…I failed! And this year it happened three days after Halloween. Let me explain.
It was the day after Halloween. The Spiderman costumes were stored away. The candy bowl still filled with treats. No more children ringing the doorbell for their trick or treat candy. My family peacefully sleeping. I, on the other hand, was sitting in my car preparing to drive to work. The heat inside was set to a comfortable setting while the temperature outside was cool that morning. Here I am scrolling through Apple Music finding good music to listen to before the drive. I took a sip of iced coffee and pressed the “Search” image on the app. The search page appeared on screen, and there it was! A box with a purple background with Christmas lights in the top right corner titled “Holiday.”
“Should I?” I asked myself while taking another sip of iced coffee. “No, it’s too early for Christmas music. Like besides, Halloween just ended. Let Thanksgiving come first, then play all the Christmas music I want from that day until New Year’s.” I pressed the “R&B” box, found a suitable playlist for my drive, and drove to work.
Work was busy that day. Test after test, an endless cycle. Around 1:00 p.m. I took my lunch break. The room was empty as I sat at a table near the exit and begam to check Facebook. The first thing I saw was one of my friends posted he started listening to Christmas music today and does not care what anyone thinks. “Ok, is Facebook listening to my thoughts?” I asked myself. “These algorithms are getting too personal nowadays.”
Two days later I repeated the same cycle before leaving for work. As I took a sip of iced coffee inside of my car, I pressed the Apple Music app in search of music. Pressing on the “Search” image, and there read the word “Holiday.” This day I actually pressed it and the first thing I saw on its page is “Christmas Playlist.” Below this title read “Essential Christmas.” I press on the playlist, and the first song I see is Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Memories of Christmases pass began to flood my thoughts. I can never escape this song. From a kid to man, I never missed a Christmas season where I did not hear this song. I have heard it so much a few years ago I stopped singing along to Mariah Carey and just sing with the background singers. And here I am three weeks later still playing Christmas songs.
And this would be the day I began listening to Christmas music this year. Three weeks before Thanksgiving, four days after Halloween. I tried to stay strong, but it is the Holiday season.
What about you? When do you normally start listening to Christmas music? After Thanksgiving? The week of Thanksgiving? At the start of November? Year around?
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
The Book of Think Pieces 