I don't "hate" Christmas music. I hate hearing it for 8 1/2 hours straight while I'm at work. It's played over the intercom nationwide so we can't even turn it off if we wanted to. I like the music, but not 42 1/2 hours a week.

I'm so stoked that I'm not the only "grinch" here. I don't mean that in a nasty way. I'm Christian and don't mind Christmas music right around Christmas day, mostly because it's tradition and does help to get into the mood for the big holiday. And if someone just absolutely adores everything that comes with Christmas well that's fine, hey if they want to celebrate it every day of the year who cares? Just don't push it in my face, keep it to yourself, please. But to go into a store in August and even in July and see shelves being stocked with Christmas decorations already just makes my blood boil. If it was up to me there would be no Christmas tree here but unfortunately DH is half German and there's no chance that would happen in this house as long as he is alive. I cringe every year when he climbs up that ladder to the attic to get that stuff down at 70. I have a very small fake Christmas tree about 2 feet high and some tiny ornaments to put on it, that would be just enough for me if it was just me. I used to do a lot of decorating and such but that was for DH and my son, not for me. So, I make myself tolerate it but most of it's just too over the top for me.

I've never liked the pop Christmas music. I like the classical stuff but again, only right around Christmas day. So much of what is called "Christmas" music is really just seasonal with all the references to Winter, snow, sleds, egg nog - hey, even the decorated tree and mistletoe have nothing to do with Christmas, they are old pagan traditions that the Christian Church allowed the people to meld into Christianity just to keep them happy.

I love music...as long as it isn't rap...keep it coming always. You can call it

Christmas, Easter, July or Monday music for all I care. Just play music. When

it comes on the TV, Car radio, etc., I usually don't have the time or inclination

to sit and think..."wait...is it too early for that?" What to do..what to do. I

know...turn it off, ignore it or leave the area, if I don't like it" Me too, Judy!

Well my goodness. I see it really IS a hot button issue with some. I did not realize that asking for reasons behind an opinion that differs from my own in order to gain insight was "making it an issue."

I just wanted to know.

Yikes.

*backing away slowly*

The same tired novelty tunes decade after decade—the Carpenters, Grandma Got Run Over.....really tiresome. I do enjoy Christmas instrumentals somewhat.

I’m with you Ritaweeda, same feelings. Let’s run away.

Amylou, it isn't you. We all love different things. The difference between most things and sounds is that one can't just 'scroll on by' them. I have the most beautiful wind chimes, I do not put them outdoors because others might not love them as much as I do.

It is perfectly OK to ask questions and gain insights. And most of us love your enthusiasm. Be you and be happy. If you work by yourself, go ahead, play your tunes, enjoy!

I listen to Christian Contemporary music most days at work. Sometimes I switch to my "oldies" of the 70's. After Thanksgiving if they start throwing in some Christmas music, I'm ok with that. My favorite station used to start playing 100% Christmas from Thanksgiving onward and being that they only played Christian songs - the playlist was pretty short! And annoying to me so I would always switch. They finally asked their listeners which we prefer and the majority has said mix some in but not all 100% of the time. They also started playing some non-Christian tunes so the variety is better.

I have a friend who would listen to it all year long! Her cup of tea, not mine, but it doesn't bother me in the least.

What I play on my computer can really only be heard by me so I play whatever I feel like listening to. If Christmas music makes you happy Amylou - go for it!

I agree with others, It is just too too much of the music and it starts too early. It is obnoxious.

November is for Thanksgiving. It's the turkey's month.

Wait your turn Christmas music!

Amylou, id like to know you, and chat with you, you’re an upbeat cheerful person. No one here is putting you down, just expressing their opinions, even if a little enthusiastic at times. I like Christmas music in general, except for a couple that bug me. I don’t mind it playing in stores, it’s refreshing after hearing rock and rap all the time. Keep on playing those xmas tunes, girl !!!❤️❤️❤️

Amy I don't hate Christmas, nor Christmas music... I just think it comes on way to early.

See, I grew up in Germany, in the 50's and 60's. Christmas came on the 24th of December. Nothing about it before. Even the Christmas Tree wasn't up and visible till the evening of the 24th, when the previously locked living room door was opened, and the tree was all lit with candles, YES, candles, and we sang Christmas songs and each child said a Christmas poem before we were told which presents were ours. Yes, the presents were not wrapped. Nope, no Christmas music played. We just didn't have any.

There are two days of Christmas in Germany (December 25, and 26), and on one we went to one set of grand parents, where the scene was the same, with the Christmas room not available till we were told, and we went to the other set of grand parents the next day for the same routine again.

There was no Santa Claus at Christmas eit2her, but our presents were from Christ Child.

Now, my oldest daughters birthday is on the 17th of Dec. and I never really do anything Christmas before it... even though she is 44 at present.

I can belt out German and American Christmas songs, almost all day long... but not till Christmas....

Yup, it's all just to early for me still.

Moni

It just makes me sorta sad now. Christmas music, that is.

A few years ago I lost my last parent in November, and I have no siblings or any real family left (other than my spouse). Then in early December of that same year my dog - who is my furry child - got diagnosed with terminal cancer.

All I can remember is being so unbearably sad, feeling like an orphan and that the bottom was falling out of my life....and Christmas music was playing everywhere.

At the time I didn't connect the Christmas music to my unbearable sadness. That year I was so wrapped up in grief I literally ignored the season.

But the next year, the first time I heard a Christmas ad on TV I felt like someone punched me in the stomach. I battled a profound sadness that whole Christmas season. It was very weird and totally not like me at all.

That was 4 years ago and life goes on. I have new furry kids and it's all good again.

But there is still something about Christmas music. I'm trying to get past it, but it's a very weird thing now. The season in general isn't "wrecked" for me, I enjoy the holidays and find lots of pleasure and happiness - but I avoid the music if I can. I think it's a Pavlov's Dog reaction for me now. It instantly triggers all that sadness from years ago....

Hey, you asked. :)

I don't hate Christmas music and if you're working from a 1,000 song playlist I'd probably find 995 of them alright. But I vastly prefer to select my own music so really am not keen on being trapped 8 hours a day with anyone else's taste.

You won't hear the artists complaining about their music being played too early. If you just released a new Christmas album, you'll want it commercialized ASAP.

Amylou, I just love when people embrace something wholeheartedly, as you do! And your curmudgeonly regular at work, well, he seems to embrace curmudgeonliness (yeah, it’s a word. I just invented it lol) I can’t say I particularly love that.

I just might go put on A Charlie Brown Christmas CD, that’s one of my favorites. It may not have a lot of carols, but it’s festive and good music that makes me feel good!

Amy, I can't see anywhere here where anyone thinks it's a "hot" issue, or is finding fault with you, everyone is just stating what they think which is what you asked for in the first place. I don't think anyone here is looking down on your liking Christmas music and it looks like everyone is OK with everyone's liking or disliking it, they just don't all agree with how you feel about it and don't want to be over exposed to it if at all possible. When I ask a question like that I pretty much expect a lot of different opinions. The only time I get aggravated is when there is an innocent discussion on something that normally no-one would consider being a "hot" issue and then it blows up into a big kerfuffle. And what Nickle said is so right on, we just don't want to be trapped having to listen to someone else's taste. If I worked at a place where I had to listen to that for 8 hours I would have to drastically figure out how to learn to tune it out or I wouldn't be able to work there.

Love ALL the pretty lights and wreaths! Great food! So the music in the stores is fine. I think people in general are kind of grumpy this time of year. Maybe it's the cold weather? There's this one Home Depot that normally plays sad cheating, dog just died, wife left me ....country music. THAT I HATE! Christmas music is a HUGE improvement! :0)

Someone had made comments, I don't find them immediately now, about having gone through a very difficult childhood and how her Christmas memories were unhappy ones. Her family in need, that was homeless at times, was shunned and ostracized by others, even at the holiday season.

.

I hope this person has been able to find some measure of happiness and financial stability in her adult life.

Edit -

Wrong thread, I found it. In Christmas Music has started.

I think Patrice hit on the head, having lost both my parents I feel a lot of sorrow because they are no longer here to celebrate. I feel like the joy of the season is best suited for kids and I have none. Not even mentioning how commercial it has become, it just causes me to stress out and feel sad.

"Hey, you asked."

Yes patriceny. I did ask. I do want to know. Thank you for sharing that.

I don't hate Christmas music, but I don't really want to hear it until December. I get tired of holidays being pushed on us months before they are celebrated.

I think in an effort to extend the season as long as possible (possibly in order to sell and capitalize as much as possible) stores take away the specialness of holidays. When it's Christmas for 3 months it's just not as much fun as when everything starts the beginning of December.

That said, I feel sorry for your co-worker. He sounds like a very unhappy person.

I like Christmas music. I like Christmas music in December. I don't like listening to Christmas music in November. My sons birthday is at the end of November. I didn't have a Christmas baby, I had a late fall baby.

I have this theory that eventually the stores will start with the Christmas displays so early that they will be back in synch again...

Just re-reading what I wrote and your reply Amy-Lou, I'm coming back to say I hope that "Hey, you asked" didn't come across as snarky. I promise that was not my intention! :)

I try hard not to be a wet blanket on anyone's good clean fun. I'm serious about that. So I don't normally even reply to the "happy holidays" fun threads because I don't want my sadness to be anyone else's problem or to rain on their parade.

The only other thing I can add is that I never understood this - until I did. :( Until that horrible holiday season I had no way to comprehend how something which can be so happy for some/most can be so crushingly sad for others. My Christmas memories were all happy and the music filled me with joy. I loved watching the holiday specials on TV.

There is something so soul crushing about being sad at/about/around the holidays. That first year of grief I was clueless - but that second year hit me like a run-away train. It was completely unexpected and the pain took me by surprise. So now, because I know, I can be much more empathetic to those who don't find the holidays magical. Grief, loss, loneliness weigh twice as much at Christmas time. :(

Nope. I didn't think it was snarky at all. And I do appreciate your reply.

I enjoy most Christmas music and I prefer to keep it special by only listening to it for a short time of the year.

Okla - I enjoyed your telling of your German Christmas experiences.

Be aware that there are people that have had terrible (sometimes childhood) experiences at Christmas. They probably won't tell you what happened but it is a terrible time and reminder for them. I had a family member that was a Grinch at Christmas time and it took decades before they were willing to let anyone know what had happened. It was isolating for them to be the only one that wasn't excited about the holidays.

I am sorry, Patriceny. Wishing peace for you.

I am another for which Christmas does not bring joy (aside from the true reason for the season). I was born into a desperately poor family and always knew there was no Santa. Other kids at school were happy and excited for Christmas but my siblings and I never were. We knew we were different.

I love classical and religious-based Christmas music, like in Sableincal's post. Even though I'm not a regular church-goer, the classes remind me of Christmas mass as a child and our wonderful choir. There's something very comforting about it.

I agree that Christmas marketing comes too early. Especially this year, after a difficult summer and very brief fall, I'm just not ready for it. My neighbor puts up her tree at the beginning of Nov., and many friends begin to decorate so they can enjoy it longer. If that's your thing, that's your thing.

I love Christmas music (most of it). It evokes good feelings of the holidays for me, but more than a couple weeks of it diminishes (waters down) those special feelings. To me it's like having a favorite special food once in a while that you really look forward to, but if it was available to you every single day, it is no longer a special treat.

I think people's strong reaction to the music being played too early is that it represents the over-commercialization of the season. It's usually the stores trying to entice us to part with our $$ that are the worst offenders with early playing. I think if I walked into a business that was playing it so early, I'd probably have the same reaction as your Grinch.

And as we age the years come and go so quickly that it seems like I just got all the Christmas stuff put away and then they are trying to foist the next Christmas on us in October. That's not enough time in between to be able to look forward to it already. When one is younger, the time between the seasons seems much longer than it does when you're older.

Patrice, I am so sorry for your loss and grief. Have you been able to seek some professional counseling to help you with this? A good therapist can give you the tools needed to feel differently about the holidays, to find the power within yourself to allow some light into your heart during this stressful time.

Your description of your pain sounds very much like PTSD, Treatment can work miracles.

(((Patrice)))

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I don't care for Christmas music because I am not a Christian (nor any other religion), and it's the same songs over and over again. But I do always enjoy the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from the King's College Chapel Choir, Cambridge, broadcast every Christmas Eve on NPR.

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/a-festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols

I would be perfectly happy falling asleep after Thanksgiving dinner and not waking up until after the first of the year!! Christmas no longer holds much magic for me now I am single and kids are grown and gone their own way and it just goes on forever. For a good 6 weeks at least, Christmas takes over the world and it is hard to get anything non-Christmas done. I tend to ignore it as much as possible but the rest of my extended family just won't leave it be :-) I know they are trying to be kind and include me in all the festivities but other than Christmas Day itself, I'd just as soon be left alone.

My favorite Christmases are the ones my family spends as a group in Mexico. Only happens about every 4-5 years but the focus then is very little to do with Christmas and a whole lot to do with just having fun in the sun and enjoying each other's company.

My biggest complaint, like others here, is that just starts too early, but also that it seems to me that many places play unending Christmas music for crass, calculated cynical profit-motivated reasons, apparently thinking "Hey if we get them in the 'Christmas Spirit' by playing Christmas Music, maybe they'll spend more money."

Additionally while some few of the songs are interesting musically, many are simplistic childish dreck. So while I actually enjoy those few "good" songs in a non-commercial setting, such as while attending a Christmas Party, or while intentionally looking a Christmas light displays, the endless replaying of those "good" songs in crass commercial settings, can suck all of the enjoyment out of them long before any Christmas parties are scheduled.

Some Christmas songs I find so gratingly annoying that I have simply parked my shopping cart, and left the store that was playing it, or another occasion I have literally put my fingers in my ears until that particular song finished.

You are all so sweet. Thank you. I'm fine. :)

It was a really bad time, at the time. And the surprise at how much it totally sucked over Christmas for the 2nd year was unexpected.

I heard my first Christmas songs this weekend and had that visceral reaction of sadness - but it's not nearly as bad as it's been. I'm 4 years out and it's all getting better.

The topic was timely for me and I thought I could help explain, that's all.

I'm glad it's getting easier for you, Patrice. Time really does help dull pain and grief. I lost my mom on the 4th of July and both my brother and my MIL on New Year's Eve. Not at the same time, but two years apart so I can kind of relate to the feelings holidays can evoke in others. It's been six/seven years now, so I'm getting to the point that the 4th (my favorite of the holidays) is becoming enjoyable again.

Amy, in your quest for an answer/understanding, I think it's important to note that there are as many different reasons for not liking/not being super excited about Christmas music (or even Christmas itself) as there are Christmas songs including starting the music/celebration too soon to bad memories of childhood to personal loss.

Patric, Hugs to you. It is good that you were able to make the connection, so important in trying to move forward. Our feelings are so complicated.

I specifically remember when my Dad died. It struck me that the world around me kept going as if nothing had changed.

I have to say that I dislike the endless "Christmas" music, most of which is not about Christmas, but about heartbreak, passion, romance, or pathos. Just like most modern "Christmas" movies. And IMO the majority of the pop songs played over and over either aren't all that good (either the song or the performance), or finally lost their appeal when heard for the umpteenth time that day. Screechy little M. Jackson makes me want to wear earplugs while shopping!

Not that I don't listen to and appreciate a lot of Christmas music; I have a collection of CDs that I listen to off and on in December (more in the last 2 weeks before the 25th) that are a variety of musical styles (nope, no modern country).

When I was a child Thanksgiving was more of a major holiday, it seems, than it is now. Is my memory tricking me, or weren't there songs that relate to that holiday that we sang in school and at church, and heard on the radio? And didn't we used to see more Thanksgiving décor in shops an homes (more related to harvest, and history)?

My hometown never lit the Christmas lights until the night of Thanksgiving when I was little - part of our family tradition was to all pile into the car to drive into town to see them. Also part of our tradition was to play one Christmas record (Ferrante & Teicher's "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - my mother loved that record!) at the end of the day. So that marked the start of the Christmas season for us.

Now my town's Christmas lights downtown have been lit for a week already (it's shopping season!"), we are blasted with "Christmas" songs for nearly 2 months, ads about buy buy buy this or that "for Christmas" -- Christmas is a huge commercial event now in American culture. It becomes overwhelming, and I don't like to be reminded of that constantly, either.

And Thanksgiving is reduced to a half-day pause in the shopping season to eat a turkey dinner and watch football (as far as media is concerned).

I feel rather like I have lost certain anchors to the seasons.

PS coming from a mixed religion family, I do appreciate the absence of overtly religious content in commercial spaces - but the substitutes are, well, less than engaging to me.

The mind is a funny thing, isn't it? After the first year was over, I thought it was pretty much back to normal. And then the Christmas songs started and I couldn't believe how much sadness they brought. The songs triggered the same physical pain in my chest - that feeling of heaviness you can get when you're so overwhelmingly sad.

I kept telling myself this is stupid! It's all better now, you have no reason to be sad! And I'd claw my way back and then another song would hit or they'd replay the same old holiday commercial (they reuse commercials year after year - who knew?!) and the pain would return to my chest. Craziness. My mind would say this is stupid but I still physically reacted to it all.

But again, I am doing much better now and appreciate all of your kind words.

All I was trying to do was explain why Christmas can be painful for some people, and in my case it really is triggered by sounds rather than the lights, trees, decorations, etc.

Stupid brain! LOL. :)

Raee, yes, I remember when small towns decorated for Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving school plays and parades were a big deal. We also sang Thanksgiving songs from hymnals in school, best know song would be "We Gather Together".

I do not hate Christmas music. I will state that right up front. Do I like all of it? No, same as any other music. I get bored with many over-played songs, especially Christmas songs that I don’t like. Plus, we sing in a huge choral presentation that begins rehearsal in early September, so believe me, those 12-15 songs are not only memorized, they are tired by mid December, as much as I love some of them.

I will say I love a great classic song, especially some of the ones we have sung in Latin. Very moving and difficult to sing. Some are elaborate arrangements and those are fun too and the audience loves them. I will listen to various major choral groups sing on occasion in tv (for example the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or other major groups). I could listen and sing along with portions of Handel’s Messiah almost any time.

Outside, be sure to try to find the Christmas Eve Kings College Chapel program on public radio. It is incredibly beautiful.

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/a-festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols

When I was about 12, my best friend's older brother was in a very bad car accident, leaving him with some mild brain damage. When he came home from the hospital, he began playing the song Sugar Sugar over and over again. The song is "so happy, so joyful, so cheerful."

It very much appealed to 12 year old me and my friend. At first. But her brother played it OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER, etc., etc., etc. He played it all day, every day for months. We started hanging out anywhere but there. I'm all for the healing power of music, but this was torture. To this day, my stomach clenches up if I hear Sugar Sugar.

I don't celebrate Christmas and like Sugar Sugar, the music has no personal relationship to me. Except that it makes me cringe because it plays OVER and OVER and OVER.

Listen to Sugar Sugar, Amylou.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JywK_5bT8z0

Listen it it over and over and over. Maybe now you'll understand.

Be of good cheer.

I do enjoy Christmas although I no longer have the energy to celebrate as I used to. I enjoy some of the music. I don't like the jazzed up stuff and the noisy stuff. I don't even start listening until a few days before Christmas. I have lovely CD's of Harp, guitar, Lute (my fave) choral, Medieval, Elizabethan versions with recorder and other older instruments. Obscure Christmas music you couldn't get tired of.

I am not a believer but I know you are supposed to be happy that Christ is born if you are Christian. Otherwise it is not a bad idea to think of all the happy times. They haven't been taken from you because you have had a loss. Life is loss but it is better to have loved. Christmas, that coming together time, is a time to celebrate you good times.

I like Christmas music, but not for 100% of time. Gimme a break! Play something else part the time.

I think everyone has said it all. I like Christmas music close to the day, but that's pretty much it. I enjoy singing the carols in church, especially. Joyful, I loved what you wrote! In our house, our kids grew up believing "hate" was a bad word, especially if it pertained to a person. I hope my girls still feel that way.

Yes, since those songs are so tightly tied to the Christmas season, they can bring out all kinds of grief and bad feelings if such episodes happened at that time of the year. And we tend to miss family members and friends whom we celebrated with at that time as well. But mostly the stores and other businesses have co-opted the music to serve their purposes, which feels wrong to me.

Wife is the Christmas person in our house while I quite happily and eagerly take the part of the Grinch. In my opinion (only), Christmas music starts way too early and repeats itself FAR too many times over the course of the season and over far too many stations/venues. There are only so many times I can listen to the same old worn out holiday songs played over and over and over regardless of how many singers/groups are inserted in and out of the rotation nor how said singers try to modify the music to their own style. I do however, like to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on PBS and others of that type holiday music.

As an aside, I also wish someone would put the Hallmark Channel (cable tv) out of its unintended Christmas misery. Basically the same half dozen soap opera type goodie two shoes movies with the same half dozen actors and the same three or four plots played over and over as if they assume that no one is going to notice the repetition, only with different faces. The worst thing you'll possibly see is that someone will misplace their scarf or spill their tea. Just barf...

My family does not call me 'Scrooge' for nothing.

Do they twist your arm to watch Hallmark?

TXSkeeter, as a Christmas movie fanatic, I DO NOT LIKE hallmarks sappy love stories set in wintertime. I will NOT call them Christmas movies. They are not.

I do love the scrooge movies though. :)

No arm twisting but does contribute as one of the reasons we have two tv’s in separate parts of the house.

I like certain kinds of Xmas music but get tired of it blasting over the speakers in stores when you try to do your everyday shopping. And I have to admit, I'm much more "into" the holidays now that I've been out of retail for a (relatively) long time.