With Halloween officially being crossed off the calendar, we’re in the final stretch before Thanksgiving and Christmas wrap up the year. The question for the Life section in this roundtable is in regards to the dreaded (or beloved) Christmas music genre. Is it too early to blast Mariah Carey? Is it a crime to sing along to Michael Bublé in November? Let’s find out.
Tianyue Zhang, CC
Alright, let’s get real for a second. Every year, just when Halloween candy hits the clearance aisle, I start getting that itch. You know the one I’m talking about: the “Is it too soon to blast ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ on repeat?” itch. Man, the struggle is real.
I mean, on one hand, those holiday tunes? Absolute bops. They whisk me straight back to sneaking cookies with my now grown-up friends and trying to figure out if I’ve been good enough for Santa. There’s just something so warm and fuzzy about them. Heck, in the chaos that is adulting, who doesn’t want a dose of that holiday magic a bit early?
Then there’s the other camp — my buddies who are all, “Hold your reindeer, pal! Let’s get through Thanksgiving first!” They’ve got a point. There’s a certain magic in the waiting, in the build-up. It’s like saving that last piece of chocolate, savoring the anticipation.
But, you know what? Life’s short. If jamming to holiday hits in November (or October… or September ) gives you those feel-good vibes, I say go for it. After all, in this rollercoaster we call life, grabbing those moments of pure, jingle-bell joy wherever we can find them? Priceless.
Benjamin Lassy, LE
I used to be completely sick of Christmas music. I thought it was stale, repetitive and — in my opinion — every line of Michael Bublé just reeked of money-grabbing soulless music.
However, Santa’s best gift, the internet, has restored my love for the genre ten-fold this year. Have you ever wanted to hear Yoda sing “Santa Baby” or witness Toad from Super Mario do a breathtaking rendition of “All I Want for Christmas is You?”
Behold the power of AI, the savior of my holiday season. Seriously, just search on YouTube for any character you like doing a rendition of a classic Christmas song, and some lovely internet stranger will surely have put AI-generated vocals on top of the songs you already know by heart.
All I want for Christmas is you, Toad, to grace my ears anytime of year.
Karla Perez, ALE
Now that Halloween is officially over, it’s time for the annual debate to arise once again: When should people start getting ready for Christmas? Already, TikTokers are using Mariah Carey’s Christmas anthem “All I Want for Christmas is You” as their sound, and the “She’s defrosting!” memes are coming in strong. Call me a Grinch but if you ask me, I’d say it’s a little too early to listen to Christmas music.
People still have leftover Halloween decorations that, let’s be real, will probably stay up for at least another week. Imagine driving down your neighborhood blasting Michael Bublé while passing skeletons overtaking someone’s front yard. Wouldn’t the contrast make you feel uneasy?
Personally, I think that waiting until the week before Thanksgiving is an appropriate time to get into the Christmas spirit. You can have your Christmas playlist running in the background as you prepare the feast. By this time, the weather will fit more to the season as well, so your driving scenery will match the vibe of the music. What an exciting thought!
Now if you ask me about Christmas decorations, I may say differently.
James Fitzpatrick, CC
The hypnotic trance of Elvis’ “White Christmas” is reasonable to listen to now, considering Black Friday is in a few weeks. However, most modern-day Christmas music sounds tacky and is undoubtedly a cash-grab by most artists that make it. It’s only passable when it’s played in department stores, accompanying Christmas trees and other similar scenery. There’s nothing wrong with voluntarily listening to it around your own Christmas decorations that are going up soon, though. They’ll come down by Easter, right?
The fact of the matter is that Christmas is really about celebration. Playboi Carti may have been jingling his bells, or his chains rather, on “Whole Lotta Red”; however, it made his fans rejoice on Christmas Day 2020 when it was released, and for those who enjoy it, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Here’s a message to contemporary artists: Follow in Playboi Carti’s footsteps and come out with music that gets fans excited on an already-exciting day!
Desirae Sin, CC
Never, holiday music is a state of mind. I’ll listen to “Spooky Scary Skeletons” in mid-July if I’m in the mood. Although Christmas music is a different beast. After working in retail for three years straight I’ve grown a disdain for any cover of “Last Christmas.”
At least Halloween music is fun and energetic; all Christmas music makes me want to do is turn off the radio. Don’t even get me started on Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
If I ever die, play “Monster Mash” at my funeral. At least people will get to boogie around my casket.