‘Tis the Season for Christmas Music…or is it?
Photo by David Beale on Unsplash
In the United States, one of the most celebrated holidays is Christmas. What started as a celebration of the winter solstice and later turned into a Christian religion by Pope Julius I, has now become a beloved holiday around the world. People spend the entire month of December watching comfort Christmas films, drinking peppermint-flavored drinks, buying the perfect gifts for family and friends and decorating Christmas trees with bright lights and ornaments.
The holiday's popularity, increasing through media, music and film, causes everyone to have different opinions of how people should celebrate. Many people have family-specific or culture-specific traditions, while others do new activities yearly. The one thing people commonly do to ignite the holiday spirit is play joyful Christmas music. While this is a universal holiday pastime, everyone has different opinions on when it is appropriate to begin playing Christmas music.
“I feel like there is a misconception when it comes to Christmas music,” said Alex Cho, a freshman in the House of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who feels passionate about Christmas music. “The debate is whether or not we can start or delay listening to Christmas music. Essentially the question is whether or not we can listen to it year-round …there is no beginning to listening to Christmas music because it never stops.”
According to a poll done by Bustle, 26% of people begin playing Christmas music right after Halloween on Nov. 1.
“I started listening to Christmas music on November 1st,” said Raychel Yost, a freshman in the House of Queen Elizabeth I. “Christmas makes me happy, especially as we approach the end of the semester and finals.”
Other listeners enjoy Christmas music with a direct connection to the Christan view of the Christmas season.
“Christmas songs having to do with Jesus's birth should be listened to all year,” said Grace Henry, a freshman in the House of Corrie ten Boom, “because we are constantly celebrating his incarnation as Christians. I think that secular Christmas songs should be listened to in mid-November, but lightly and not all the time.”
However, Bustle reports that a total of 52% of the people polled say they listen to Christmas music after the Thanksgiving holiday.
“I start listening to Christmas music after Thanksgiving,” said Sarah Bensinger, a junior in the House of Corrie ten Boom. “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so I think it deserves to get a season just like Christmas does… I like to focus solely on Thanksgiving, then give Christmas an entire month to celebrate.”
“I start listening to Christmas music after Thanksgiving and NO sooner,” says Aidan Ableson, a freshman in the House of C.S. Lewis. “A day of being grateful should be celebrated in its own right, not overcome by the infectious holiday cheer and Christmas spirit of consumerism…This special time, however, should not be abused. If the Christmas season is three months of the year, it's suddenly not as special. Let's keep Christmas music to December--or the day after Thanksgiving IF YOU MUST--so we can properly appreciate it.”
Everyone has a different opinion of when to begin listening to Christmas music. While some may wait a long time, others begin as soon as possible. The debate of when it is proper to start listening to Christmas music will continue for many years as the tradition is passed to the next generation.
Emma Rice is a reporter for the Empire State Tribune. She is a freshman at The King’s College majoring in English.