James Austin ’22 | Nic Staley ’22
Thought: When is the correct time to start listening to Christmas music and to put up Christmas decorations?
Photo courtesy of Gianna Cilluffo ’22
James Austin:
You would have to be a moron, a buffoon, or a calendar-oblivious, socially-inept human being to believe in anything other than what I’m about to say.
There are two separate questions here. It should be obvious to everyone that listening to Christmas music should come before putting up the decorations, because to have decorations up without music is just ridiculous. The day of Thanksgiving is when one can begin listening to holiday music. I say this because Thanksgiving marks the transition into winter time—when holiday music becomes acceptable.
To answer the second question, it is respectable to deck the halls with Christmas decorations on December 8th or later. This allows a person two-and-a-half weeks to see their garlands draped, their tree ornamented, and their cultural paraphernalia abound. This is ample time to enjoy the pre-season. Any extra time would take away from the special, once-a-year quality of this beloved and magical season.
On a final note, if there are still Christmas decorations up by Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you’re living in the past and need to reconsider your life choices—New Year’s Day is already pushing it. It’s a new year, act like it.
Photo Courtesy of Andi Murphy
Nic Staley:
What can I say that my colleague has not already said? By putting your Christmas decorations up and blasting Christmas music the second November 1st rolls around, you are completely disregarding the rest of fall and Thanksgiving.
Fall is the best time of the year; the leaves are falling, the air turns crisp (but not too cold) and the sun still shines bright. It baffles me why people have the need to rush this season’s beauty just to get to Christmas faster. I know that some people believe that listening to holiday music earlier will extend the magic of Christmas, but in reality it just takes away from the enchantment of fall.
This is why I believe that the Holiday season begins right after Thanksgiving. December is the start of Winter, not November, and anyone who believes otherwise does not appreciate all four seasons.