Thank God It's Not Christmas
Sparks Lyrics

What do I hear, what do I hear?
I hear a distant sound, like people chatting and glasses clinking.

Chit-chat, and clinking glass
I can hear people talking nonsense to each other while they drink.

Cheap talk, a lady's laugh
There's a lady laughing along with the superficial chit-chat going on.

After hour
It's after hours, and people are still out and about, enjoying themselves.

What do I see, what do I see?
I see a hidden little den, where people go to have fun.

Some sunken hideaway
It's a little underground spot, where people can go to escape the stress of their regular lives.

Where people go to play
People go there so they can have fun, let loose and forget their problems for a little while.

After hour
It's past normal business hours, but the party is still going strong.

There I'll spend the night
I'm going to stay there all night, because I'm having such a good time.

Meeting fancy things
I'll meet some interesting people here tonight.

At bistros and old haunts
We'll spend the night at our favorite bars and hangouts.

Trying very hard to sin
We're going to push the limits of what's considered 'appropriate behavior' tonight.

Then it is day end in a way
As the night wears on, it feels like the day might never truly end.

The pattern's much the same
Everything feels like it's on repeat--we come to the same places, do the same things, but it feels new every time.

In-spots, a matinee
We go to popular places and events throughout the day, staying busy and having fun.

Every day
This is what our lives are like every day--we're always looking for a good time.

Blend with the crowd, blend with the loud
We're trying to fit in, be part of the group--even if we have to shout over the noise to be heard.

Hypnotic ebb and flow
It's very easy to get caught up in the rhythm here.

Until the day goes slowly
The day seems to stretch on forever, almost like time stands still.

Into night
Until we slip into the night and start the whole dance over again.

See the same old crowd
We'll see the same people at the same places--but it never gets old.

At bistros and old haunts
We love these places, and they love us back.

Til the lights grow dim
Until the night is almost over, and the sun threatens to rise.

The not-so-subtle hint to be gone
The lights dimming signifies that it's time to leave--but nobody really wants to go.

Thank God it's not Christmas
It's a relief that tonight isn't a holiday, where we'd be expected to fulfill certain obligations or spend time with family.

When there is only you
It's nice to have a night where you can just enjoy the company of the friends you've chosen.

And nothing else to do
There's no pressure to do anything else--just hang out.

Where there's just you to do
There's no obligation to attend certain events or dinners--we're free to do what we want.

The rest is closed to public view
We don't have to deal with the expectations of the rest of the world right now.

Caroling kids, caroling kids
We hear children caroling, but it's a little premature--it's not even close to the actual holiday yet.

A trifle premature, in tones so rich and pure and crystalline
The children sing well, but it's still a bit early in the season for carols.

Call for the day, the popular day
The children are singing to remind us that there's a big holiday coming up soon.

It's fast approaching now
The holiday is almost here--there's a sense of anticipation in the air.

But will the mood allow
We wonder if we'll be able to enjoy the holiday mood, or if the pressure and obligations will ruin it for us.

One dissent
Even one dissenting person can ruin the mood for everyone else.

If this were the Seine
If we were in Paris, we would be much more sophisticated.

We'd be very suave
We would be much more refined and elegant, fitting in with the cultured atmosphere.

But it's just the rain
Unfortunately, we're not in Paris--just facing another dreary night of rain.

Washing down the boulevard
The rain is just another reminder that we're not in the most glamorous of locations.