“Christmas Is Coming, the Goose Is Getting Fat”

Description

"Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, Please put a penny in the old man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do. If you haven't got a ha'penny, then God bless you."

Notes

This seems to be rare in tradition, and yet *I* learned it that way, in a version still close to the British, since it mentions ha'pennies (which I first heard as "hay-pennies," which made no sense at all). So I'm filing it on the assumption it's going to be collected in tradition in the future, at least. - RBW

References

  1. Baring-Gould-MotherGoose #419, p. 195, "(Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat)"
  2. DT, XMASCOME*
  3. BI, BGMG419

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1962 (Baring-Gould)
Keywords: money bird food Christmas
Found in: Britain(England) US