Thursday, I was stuck in rush-hour traffic and as usual I was flipping through the radio stations. Then all of a sudden, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Bing Crosby began to blare from my speakers.
Are you serious?
99.1 WMYX (the Mix) has already begun their nonstop Christmas mix – yes, all Christmas music all the time... but it’s only November.
Has Milwaukee forgotten about Thanksgiving?
I find it unfortunate that one of my favorite holidays is celebrated silently and has almost fallen off the radar. People shouldn’t bypass a holiday that’s so important to our heritage for a more profitable day like Christmas. I’m pretty sure this is the earliest I’ve heard Christmas music played on the radio.
The holidays are my favorite time of year and I love the warm fuzzy feeling I get when I listen to Christmas music, but it is November and I’m still recovering from Halloween. Plus, the weather is still warm and there are still colorful leaves on the trees and I’m not ready to think about buying presents or trimming a tree, not to mention welcoming snow.
After talking to the rest of my friends about the matter, I’d be very surprised if the 24/7 set of November Christmas music is being well received.
This is what it looked like outside today:
Apparently, it's not beginning to look a lot like Christmas yet.
What are we doing New Years Eve? Just kidding. I agree the 24/7 holiday music at starting the first of November is a bit pushy.
Posted by: Gloria | November 04, 2007 at 08:52 AM
I think it's way too early for Xmas music on the radio. I think after Thanksgiving would be more appropriate. The decorations in the mall are up and Halloween wasn't even celebrated yet. Why the rush?
Posted by: Char | November 04, 2007 at 09:15 AM
I was surprised as well - typically the holiday music started after Thanksgiving! Perhaps there are not enough Pilgrim and Turkey related tunes to keep us entertained for the next couple of weeks. I'm going to go out tomorrow and look for my Valentines.
Posted by: KBC | November 04, 2007 at 04:36 PM
What do you have against Christmas?
Posted by: Julio | November 04, 2007 at 07:00 PM
Milwaukee has traffic??? Please! We are so lucky compared to places like Chicago, Houston, Dallas, LA, etc... :-)
Anyway - I totally agree. I love Christmas, but the radio stations and stores start w/ the tunes and promotions so early that by December 1 I'm already getting a little tired of them.
Posted by: Audra | November 05, 2007 at 10:11 AM
KBC, you're hilarious! :)
_____________________________
Julio,
"The holidays are my favorite time of year and I love the warm fuzzy feeling I get when I listen to Christmas music..."
Don't read so far into it, man. I love Christmas, well, now that I've finally accepted the fact that (cover your kid’s eyes) Santa Claus is a fake. It took a while to get over the disappointment.
Posted by: Karen | November 05, 2007 at 02:08 PM
Apparently WRIT is also playing X-mas music and you better believe that stores are already decked out too. I know in a month I'm going to be sick of the holidays, which sucks because I like them, but at the same time, I was kind of excited to hear the Christmas music on the radio this morning.
Posted by: Amanda | November 05, 2007 at 02:25 PM
So with the majority of us being more or less annoyed by the early arrival of Christmas, why do you think so many industries push it? I mean, I get why stores do it, but what’s in it for the radio stations?
Does this overkill really get people into the holiday spirit? Or better yet, are there actually people out there who listen to “Frosty the Snowman” year-round or long for candy canes and gingerbread men in June and, therefore, are ecstatic about Christmas this early?
Posted by: Karen | November 05, 2007 at 04:28 PM
I remember when my kids started listening to Xmas music around the house in Sept and kept going until Feb. I'll wait until Dec to start and end at new years.
Posted by: char | November 05, 2007 at 11:48 PM
k you say it is sad that a holiday that is important to our heritage is being pass sillently by christmas, um if i ma not mistaking christmas is an important holiday to our heritage too.... anyway i agree they should at least wait till last week of november
Posted by: visoth | November 08, 2007 at 01:52 AM
Visoth, you're absolutely right. Christmas is definitely important to our heritage. As is Thanksgiving. But, Christmas isn't the holiday that’s being passed over. It actually seems like Christmas gets bigger and bigger and more commercial each year. Stores start decorating ON Halloween and, as we've discussed, the music starts earlier these days. What happened to the pumpkin, turkey and cornucopia decorations in November? You know? That’s the point I was making, Visoth.
Posted by: Karen | November 08, 2007 at 09:27 AM