Of course now when you go into almost any restaurant or any business with employees you will find a sign that says “All employees must wash hands.”  This little raccoon is working at a park, so this poor little raccoon has to be clean and neat, and must wash his hands.  

This bandit is from a park at Queen Wilhelmina outside of Mena, Arkansas that takes injured animals.  And if you haven’t been to Queen Wilhelmina you really should see the “Castle in the Clouds.”

And this design has been very popular, it is only second to the “I didn’t do it, No one saw me, You can’t prove it”  featuring Luna my English Cocker Spaniel. 

Just a few years ago I first heard a Christmas song that now always makes me smile.  This crazy little song, sung by Gayla Peevy, drove a whole line of “I want a …. for Christmas” designs in my store.  There are currently 15 designs with Orcas, dogs, and other animals people may want for Christmas.

Below you can see the original “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas“ design and the newer red and green.

This popular Christmas song was recorded in 1953 when Gayla Peevey was just 10 years old.   Gayla was a star in the Oklahoma City area when a local promoter picked up the song.  The Oklahoma City Zoo wanted to get a Hippopotamus.  

Together they launched a campaign to present Gayla Peevey with a Hippopotamus.  And sure enough, with this Christmas Novelty song, she got a baby Hippopotamus named Matilda, which Gayla donated to the zoo.  

“Hippopotamus for Christmas” is also a popular Dr Demento hit.

I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Lyrics Written by John Rox

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
I don’t want a doll, no dinkey tinker toys
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don’t think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won’t have to use a dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door
That’s the easy thing to do

I can see me now on Christmas morning
Creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy, what surprise
When I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinosauruses
I only likes hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me, too

Mom says a hippo would eat me up, but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian

There’s lots of room for him in our two-car garage
I’d feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage.

I can see me now on Christmas morning
Creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy, what surprise
When I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinosauruseses
I only likes hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me, too

One of the most popular designs of BlueLemonadeStand has been one that has caught me off guard.    The design features my English Cocker Spaniel dog, Luna.  My idea was to add it, just because it reminded me so much of her, yet it is one with which many people connect.

Luna has her head down, but she’s watching me with a guilty expression.   Beneath the image of her head is the following “I didn’t do it.  No one saw me.  You can’t prove it.”

Of course it’s something we can all relate to… and if you have children (or fuzzy children) you probably have seen this expression.   And in the image below you see Luna actually wearing her shirt! 

If you like the design, click on it and you will go directly to the Not Me Shirts, and you can tell everyone “I didn’t do it.  No one saw me.  You can’t prove it.”  Or go to the store link to get one of the Not me mugs, mousepads, tiles or other Not Me gift items.