Before the Halloween costumes even came off, the sounds of Christmas already seemed to be playing in the background. But how soon is too soon? Some grinches say Christmas music should stay in December, while the merrier among us say it can never come soon enough. 

So when should we carol our songs and jingle our bells? Our writers weigh in. 

‘Turn That Off!’

I was thrown off the day after Halloween when I heard jingle bells in the background of a Michael Bublé song. With a side eye, I yelled “Turn that off!” to my roommate. Thus began the great debate of when Christmas music should be played. She says after Halloween. I say after Thanksgiving. 

With no resolution to our debate, she is confined to playing Christmas music softly in her room for now. I love everyone’s excitement, but we need to calm down and have self control. Christmas is great, but don’t forget Thanksgiving. We need to treat each holiday as equals. So let’s play that one Adam Sandler song about Thanksgiving on repeat to show the holiday some love.

-Sydney Blake

Christmas Music’s Past, Present… and No Future 

I’ve begun to fear the most mundane element of the winter season: Christmas music. 

Not only do I hear the same 10 over-popularized songs while I shop for my loved ones every year, but the same exact tunes have played the last eight years I’ve worked in retail. By Dec. 31, it feels like I’ve been forced into a four-wall purgatory. 

Why must we be punished? I’m beginning to understand why Ebenezer Scrooge practiced so much self-pity. 

-Jessica Johnson

Play That Charlie Brown Jazz

The sun has abandoned us. Daylight savings has ruined our mental health. Our only savior: Christmas jazz. 

Feel your whimsy as soon as you need! If not for an all-powerful dopamine hit of Christmas spirit, I would be in dire straits from seasonal depression. Come February, I’ll still be playing Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas album 24/7.

-Michael Purtell

A Retail Worker’s Nightmare

As a minimum wage retail worker at American Eagle, this time of year is the bane of my existence. I’ve already been opening Christmas shipments since August, and now I have to deal with an influx of holiday shoppers who are often not the nicest, while Mariah Carey bursts my eardrums. The sound of her voice just makes me anxious about how I’ll have to spend my entire biweekly paycheck on Christmas gifts. Also, if we start celebrating now, I will be sick of Christmas itself by the time it is Dec. 25, and the music is the first thing that begins to drive me insane.

So PLEASE keep Christmas far from me until at least Thanksgiving is over. 

-Yasmine Alregabi

The Least Wonderful Time of the Year

If you’re gonna play Christmas music, don’t do it around me. I hate Christmas music. From November to January, I hear the same songs in the store or on the radio every single day. They’re overplayed, overrated and too happy.

I don’t want to hear about Frosty the Snowman thumping around, Rudolph’s big red nose or what Mariah Carey wants for Christmas. And I most certainly don’t care about some kid without his two front teeth. Stick to playing the top hits, because I know for a fact that nobody listens to “Santa Baby” willingly.

-Adam Blanchard

Wham! 

For the love of god, people, come on. There are only about five good Christmas songs, eight if you really want to push it. So let’s not wear them out before December even gets here.

It makes me irate when people skip right over Thanksgiving to Christmas. I get that there’s no Thanksgiving music, but that doesn’t give you the excuse to play Christmas music as a substitute. That’s not how it works. So everyone cool their jets, eat a pumpkin roll, and when December comes around, then we can carol it up for a whole 25 days.

Unless you want to play “Last Christmas” by Wham! That song is a national treasure, and can be played all 365 days of the year. 

-Evan Rando