Print This Page#02617 Print This Page
Oh, Christmas brings back memories when I was just a boy,
On Christmas Eve when Santa came my heart was filled with joy;
On every Christmas morning we would have to clear the soot,
On Christmas Eve we'd hear the reindeer playing upon the roof.
Ring bells, ring bells, Santa's on his way,
Bringing joys to girls and boys and all around the bay;
Then out of bed and making noise before the crack of dawn,
And that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn.
With all the stockings all filled up and layed out on the floor,
There's apples and there's oranges and there's candies there galore;
Though we were poor and times were hard and happy there's no doubt,
And that's what Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is all about.
Ring bells, ring bells, and everywhere you go,
The horses are all wearing bells, with snow sleighs all in tow;
There were no sounds of autos then, you didn't hear a horn,
And that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn.
There's Mummers sleeping everywhere, it could be Tom and Steve,
They never made it home last night, they stayed for Christmas Eve;
There's two more in the parlour, and I think it's Frank and John,
And that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn.
Ring bells, ring bells, and everywhere you go,
The horses are all wearing bells, with snow sleighs all in tow;
There were no sounds of autos then, you didn't hear a horn,
And that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn.
Snow is drifting everywhere, how peaceful is the scene,
The trees are all a-hanging down, there's not a sight of green;
The people on their way to church, our Saviour has been born;
And that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn.
Ring bells, ring bells, and everywhere you go,
The horses are all wearing bells, with snow sleighs all in tow;
There were no sounds of autos then, you didn't hear a horn,
And that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn,
Yes, that's the way it was in Newfoundland on Christmas morn.
Recorded by Eddie Coffey (Merry Christmas, trk#6, 1990, Heritage Music, Scarborough, ON); and (Christmas Morn In Newfoundland / Dick Nolan and Eddie Coffey, trk#11, 1998); and (Downhomer Presents Newfoundland Christmas, trk#6, 1999, Avalon Music, St. John's, NL).
