e: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 13:58:45 -0600
From: Brian Davies 
Subject: CRD: "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses

Here's one of my favorite Christmas songs of any genre.  I posted the
chords last year, but since then, Joe was kind enough to send me a
complete lyric transcription.  I've spliced the lyrics and chords
together, and here's the result.

If you enjoy this, please drop me a line.  It encourages me to do more. :)

Christmas '97 note: Thanks to Paul Trotta for sending lyrics to the verses
that aren't listed in the liner notes.  I also finally found a copy of the
song on an obscure New Wave Christmas compilation, so I've been able to
make a number of improvements.  The breaks are now in the right place,
I've added the intro, and the transitions in the chorus are better.

                                                      - Brian


  CHRISTMAS WRAPPING  by The Waitresses

Written by Chris Butler
(c) 1981 Future Fossil Music, BMI

Lyrics transcribed by Joe768@aol.com
  with an assist from Paul Trotta 

Guitar chords transcribed by Brian Davies
Comments and corrections to davies@ils.nwu.edu
More of my tablature is available at:
  http://www.ils.nwu.edu/~davies/


  [A]  [D]  [E]
  [A]  [D]  [E]
  [E]  [A]

  Strum Two Verses

[A] "Bah, humbug!"  No, that's too strong
'Cause it [A] is my favorite holiday
But [D] all this year's been a busy blur
Don't [C] think I have the [B] energy

To [A] add to my already mad rush
Just [A] 'cause it 'tis the season.
The [D] perfect gift for me would be
Com[C]pletions and con[B]nections left from

[A] Last year, ski shop,
En[A]counter, most interesting.
[D] Had his number but never the time
[C] Most of '81 passed a[B]long those lines.

So [A] deck those halls, trim those trees
[A] Raise up cups of Christmas cheer,
[D] I just need to catch my breath,
[E] Christmas by my[A]self this year.

  [A]  [A]  [E]  [A]
  [A]  [A]  [E]  [A]

[A] Calendar picture, frozen landscape,
[A] Chilled this room for twenty-four days,
[D] Evergreens, sparkling snow
[C] Get this winter over with! [B]

Flashback to [A] springtime, saw him again,
[A] Would've been good to go for lunch,
[D] Couldn't agree when we were both free.
We [C] tried, we said we'd [B] keep in touch.

[A] Didn't, of course, 'til summertime,
[A] Out to the beach to his boat could I join him?
[D] No, this time it was me,
[C] Sunburn in the [B] third degree.

[A] Now the calendar's just one page
And, of [A] course, I am excited.
To[D]night's the night, I've set my mind
Not to [E] do too much a[A]bout it.

  [A] [A] [E] [A]
  [A] [A] [E] [A]

  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [Bm] [A]
  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [Bm] [A]
  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [Bm] [A]
  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [G] [Bm] [E] [Bm]

Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
But I [E] think I'll miss this [A] one this year.
Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
But I [E] think I'll miss this [A] one this year.
Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
But I [E] think I'll miss this [A] one this year.
Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
But I [E] think I'll miss this [A] one this year.

[A] Hardly dashing through the snow
[A] 'Cause I bundled up too tight.
[D] Last minute, had to do 
A few [C] cards, a few [B] calls,

Because it's [A] R. S. V. P.
[A] No thanks, no party lights.
It's [D] Christmas Eve, gonna relax,
[C] Turned down all of [B] my invites.

Last [A] fall I had a night to myself,
[A] Same guy called, Halloween party,
[D] Waited all night for him to show,
[C] This time his car [B] wouldn't go.

For[A]get it, it's cold, it's getting late,
[A] Trudge on home to celebrate
In a [D] quiet way, unwind
[E] Doing Christmas [A] right this time.

  [A]  [A]  [E]  [A]
  [A]  [A]  [E]  [A]

[A] A&P has provided me
With the [A] world's smallest turkey
Al[D]ready in the oven, nice and hot
Oh [C] damn!  Guess what [B] I forgot?

So [A] on with the boots, back out in the snow
To the [A] only all-night grocery,
When [D] what to my wondering eyes should appear
In the [C] line is that guy I've been [B] chasing all year!

"I'm [A] spending this one alone," he said.
"Need a [A] break; this year's been crazy."
I [D] said, "Me too, but why are you?
You mean [C] you forgot cran[B]berries too?"

Then [A] suddenly we laughed and laughed
Caught [A] on to what was happening
That [D] Christmas magic's brought this tale
To a [E] very happy [A] ending!

  [A]  [A]  [E]  [A]
  [A]  [A]  [E]  [A]

  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [Bm] [A]
  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [Bm] [A]
  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [Bm] [A]
  [D] [D] [G] [G]  [D] [D] [G] [Bm] [E] [Bm]

Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
[E] Couldn't miss this [A] one this year!
Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
[E] Couldn't miss this [A] one this year!
Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
[E] Couldn't miss this [A] one this year!
Merry [A] Christmas!  Merry [A] Christmas!
[E] Couldn't miss this [A] one this year!