Christmas Music Season Begins!

No, this post is not anachronistic. Today, some choose to celebrate the day America declared its independence from England. However, I additionally celebrate something else of great import today, the beginning of Christmas music season. When my iPod alarm clock went off to wake me today, it was to the sound of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

You see, I love Christmas music. I think that Christmas music surpasses many other common genres of music both in quality and enjoyment. But, because Hallmark tells us we can't start playing Christmas music until the Thanksgiving greeting cards have had their run, this wonderful trove of music is enjoyed only for about 5 weeks a year. Can you imagine if someone suggested that we listen to Madonna and Cher, say, only from May to mid-June each year? The world would unravel at its core! Yet, the suppression and discrimination against Christmas music continues year after year without so much as a single march of protest on the Capitol.

So, in 1993 as a freshman in college, I decided that I would not take it anymore. I would change the world. And from July 4, 1993, to today, I have declared Christmas music season to begin on July 4. Yes, I am a compromiser not to insist upon the music being listened to year-round, but there is a small part of me that recognizes there is a "specialness" that adheres to our Christmas favorites partially because of the fact that we don't get to listen to them all year. So, I figured a 50-50 compromise would be adequate. And I still get that "special" feeling from the music. I am perhaps the only person in the world who spends the entire month of June eagerly anticipating listening to Christmas music and struggling to be disciplined to wait until the 4th of July (I was successful, too! Listened to my first Christmas song of the year this morning at 1:00 a.m.!).

So, Happy Holidays! Of course, I do not listen to Christmas music exclusively during the latter half of the calendar year, but I do consistently mix it in with my musical rotations. Therefore, if you happen to be in my car and hear Mannheim Steamroller's "Angels We Have Heard on High" in the middle of August, don't give me a strange look. I will devastate you with my defense of Christmas music's true, authentic, and complete season.