Does Christmas music start playing too early in the year? Well, Christmas ads play on Spotify as early as September! Christmas music is an amazing genre of music. But, what is too much?
My family and I are getting ready to go to Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparent’s house. My room is all joy as the sound of Feliz Navidad bounces off my walls bringing happiness to all who hear it. On the other hand, my brother’s room is dreary and silent as he is of the wrongful belief that Christmas music shouldn’t be listened to until December. So, which would you rather be? Joyful and merry, or sad and silent?
Christmas music has provided the soundtrack for as long as there has been Christmas. It can be traced all the way back to Rome in the 4th century according to the University of Plymouth. The music we have today is far different than that of the past. This change began with the commercialization of Christmas music in the 1930s and 40s with popular music artists such as Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. These are the voices that we now associate with Christmas. This is great for companies like Spotify who profit from the 10% worldwide increase of music listening time between October and January as people listen to holiday music.
The anticipation of the Christmas music era is unbearable. So, why put it off until December? Why limit one of the best music genres to 1 month, 1/12, of the year?
Those who oppose widespread early Christmas music listening argue that it will take away the excitement of the once-a-year experience. They believe that starting to listen early can cause it to grow old by Christmas. Some psychos are even opposed to listening to Christmas music altogether! Who would want to avoid the joyful tones of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You?
I understand getting tired of the same five songs, but if you vary your Christmas music listening it can be enjoyable for months! To combat negative feelings towards Christmas music you can make multiple playlists with different vibes. Alternating between these playlists can help you not get tired of specific songs.
Listening to Christmas music early doesn’t take away from the experience of the Christmas season, it expands it. As the months get darker and colder, why listen to dreary fall music when you can start listening to joyful Christmas music? Why not listen to White Christmas as a distraction from the wet, gray November?
If Christmas music can’t be listened to all year, it must be socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music in early November. Mariah endorses this by releasing her yearly Christmas defrost video on November 1st. Why wait until after Thanksgiving? There is no music for Thanksgiving, so why limit yourself?
