Christmas Before Thanksgiving
It's time for me to weigh in on an important matter. That is, should we listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving?
For a long time, I was of the opinion that we should not. My parents began playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving, when we put up the tree. From the fourth Friday in November until the day after New Year, Christmas music was played nonstop, but before and after that period, it was all but a sin to listen to it. That mentality carried over into my adult life. I got irritated when I heard radio stations playing Christmas music early, and I would practically cover my ears if I heard Christmas music being played in stores.
For some reason, it didn't quite bother me as much last Christmas. I, myself, didn't tune into to those "crazy" radio stations, but I didn't mind if other people did. I'm not sure what changed, but I let other people listen to what they wanted without whining about it.
And then, last week, I turned on the radio and a Vince Guaraldi song was playing. "Wait . . . Is this . . . 'Christmas is Coming' from A Charlie Brown Christmas???" It was. I was enjoying a Christmas song without even realizing it. I loved it. I even finished out the song while I sat in my car in front of my apartment, and in that moment, I was a changed girl.
Here's the thing: What's so wrong with welcoming the Christmas spirit early? Why do people think that Thanksgiving doesn't get its fair share, if we celebrate Christmas before we eat turkey and ham? Aren't Thanksgiving and Christmas sort of one in the same, anyway? Gosh, the world would be a better place, if we had the Christmas spirit all year -- so what's one or two more weeks?
Using music to get into a Christmas mood is even more important to me now. With 70- and 80-degree Texas weather, it's easy to forget that the holidays are approaching. A little festive music goes a long way to reminding me that a break is just around the corner. That life is going to be a little brighter for a bit.
Thing I'm thankful for: friends
posted by Sara @ 9:23 AM
5 Comments:
Little Miss Sara! Well here are my thoughts.....
For those of us who don't celebrate Christmas it is annoying to be constantly surrounded by Christmas music, decor, tv shows, foods, and other stuff for the ENTIRE month of December and now Christmas is slowly taking over November and October (yes, I heard music and saw stores decorated before Halloween)...that my friend is tooooooo much Christmas spirit. And it is forced on all of us. Its one thing to listen to your own music whenever you want but when it is being played in public in malls, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. it is too much and there is no escaping it. That's my two cents. Hope to see ya in faith group soon! :)
What's the point of making something a formal holiday, and then stretching it out indefinitely? Doesn't that just become, say, life? I mean, presumably what one celebrates with a holiday is still true all the other times of the year, too. But, that's not really the point of a holiday.
And, even if you (gasp) wait to start until the day after Thanksgiving, you're still spending an entire twelfth of your life celebrating it. (Thus, I don't so much worry about Thanksgiving being overlooked as I appreciate that we at least have it there to provide some natural boundary for Christmas.)
Hey! I didn't consider it a sin, I just didn't like it shoving TG around. And in the last few years, we have listened to our Christmas music at home a week before Thanksgiving. LOVE YOU MOM
OH, sorry, ALL BUT A SIN> Should have read it more clearly.
I still find it a bit irritating, but my reasoning is more along the lines of the fact that I find the vast majority of the modern and secular songs rather annoying. Something to consider, too, is that in the rest of the world where Thanksgiving is not a thing, Christmas really is the next big holiday after whatever was last. What I absolutely cannot stand is how commercial Christmas marketing is pulled out earlier and earlier every year. There is a time for all things. Commercial Christmas should be brought out in its time and put away until next time.
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