Deck The Halls… Or Naw?
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
Christmas music is back in town and with it, comes the interesting divide of Jingle Bell fans or holiday Grinches. Throughout my own life I’ve fluctuated between loving the carols or loathing them — and it was usually linked to what my occupation was at the time.
For retail and customer service workers, healthcare employees, first responders and other essential workers, holidays can be grim. Long hours, inconsistent schedules that are changed at the last minute, not being able to see family and all the lovely holiday customers (looking at you, Karen) can put a damper on one’s Christmas spirit. To have the overplayed, repetitive music start up months in advance on top of it all, and I can understand why people hate it. What is supposed to be a time of giving, good cheer and making memories can quickly turn into a living Hell when you work a 24/7 job. I would go as far as to say it’s criminal not to close on Christmas Day, but alas, as long as there’s a demand for holiday consumerism, Bing Crosby will be creeping back over the intercoms at our grocery stores the day after Halloween.
Another reason why people may dislike the merry tunes could be due to differences in beliefs. Do we play ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside,’ out of tradition or do the problematic lyrics warrant a boycott? Do we use instrumental versions of religious songs or do we avoid them entirely? And why do we only play Christian Christmas music — what about Hanukkah or Pagan practices or cultures that don’t celebrate or recognize Christmas? It opens up a Pandora’s box of debate that is definitely not within the spirit of the season.
That’s not to mention not everyone may have happy memories tied to holidays or may suffer from seasonal depression. The approach of Santa’s sleigh bells may also bring waves of gloom for some. Having a birthday near the holiday may also be a bummer, as budgets are tight and schedules are full. My own brother was born on Christmas Day — which means he only gets one celebration a year, while I receive two. Hearing ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas,’ which already has its melancholy, without being able to separate it from ‘Happy Birthday,’ is a unique experience I don’t envy.
On the other hand, regardless of background or career, this period is undeniably one of the most magical times of our calendar year. People start thinking about family members they haven’t spoken to in a while, friends start organizing parties and businesses plan charity events to give back to their communities. It’s a time to reflect on the past year and all the obstacles conquered, all the goals accomplished. People who have come and gone, unexpected lessons learned and pride of growth can all come floating through on the notes of a Christmas tune. It’s the one thing we can count on every trip around the Sun: the return of the trees, the lights and the angelic voices of choirs. Christmas music is unavoidable and so it is also a universally shared joy in the United States (almost everyone knows the lyrics to ‘Jingle Bells’).
For those of us that love Christmas music, there’s always a favorite song and it’s fascinating to see those differences. For my mother, it was ‘The Little Drummer Boy.’ Putting religious overtones aside, it is probably one of the most pure holiday songs I know of — a musician sharing their art with another, without asking anything in return, a true act of service or giving. My own is ‘The Christmas Song,’ by Nat King Cole. It embodies everything I admire about the season, from the open fires to the eyes all aglow from kids from one to 92. It’s timeless, just like Christmas. No matter if you’ve suffered through a sad spell or have enjoyed abundance, sometimes listening to your favorite holiday track can be what finally makes you feel merry and bright.
Christmas music is also one-of-a-kind, in that it has a whole genre to itself. Ever heard a Thanksgiving song, or an April Fool’s Day song? Yeah, me neither. Sure, Halloween is a close second, but I would say any creepy or spooky music can qualify as Halloween-appropriate (give the band Creature Feature a listen if you’re into that). Christmas music in the United States is such a staple of our society, that it’s actually hard to create any new tunes within the genre worth listening to. Modern Christmas songs pale in comparison to the golden age of the holiday scene: the 1940’s through the 1970’s. Britney Spears can slap Santa’s name into a pop song and the public will still eat it up, but good covers of classic tracks are something I look forward to every year. I’m still waiting on a decent ‘Merry Christmas Darling,’ cover that even comes close to Karen Carpenter’s shine. It’s almost like a competition in my mind: who’s going to top Michael Buble’s version of ‘It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,’ or Celine Dion’s ‘Blue Christmas?’ I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Whether you love it or hate it, Christmas 2020 is nigh. It’s been a difficult year for everyone and this year’s holiday tracks may hit different. Personally, I can’t go be with my family this year and seeing friends for get-togethers is dangerous with the current COVID-19 situation in my state. My job also requires me to be available nearly 24/7, so getting the day off is pretty much impossible. There’s a lot I could gripe about, but if I’m going to be honest, Christmas music may be the only thing that keeps me sane this season — so I’m going to blast it at every opportunity.
My personal Spotify Christmas playlist: “Now That’s What I Call Christmas.”
UPDATE: The above link/playlist has been retired as of March 2023. Check out my latest blogs to stay on top of my most current music recommendations.
