Christmas music. Good-old Christmas music. Sweet tunes like “All I Want for Christmas” and “Last Christmas” to help spread the holiday cheer. Everyone enjoys the feeling of Christmas music playing as they set up their Christmas trees or sit down for some nice hot chocolate. However, for whatever reason, some controversy comes up when people start to listen to Micheal Buble’s Christmas album in the middle of July. You’ve probably heard someone say, “it’s too early for Christmas music!” or, “it’s still November,” as you’re walking around your local Garden State Plaza. But I say that it’s never too early for Christmas music. Whether it be the sweltering hot days of August or your first week of school, Christmas music should be enjoyed all year round.
I used to be one of the people calling out grocery stores for playing “Feliz Navidad” before Halloween. Christmas music was something sacred, reserved for Christmastime and Christmastime only. Playing it before Christmas was wrong, right? Stores should at least wait until after Thanksgiving to spread the holiday cheer.
Many people seem to agree with this statement. The play chart for “All I Want For Christmas Is You” makes it clear, barely anyone listens to the song before Christmastime, but when the holiday season comes around, the amount of plays skyrockets.
Blindly, I went with the crowd, laughing at those who dared to listen to their Christmas playlists before December. But one day, I decided to make a Christmas playlist. I had nothing to do, so why not? It was fun to hear all my favorite Christmas tunes again in 70-degree weather. Those nostalgic songs brought me back to the better, magical days of Christmastime. So I listened to my playlist throughout the day, and that helped me realize something truly important. Christmas music is simply magnificent, and there is no reason that you can’t enjoy it outside of the holiday season.
To answer the question of whether you should listen to Christmas music after Halloween or Thanksgiving, my personal opinion is that Christmas music can be played any time of the year, before even Halloween. I can see how people could get tired of Christmas music if it was the only thing that supermarkets played all year long, so in that case, waiting to start listening may be better. Regardless, you can start listening to Christmas music at any time of the year.
So if you hear people groaning about someone humming Christmas music, or the radio playing Mariah Carey, make sure to tell them that Christmas music can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Remember, the Christmas season is every season, and what else can you listen to after Halloween? Halloween music? There are very few decent Halloween songs.
Jaden Lee
Staff Writer
Graphic: Jenny (Jooyeon) Yang