I was up in the hills, checkin' fence for Dad
While home from school on vacation.
It started to snow and soon covered the trail,
But I knew my exact location.

I put a lean-to up for my gelding Bill
Then put up a tent for me,
I started a fire, then started a stew,
Then I boiled some sassafras tea.

It was Christmas Eve and it snowed all night
But by morning the sky was clear.
I found myself thinking that this
Has to be my favorite time of year.

I got the feedbag and gave Bill some oats
Then I got my fire going again
I thought of my folks and all the guests
That for days had been wanderin' in.

They'd be on the carpet in front of the fire
And passing their gifts around,
And here's little Mary snowed in, in the woods,
My carpet, the frozen ground.

I spotted a pine tree, with cones that hung
Like ornaments Nature had made
The green of that tree was somethin' to see
Like beautiful Chinese jade.

A hidden choir of coyotes sang carols
While a brown bear watched from a hill
I boiled some more of that sassafras tea
Then sat and drank my fill.

Three mountain jays came to check me out
And flitted from branch to branch,
They too, were like ornaments on our tree
In the living room back on the ranch.

There, by now, all the folks will be sorry
I'm missing their Christmas cheer,
But when I get home, I'll have to tell them
How I had Christmas here.