteryear. Please go out and get the trinkets for the prattling little ones— Get the engines and the candy and the pistols and the guns; Better start right out tomorrow with your money and your list— But at 10 o'clock on Christmas eve you'll think of one you've missed. Do your Christmas shopping early, do it early, sister dear; Get a card for our rich uncle that will put him on his ear, Get a tie that is hand painted for your one and only beau— He will say it is too splendid for a man to wear, you know. Work a pillow for the preacher, and get something for each friend; But you'll find you've overlooked one when your shopping's at an end. Do your Christmas shopping early, do it early, do you hear? Let the high cost of living give you neither fret nor fear. There are friends in other countries who are very sure to write Ere the first day of December heaves serenely into sight, So be ready to remember all the people far away— But you'll find you've failed to get one for some one on Christmas day. Do your Christmas shopping early, ere the drifting snows are here, For the day before is madder than all others in the year— And no odds how soon you do it, when the final days have come You will be right in the struggle showing how to make things hum, And on Christmas eve, dear sisters, all of you, including ma, Will exclaim: "Well, goodness gracious! We had quite forgotten pa!"