Christmas time is here
Why I started listening to Christmas music on Nov. 1
Amy Inkrott / Copy Editor / The USD Vista
At 11:59 p.m. on Halloween, I sat on the floor of my friend’s apartment with my thumb hovering over Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” My friends all groaned when they heard the first notes play. But me, I sat there happily basking in the Christmas spirit. For the past two weeks, I have started to add some of my favorite Christmas songs into my daily playlists. Some of the Grinches around me have asked “Why are you like this?” or yelled “It’s not the time,” when the sound of sleigh bells comes out of my speakers. They then point out to me that the holiday season is still a month away.
Christmas has always been a source of joy in my life. It is a special time that I get to spend with my family and relatives that we don’t often see. Christmas music and movies are a reminder of those meaningful moments. They help build my excitement and raise my spirits. Growing up, I would spend my December nights lying underneath the tree, listening to Bing Crosby, counting down the days until my entire family would be together again. I loved having the month of December to prepare for the many traditions and festivities that surround the holidays. Back then, I strictly adhered to the “no Christmas until after Thanksgiving” rule.
But college life has changed that. The month of December, once filled with excitement and holiday preparations, has become one of the most stressful times of the year. I traded my evenings of Christmas carols for hours of silence in Copley Library. With the sheer number of final papers, presentations, and exams, there is very little time to enjoy the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. By the time my finals end on Dec. 21, there are only a few short days to bask in the Christmas spirit. Starting to listen to Christmas music in November allows me to make the season a few weeks longer and to get my fill of the holiday before the hectic exam season begins.
Many of the people against this pregaming of Christmas accuse me of glazing over Thanksgiving. That’s simply not the case. Thanksgiving is easily one of my favorite holidays. Food? Family? Football? Why would I want to pass on that? Sadly, there are just very few songs or movies about the holiday for me to enjoy. The only song I know is Bing Crosby’s “I’ve Got Plenty to be Thankful For” which, incidentally, comes from a Christmas movie.
I believe that capitalism is the only problem with the early start to the Christmas season. It’s the companies and stores that are guilty of skipping over Thanksgiving. Every year, it seems that the Black Friday sales start earlier and earlier, cutting into time reserved for family and loved ones. Rather than being grateful for the things that we do have, companies are encouraging us to go out and buy more. Ads tell us to go out and buy the perfect gift for that special someone, or offer doorbuster sales for those “must-have” items. I agree that the capitalist element of the Christmas season comes too early and detracts from the value of Thanksgiving.
But the enjoyment of Christmas music and movies is largely different from our country’s consumer culture. My listening to “White Christmas” isn’t encouraging me to rush out and buy that high-end flat-screen TV. While some do talk about presents and Santa Claus, others simply talk about the joy of spending time with the ones you love. This harmless practice gets me excited for the time that I get to spend with my sisters, cousins, parents, and grandparents.
For me, the Christmas season has already started. I understand that Christmas in November isn’t for everyone; but to all you Scrooges out there, keep your “bah-humbug” to yourself and let me enjoy the holiday cheer a little bit earlier this year.