“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” was written by songwriter John Rox.

Quick Scoop

  • The Christmas novelty song “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” was written by American songwriter John Rox in the early 1950s.
  • It was first recorded and made famous in 1953 by 10‑year‑old singer Gayla Peevey, whose version reached the Billboard pop charts that year.
  • The song has since become a recurring holiday favorite, often reissued and covered by later artists while still credited to Rox as the original writer.

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