We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

WishBook

from Peppermints by Robbie Tucker

/

about

This is a modern take on The Night Before Christmas. However in this story I attempt to bring back the magic of the Sears Christmas catalogue. First published in 1933, the Sears WishBook is fondly remembered not only by the kids of my generation but by our parents and grandparents.

lyrics

When I was a boy and Jason was too
Before this present day was a thought
Long before YouTubes, Facebooks or Apps 
Long before screen time induced headaches and naps

A time that isn’t now at least not the same
Before being quarantined and standing 6 feet away
Before social distancing jammed a candy cane in our gears
This story goes back a many number of years

Yes a story of pages all gifted and bound
Packaged and ready for true eyes to be found
Some lift up illusions this time of year
But this story is true
Of Wishbook you’re all going to hear

There was no set day or set month or set week
Though by December it’d be here for sure
Sure as Lassie’s bark was high pitched and squeaked
Sure as Sparky’s ears were not brown but blond bleached

Wishbook would come in one of two ways
Only one of which did I ever see
The legend arrived almost right to our door
Or as close as our mailbox could be

And what a gift to be the one to be the first one to see
All the things on its pages throughout
Surprise filled my eyes as I opened and felt
Xmas was coming no doubt

All kids tall and all kids small
All kids blue and all kids true
All so excited cause Santa was coming
Wishbook brought out the Xmas in you

And of course there were boring things for our parents to see
Stuff you could wear and some stuff you could eat
Stuff that mom loved and even stuff for dad’s feet

But for Jason and me
Being brothers both lovers of things
So shiny and cool
That Santa could bring

They were all tucked away at the back near the end
Far from the hats and the shoes

Flip, flip, flip, umbrellas?
Flip, flip, ahh come on!
Flip, flip, flip and finally!

The toys! Ahh the toys!

The widest of smiles became cracks in our faces
No kids ever had this much fun while standing in two places
But it wasn’t because of all the things we could get
No it was because of the pages we hadn’t seen yet

Oh what is that? It looks like… Not there on page 562
Well it says it makes flavoured ice cream
That it also keeps it cool!

Okay, what about this? Right here! It’s green and points down
I dunno but it says below in small print
This toy operates best on flat solid ground

Meanwhile…
Far from the shovels and beveled romantic rings
Farther from gloves, dark fruit cakes and even more boring things
Strategically placed well hidden from eyes
Santa was prepping to take to the skies

A Clause like no other
A mystery unseen
A man made out purely of thought
That could some how deliver
Close to 5 billion gifts
With no worries he’d ever get caught

And as all kids we knew started making their lists
For tumblers, and capes
Not socks Mom I said capes!
For Gremlins, Stinkores, Transformers
Our fate was all left to that big man in red

A Clause like no other
A mystery unseen
Wishbook he’d sent as a guide
Now I know mom and dad probably said it was from Sears
But your mom and your dad they both lied

No, Sears was merely a distraction you see
A quite cleverly cloaked acronym
Okay then you say for what does the word stand
Thinking I’ll have no response
Thinking this stories untrue
Thinking your question might cause my derailment
How about this
SEARS
Santa’s Elves And Reindeer Surveillance

That’s right! Wishbook had come straight from the North Pole
Not from some once upon a used to be store
Wishbook connected the magic of Santa
Which helped map his quest to your door

When Xmas Eve came we both jumped in our beds
Mom and dad said you two get to sleep
We knew that we had to so Santa could come
But the night always seemed like a week

The next morning Jason and I emptied our socks
Which had been filled by that magical man
As Mom and Dad sat with orange pekoe in cups
I noticed on our living room stand

Wishbook

Tattered and dog-eared in so many places
From all of our wishes and wants
Ketchup on permanently circled marked pages
Sticky fingered prints laced with sugary traces
…
Wishbook had given to all who had looked
But it felt kind of strange like now it was just a book
Like somehow after Xmas the magic had gone

How could this be
How could the feeling just disappear
The same way it seemed to to me every year
I decided not to give it too much more thought
When dad said hey Robbie finish emptying your sock
I gave him the gesture that I already did
And he gestured back like he was being a kid
Look again he said weirdly while making a face
Dig deep said mom looking comfy in her place

So I reached back in my sock and then felt in my hand
A rolled up lined small piece of paper
I looked at my dad then he looked at my mom
My dad is still here but my mom is long gone
Santa Clause had written a message for me
A message still found to be true
And it read…
Every gift you’ll ever need will always be here
In the Wishbook that’s inside of you

credits

from Peppermints, track released November 20, 2020
Robbie Tucker - Percussion, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, MIDI Keyboards, Lead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, Backup Vocals, Mixing, Mastering, Recording Engineer.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Robbie Tucker image

Robbie Tucker Miramichi, New Brunswick

Robbie Tucker - singer, songwriter and producer from Miramichi, New Brunswick, continues to pump out true art rife with fantastical imagery.   His musical heroes include Roy Orbison, Paul McCartney, and Elvis Presley.

contact / help

Contact Robbie Tucker

Streaming and
Download help

Report this track or account

Robbie Tucker recommends:

If you like Robbie Tucker, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Beans joins the show to discuss his album release, "ZWAARD".

listen now