What Season Is It, Exactly?

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With Christmas in seven weeks, we are going to see the season be taken to a whole new level this year, as always. Decorations are put in stores before Halloween and trees go up before Thanksgiving. Now, I’m not complaining about the decorations themselves, but the timing of it all. I understand that companies and suppliers want to get a head start in making profits, but please wait until after Halloween to start putting up the wreaths, red bows and lights. It pushes all the holidays so forward that you can’t walk into a store without wondering if you’ve walked through a time warp. I’m shocked stores aren’t getting ready for Easter at this point.

And maybe I could deal with this Christmas pushing; but I can’t deal with Christmas music being played before Thanksgiving. 

The day after Halloween, my family group chat blew up with messages that 100.3 FM started playing Christmas music. Now for my sister, this is heaven. She has been trying to slip in some Mariah Carey and Nat King Cole in between my Billy Currington and Anthony Ramos since December 26th last year. I remember driving to band camp, which is in August, and her blasting Jingle Bells all the way to the school. At first it was funny because of the irony, but between her having control of the aux cord and the radio, Christmas has come too early. 

Yes, sometimes you can’t help bop out to some Jackson 5 or Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, but those are special moments. Think about how many times you’ve heard the same songs over and over and over again. Now think about how many times you actually enjoyed and sang along to them. Maybe when you first hear a song, yeah you get excited and start dancing, but after the 15th time? But the 65th time? You don’t see all of us still singing with that much enthusiasm. And this is a problem because I love hearing my family sing out of tune as we drive up to Grandma’s. But when the music starts in November, by the time December 25th rolls around, I’m sick of the same songs and can’t enjoy them like I used to.

Also, once the holiday season is in full swing and winter is actually around us, the music just stops. Its December 26th and that means it’s back to the pop and 1980s music. Some stations wait until the New Year, but what’s the point? These stations made their listeners not want to listen by Thanksgiving. Of course they want to get their ratings up as fast as possible. 

There is an easy solution: play Christmas music later! The stations will have their regular listeners then after Thanksgiving, hit them with the jingling bells and roasting chestnuts. The music is in the perfect position to give everyone that Christmas spirit but not enough to make everyone sick of it. I know there are Christmas enthusiasts out there, especially since I live with one, and I urge you go blast your music as loud as you can, whenever you want. Be you. But please play it gradually during the Halloween/Thanksgiving months. It makes a lot of other people annoyed when the music should bring joy to everyone. Slowly keep adding songs and then, after Thanksgiving, feel free to bombard everyone with all the Christmas you can. Bring joy gradually to get the full effect.