Fa la la la la … ah, the sweet sound of holiday music comes around the time we get ready for the winter season. At least, that’s when it is expected. Whether you don’t mind Mariah Carey’s Christmas album on repeat (how many times can you listen to “All I want for Christmas”?) or are a more traditional Bing Crosby/ Nat King Cole type of person (think of the music from “White Christmas”), most of us enjoy good ol' holiday music.
The issue is that not everyone agrees on the timing of when to kick off the sabbatical festivities with the sounds of reindeer hoofs or jingling bells, all things that belong in the “Winter Wonderland.”
Some of the super cheery winter holiday enthusiasts find listening to their favorite Christmas jingles to begin as early as they want to, even if that is before a brightly-colored leaf hits the ground.
Longwood sophomore Tyler Long is one of those people. “I think it's never too early to listen to Christmas music,” he said. “I can't tell you how many times I have jammed out to some good Christmas songs mid-September. Christmas Pandora is always my go-to!”
Ally Baltas agreed, saying, “Honestly, I don't think there really is a time that's ‘too early’ to listen to Christmas music. I work at a Hallmark store, so we start playing Christmas music as soon as Halloween is over … I like listening to it in early November.”
Contrary to their view, others disagree and consider listening to music prior to the last few weeks of November just a bit too early.
“Any more than a week before Thanksgiving Day is too early,” Ben Stembridge remarked. “It should be just before Thanksgiving because that’s when it’s guaranteed that people are buying presents.”
As Longwood students, many wait until the winter break to begin their holiday shopping. The sweet bells and whistles of all your favorite holiday hits playing in the background as you start the holiday gift shopping entices you and makes you feel at home for the winter holiday.
“The rule in my family is that I can't play Christmas music until Black Friday,” stated Shelley Heaney. “The best time to start listening to Christmas music is the week of Thanksgiving!
It gets people into the holiday spirit,” adds Emma Foley. Personally, I love all holiday music. Don’t get me wrong, Nat King Cole is basically the voice of Christmas in my house. However, I think there’s a time and place for “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Silent Night,” and it’s mid-November or close to Thanksgiving.
As a Longwood student, playing Christmas holiday hits on my Pandora station while studying for finals may ease the tension and actually put me in a calmer state of mind. However, I also realize I have a whole month to listen to it at home, reminding me to dial it down on the holiday merriment.
Whether we choose to listen to Christmas hits a few months before winter or strictly wait until after Thanksgiving, the day when we get to peace out from Longwood for our extended winter break is when it is really time to gear up for the holidays and jingle those bells.
