Christmas Story Character on Christmas Eve

Which Christmas Story Character?

By Jeff Salter

Well, it’s Christmas Eve and Hound Day … and my task is to note which Christmas story character I’d like to be.

Let me start, as I sometimes do, with a hedge: there are characters I indentify with, but would not necessarily want to “be.” For example, I sometimes identify with the father in the terrific film, “A Christmas Story” — you know the guy who buys the BB gun for Ralphie and gets the leg lamp shipped to him as a contest prize. Another character I identify with is the angel (played by Cary Grant) in “The Bishop’s Wife” — he gets to court lovely Loretta Young… even though he cannot have an actual relationship with her (and would not want to break up her marriage with David Niven anyway).

It was a strain to arrive a character I’d want to BE. But I think I found one — the little drummer boy. I’ve always loved that recording (the original, from about 1958). I’ve seen dramatizations of that story, but I prefer the brief simplicity of the song lyrics.

The boy hears about the savior’s birth and that people are bringing their finest gifts to honor him. The boy wants to visit but considers himself unworthy. After all, he’s lowly born and poor, with no appropriate gift to bring. All he has is his musical talent and a (probably homemade) drum.

But he has heart, and a desire to see the newborn king. Despite his own reservations, and possibly discouragement from others, he approaches and gives his gift — his pa rum pum pum pum. Mary nods and baby Jesus smiles.

So this boy is someone I can identify with — ordinary origins and position… no fancy gift fit for a king. But he does one thing well, and that’s playing his drum. It’s his gift and also a gift he can share with the savior.

Little Drummer Boy
[Words and music composed by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati, and Harry Simeone in 1958]

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Question:
Which Christmas story character would you want to be? Why?

[JLS # 259]

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