That time is around once again. You’re putting away your plastic pumpkins, window clings, and smoke maker. Halloween has ended, and now Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are upon us. How early is too early to start listening to Christmas music? Should you wait until after Thanksgiving? Here are 6 reasons to the early holiday madness to help better explain the controversy over the early cheer.
1. The holiday season is stressful.
This is always a general debate because some people want the holiday season to not come as quickly as it does. The thought of Christmas often stresses many people out. With having to make a bunch of cookies, buy gifts for your closest friends (with the money you don’t have), and trying to figure out which shuttle will get you home for Christmas break. It’s a stressful phenomenon for many people, so the general idea of not wanting it to come sooner should be well respected in society.
2. Christmas Music Brings Joy.
For some people, the thought of Christmas and Christmas music gives them great joy. Sometimes the jolly upbeat feeling the Christmas tunes bring is enough to put a person in a very good mood. In that sense, shouldn’t we be more approving of this trend? Yes, I know it’s a little out of the ordinary to think if you take someone’s holiday music away from them too early, it could put them into a dark place. Yet, sometimes music is what really brings people out of that dark place.
3. “Christmas music brings snow”
After Thanksgiving is when most people find it appropriate to begin listening to Christmas music. Although certain radio stations begin playing their Christmas music a week or so after Halloween, people typically avoid it. Here in upstate New York, snow doesn’t begin until mid-November (sometimes sooner, it used to snow on Halloween). People from upstate hate the snow and its inconvenience. We hate having to deal with shoveling our cars out, driving in a snowstorm to work/school, and just the thought of lake effect snow is enough to put us in a bad mood for weeks. Once snow is on the ground, Christmas music is usually more accepted throughout the community. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable to avoid the thought of December coming.
4. Christmas Music is Fun to Drive to.
When it comes to driving, it’s always a better time when you know the song you’re listening to. Music makes the trip seem shorter and in the end, puts you in a joyous mood. While paying attention to the road, you can sing along to the song on the radio. Let's be honest, who doesn’t know “Deck the Halls”, “Jingle Bells”, and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”? Wouldn’t you love to be driving down the road singing the carols you learned at a young age? I know I would.
If this isn’t accurately me, I do not know what is.
5. Stores begin advertising for Christmas way too early
It’s almost as bad as back to school advertisements beginning in June. So in September, I really don’t want to be thinking about Christmas. Halloween hasn’t even happened yet, why are the fake Christmas trees out? Why are we thinking of gifts? Why are we like this, Big Lots? This one day I went in to get snacks, yet there I was, looking at a mini Christmas tree to celebrate the holiday I won’t even be in my dorm for.
6. Christmas movies are classics
You would be lying to yourself if you said you weren’t excited to see your favorite Christmas movie come on to Freeforms’ 25 Days of Christmas. Yes, I really want to watch “The Santa Claus”, “Frosty the Snowman”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, and “The Polar Express”. So, I hope you are preparing to sit down with some hot chocolate and binge watch all of your childhood movies.
The decision is really up to you. It’s an entirely personal decision for when you’re ready to begin rocking around the Christmas tree. It shouldn’t be frowned upon to start listening to music that brings you joy, but if it’s not your thing, that shouldn’t be frowned upon either. What do you think, is it too soon to be listening to Christmas music?