Up On the Housetop by B. R. Hanby

I think I was approximately thirty six years old when it finally occurred to me that the words to the song were actually
"Up on the housetop reindeer pause (as in, rest for a moment while)
out jumps good ol' Santa Claus
down through the chimney with lot's of toys
all for the little ones Christmas joys...."
Ohhhhhh, they actually pause! Up until then, I thought it was
"Up on the housetop: Reindeer Paws!"
I actually thought I heard reindeer paws on the rooftop. It was probably just squirrels or my over-active imagination, but I liked it that way! Although, frankly, the way it was written really is much better.
Reindeer have hooves.
Who knew?