When Gayla Peevey's catchy Christmas wish for a hippopotamus came true in 1953, she didn't need to test the lyrical theory that a two-car garage would have plenty of room to house her "hippo hero.

She was a children's Christmas song come to life. On Dec. 24, 1953, a 700-pound "baby" lumbered from her moving crate into the awaiting water at Oklahoma City's Lincoln Park Zoo. "I Want a ...

The soundtrack of that video is -- what else? -- "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" by Gayla Peevey. After gestating for 7 months, Iris gave birth to this baby in water -- the first time she's ...

"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" had reached ... More: From 'Rudolph' to 'Frosty,' these 5 classic Christmas songs have surprising Oklahoma ties So, Oklahoma's children had a pretty good ...

The Metro Richmond Zoo is leaning into the popular holiday tune “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” to announce ... to tie the birth to the holiday song. The calf was born in the water.

A female pygmy hippo named Iris gave birth to a healthy female calf on December 9 at the Metro Richmond Zoo, officials said.

In 1953, the label flew her to New York City to record her first record: a novelty song written by John Rox called "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." The song was a hit on the Billboard charts — ...

The video was set to the Christmas carol "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." "Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years ...

The soundtrack of that video is -- what else? -- "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" by Gayla Peevey. Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC ...