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Another fun Christmas song most of us know (at least vaguely!) is “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus” – in fact, I bet you are singing the title to yourself rather than just reading it. I know I hear the song whenever I think of it 🙂

Following on from the story behind “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth” I thought I’d look into the story of some other Christmas favourites, starting with “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.”

The story behind Mommy kissing Santa

Tommie Connor, from London’s West End, wrote the song (music and lyrics).

It was first recorded by Jimmy Boyd (who was 13!) in July 1952 and reached the top of charts that December. The Catholic Church in Boston and other areas also banned it that year because it mixed Christmas and kissing! (I think that conversation deserves its own post so will leave it alone for now…)

Other artists have since recorded the song, including Spike Jones & his city slickers (who did the original front teeth recording), the Jackson 5, Amy Winehouse, John Mellancamp, the Ronettes and Tiny Tim. Although some have only sung the chorus and verse 2 rather than the full song as listed below.

A couple of artists have even sung it as “I saw Daddy kissing Santa Claus”!

This song is amongst the 25 most-played Christmas pop songs on American radio. It’s not played in Australia as much, I don’t think, as it’s not a song I have heard that often on the radio or in shops.

Have you come across it very much?

You can get the sheet music, too.

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus lyrics

Christmas toys all over the place,
Little Johnny wears a funny smile on his face;
For Johnny has a secret,
And this secret he must share;
He wants to tell somebody,
So he tells his Teddy Bear…

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night;
She didn’t see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep;
She thought that I was tucked up in my bedroom fast asleep.

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus,
Underneath his beard so snowy white;
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night.

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night;
She didn’t see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep;
She thought that I was tucked up in my bedroom fast asleep.