Christmas Questions

Summary


"Christmas Questions" is a short Christmas poem full of a child's wonderfully logical puzzlement about Santa Claus. The young narrator fires off a rapid string of questions: How old is Santa? Why doesn't he catch cold standing on his head in the snow? How does he climb back up the chimney after sliding down headfirst? Mamma refuses to give answers, so the child makes a bold resolution — to stay awake on Christmas Eve and find out the truth for themselves.

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How old is Santa Claus? Where does he keep?
And why does he come when I am asleep?
His hair is so white in the pictures I know,
Guess he stands on his head all the time in the snow.

But if he does that, then why don’t he catch cold?
He must be as much as,—most twenty years old.
I’d just like to see him once stand on his head,
And dive down the chimney, as grandmother said.

Why don’t his head get all covered with black?
And if he comes head first, how can he get back?
Mamma knows about it, but she wont tell me.
I shall keep awake Christmas eve, then I can see.

A curious child peeks around a glowing fireplace on Christmas Eve, illustrating the poem Christmas Questions.

I have teased her to tell me, but mamma she won’t,
So I’ll find out myself now; see if I don’t.

Credits

Wolstan Dixey is a lesser-known poet whose playful verse captures the irresistible inquisitiveness of childhood. This poem is notable for its use of a child's own voice and grammar — "why don't he" and "she wont tell me" — giving it an authentically childlike, spoken quality.