Does it need to be 'Tis the Season?

11/17/2019

As I write this, it is November 17th, 2019. There are 11 days until Thanksgiving, and 38 days until Christmas Day.

During this murky time of almost December, almost holiday season, but not quite, there is usually shouts and debate of people as they argue:

“You shouldn’t be listening to Christmas music, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!” “Decorations? It hasn’t even started snowing.” “Put Santa Clause 2 away or so help me God-”

We get it. It’s not December, Thanksgiving hasn’t passed yet, and year after year, people are getting more and more ticked off about people doing holiday related activities.

As I write this, I am watching low quality Christmas themed Netflix original movies. Yesterday, I did the exact same thing. A few weeks ago, I headbanged it out with my dad as we listened to Bruce Springsteen’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town. We proceeded to listen to When Christmas Comes to Town from The Polar Express (which, by the way, is a real tear jerker).

I listened to both of those songs before it even snowed, before it was even November.

And so what? There’s a fantastic saxophone solo in Bruce Springsteen’s song. The Polar Express’s soundtrack has a song for every mood, including the one where your head hurts and you just need something soothing. If need be, I’ll listen to All I Want for Christmas is You when it’s dreary and rainy in April and I’ll watch Elf when it’s bright and sunny in June.

Time is relative and why are you squandering yours by berating people for spending their free time by doing something they enjoy?

I understand where the naysayers are coming from. It can be a little obnoxious to turn on the radio and you’re forced to listen to jazzed up versions of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer when facing bumper to bumper traffic. Some people aren’t a fan of the holidays and don’t like the constant reminders being shoved down their throat.

A simple solution: Turn off the radio. Play your own music.

A solution to the bombardment of advertisements urging you to make the holidays more materialistic than sentimental: gouge out your eyes?

I will dock a point to the pessimists- our society has done a splendid job making holiday cheer about pasting a smile on your face as you face a frenzied customer demanding why the Apple watches are out of stock.

The holidays evoke different thoughts and opinions from everyone. Some adore the celebration, some wish that everyone might just collectively forget it. There was a girl that was even so bold to say “listening to Christmas music in early November is Thanksgiving erasure.”

Right, like listening to Michael Bublé is going to prevent me from eating my heart out on the fourth Thursday of November.

Switching up the holidays with music can be acceptable with any time. Watch horror movies in May, listen to Whitney Houston’s version of The Star Spangled Banner (also known as the superior version) in January. Some songs, in some perspectives, are just decent, melodious songs. You don’t need approval from a deity from above in order to blare songs that are labeled “seasonal” as you clean your room.

It’s music. It’s movies. At the end of the day, it’s someone sharing what they’re currently doing or interested in. All I’m asking is that you don’t berate them for their likes and interests, which should be a general courtesy year round.

We shouldn’t be needing etiquette classes at this age, but here’s a gentle reminder:

Tis the season. Keep your head up, smile at a stranger, know that you have your own guilty pleasures- and be kind.