I started listening to Christmas music just about the day after Halloween.
In my own defense, it’s really good music. Apparently out of season, but I don’t see that. People don’t stop listening to love songs once Valentine’s Day has come and gone.
When the subject comes up, I’ll tell my friends that I’m listening to Christmas music. They tell me I'm crazy. I tell them that it’s the first thing I do when I get home every afternoon, turn on the Christmas music.
The music is warm. It’s not just happy music, it’s really happy music, and it's special, like a gift that was made just for me. It’s not just people telling stories, they’re celebrating the stories. And I can celebrate with them.
I’ve been called crazy, out of season, out of date. To me, that’s not exactly the case. Christmas music, even for all the times it mentions snow and trees and elves, isn’t just about Christmas. It’s about what happens at Christmas, about people who put aside their sadness and conflict and stress. It’s just for a moment, but that moment unites. That moment is the first snowflake, the suddenly shining star at the top of the tree, a candle in the window. It’s laughter, it’s joy, it’s knowing that for a split second, there’s something here worth celebrating.
Sometimes in August I’ll hop into my desk chair with a glass of cold water and turn on Christmas music just because it’s there. When there’s no one else in the house, I’ll sing along.