Earlier this week–before Thanksgiving–I headed out jogging with my radio walkman in hand. I flip over to the local “light rock” station and make a disturbing discovery: Christmas music. Now, I don’t have any thing against Christmas music per se, but this was bad news on two fronts:
(1) Most Christmas music just doesn’t seem to go well with running, and
(2) It was before Thanksgiving
I’m a strong believer that Thanksgiving should serve as a line of demarcation for the Christmas season–no Christmas lights until after you put away the leftover pumpkin pie. Otherwise commercial exploiters retailers will just keep pushing the Christmas envelope earlier and earlier until we are hearing “Frosty the Snowman” in July.
So I had a pretty good reason to be turned off by the Christmas music on Tuesday. But then today I was driving about, flipped on said station, and they are in the midst of a Christmas music marathon. And despite the fact that I wasn’t exercising and we are now in the permitted Christmas window, I still couldn’t take it.
Kind of funny because earlier in the day I broke out a “Messiah” tape because it just felt like that time of year. But when it came to the radio station’s seasonal playlist, it was no-go.
What does this mean? I’m not sure. It may be that either:
(1) I’m becoming a disillusioned grumpy old Scrooge who will have a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year, or
(2) A person reaches a certain point in life where he cannot take weeks and weeks of “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”
I hope it’s the latter, because I don’t want some scary spirits to come visit me when I sleep.
I would not worry about becoming a “scrooge.”
Listen to this (and it comes from a former-Catholic-come-atheist):
I, too, enjoy this holiday season we call Christmas. But I don’t like it being thrust upon me before I am ready for it. Just like anything else, it must be eased into.
I was shocked and disgusted when I found Christmas stuff on the shelves of Wal-mart…. Before Halloween was over!!!!
Beleive me, I buy boatloads of Christmas lights every year, but I cannot stomach them before their time.
“For every thing, there is its proper time and place.”
That is my two-bits.
If you need some help getting into the Christmas spirit, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is on TV tonite..and tomorrow nite, and the next nite, and the…
I’m making it a hobby to see how many times it’s available for viewing during the season. I know what you’re thinking…it’s a miserable life.
*rattle rattle*
*clank clank*
(just a warning….)
Hiya,
I am lookwood, singer/songwriter, based in London, and I dislike the current western interpretation of christmas, the waste of resources that could be used to build wells for water, to feed hungry children, to help the devastated peoples of the world.
I have released a FREE double ‘a’ side virtual christmas single, which can be listened to by following this link:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/lookwoodmusic.htm
The two songs are ‘ i can’t stand shopping’ and ‘christmess’, and the lyrics can be found on my website. If ever a ‘tradition’ needed to be change this is one of them – the 5 billion pounds spent every christmas in the UK would go a long way towards helping africa, or any other place that requires it – and who’d miss one christmas??
Hope you enjoy the songs.