I think this time of year is calculated to reveal to me just how much of a hypocrite I really am. I get so frustrated when I walk into a grocery store or visit the local mall (ONLY at this time of year) and hear Christmas music piped everywhere the day before Halloween. You know the feeling, I'm sure...What, can't Christmas wait at least until the week before Thanksgiving? Does anyone even remember that Thanksgiving is still to come?? Where are all the pilgrims and the cornucopias? Where are all the indians??? (Well, I guess we know where the indians are...They went the way of Political Correctness. They are Native Americans - which, incidently, I am too - and why should they be included in a sssshhhhhhhhhhh! Christian holiday? I'm sure someone, somewhere, found it offensive.) So, the point...
I get as frustrated as any other right thinking (that is, correct thinking, not Politically Right thinking) individual that Thanksgiving is almost entirely passed over and we just jump, commercially, from Halloween to Christmas. And I am always reminded about this time of year just how much I hate the song "Jingle Bells," which, aside from being annoying, isn't even - strictly speaking - a Christmas song. Okay, enough of the Political statments. The point, as I was saying, is that I'm a closet Christmas Music Listener. (Boy, it feels good to get that out in the open!)
It's true. I am. Somewhere around Halloween, I get the almost irresistible urge to rifle through my pathetically small collection of Christmas CD's and pipe Deck the Halls and O Come, O Come Emmanuel throughout my entire house. But, because I was taught from a little child that we don't listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, I publicly sneer at all those people who start playing Christmas music at Halloween, and secretly fight the urge to do the same. Well, I've lost the battle - again.
I find myself waiting until Tyler and the children are gone for the day and then, on the pretense of looking for something upbeat, I wander into the Library and casually look through the CD's. I almost have to fight the urge to look over my shoulder as I slip Alabama Christmas or Voice Male Jingles from the shelf and wander back into the kitchen. All pretense stops there when I crank the volume up and load to dishwasher to Jingle Bell Rock (a completely different experience from just plain Jingle Bells), Away in the Manger, and Winter Wonderland. The fun ends when I hear the bus roar past the house at 2:15. The music goes off and the CD case is surreptiously tucked underneath the mail or a book or behind a box of crackers until I have a child-free minute to take it back to the Library and put it away before Tyler comes home.
In my defense, I don't listen to Christmas carols all day, or even every day. But there is no denying that it happens more frequently than I care to admit. By the time Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season officially begins, I'm filled with relief that the subterfuge is finally over. And I'm the first to admit that by the time January comes around, it sure is nice to put the music away for another year. So, I'm not an entirely hopeless case...Am I???
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Rachel, I don't even pretend to be
"in the closet" with Christmas Carols. I've been listening to them since LONG before Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I like Thanksgiving...but I dislike Halloween, so why not make it a little bit more spiritual by listening to my favorite Christmas hymns and songs. Josh Groban has been singing in my house for weeks (I LOVE his Christmas album), MoTab has made it out along with my other favorites. I would listen to them all day long regardless of who's home.
Stuart however draws the line at letting me decorate before Thanksgiving...I did threaten to do that, but he asked me not to.
I very proudly start listening to Christmas music before Halloween. It always happens when the weather turns cold and I bake anything. I do not in any way overlook Thanksgiving. I've just decided that Thanksgiving and Christmas should be combined. They compliment each other so well! One of the things I am most grateful for is Jesus Christ. Why not celebrate his birth at Thanksgiving. And why not celebrate Christmas by being thankfull for all that I have because of Christ. The earth, the church, salvation and eternal families, the scriptures, good friends, a happy home, and sweet tender mercies that only the Lord can bestow. I might as well include Christmas music in that list. It is the most joyful, cheerful, and good feeling music I know of. My first cd to pull out is always Rutter's arrangement of Gloria performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square. Next come Bing Crosby. In case you haven't noticed, I adore Christmas music. I'm so glad to hear that you do too!
At least you put your Christmas cds away at the end of the year. Mine stay out all year long- and are listened to all year long.
Surreptiously -- I LOVE that word! ...you're such a linguist! ;)
I know this post is old, but we love the Voice Male Jingles CD in our house, too. This year the kids started listening to it right after Halloween! (Only because Robby let them!)
Post a Comment