December 2, 2003
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(Heya Joyous, don’t take this as an attack even though it was partially inspired by your blog!)
Apologies to those who love Christmas carols, but I just can’t take it. And it is not only that I work in retail and must listen to them nearly daily for over a month before the agony is over. I mean, even when I worked in the bank, we had to sit there and listen to the same songs over and over and over and over, ad nauseum. I go home and hear them still, in my head.
No, it’s not that I mind listening to holiday music. I love the trans-Siberian orchestra for instance.
It’s the fact that so many “Christmas songs” are in fact just that. I know the Christians don’t really think about it and many would be insulted to think, ((gasp)) someone doesn’t like their holiday music, but I am not Christian and there are a lot of other people out there who are not Christian too. The “Christmas” season, or rather holiday season, is not just about Christian people, you know.
I no more wish to listen to their religious music than they would want to listen to mine, and certainly not for 6-10 hours a day, five days a week, for 30+ days.
I don’t mind the instrumental stuff, nor the “twisted” Christmas music (I may be a vegetarian but “I Came Upon a Roadkill Deer” cracks me up everytime), but the saccharine pap that they spoon feed to all the holiday shoppers is driving me out of my mind. Firstly, it is the same songs over and over again. Secondly, it may be geared to be non-insulting and appealing to the lowest common denominator, but despite all that, it is insulting to non-Christians to have pretty much no choice but to listen to Christian music for a month.
Have a heart people. I don’t ram my religion down your throats for a solid month. Heck, I don’t try to force anyone to believe what I do, so please, keep in mind you’re just one religion among many.
I see Christmas carols as one of the worst forms of religious descrimination simply because no one seems to think about it. I could name a half dozen holidays that occur during the same month, many of which are older (sorry it’s true). With a little research, I could probably find more. And none of them make you listen to their music for a month.
Either the stores need to start including other denominations in their play list or the insanity needs to stop, period.
Comments (7)
No insult taken at all. I’m honored that I could be anyone’s inspiration for anything!
You know, for me it’s music. I love music and enjoy it for the sound and the feeling it creates within me. I’m not a Christian either. In fact, I’m proudly wiccan and quite happily celebrate Yule for myself and fellow wiccan friends, and share “Christmas” with my family, because it’s important for them. When you get down to the roots of it, there are commom threads in the celebration of both Yule and Christmas.
Christmas carols: I sing my favorite ones all year round. Strange, weird, unusual, etc…I know. But like I said, I love music. So, some of my favorite songs happen to be labelled as Christmas songs. They’re not “christian” songs, per se, but songs that celebrate the winter season and have, over the years, been traditionally sung for Christmas. And, unknown to many people, a lot of the older Christmas “carols” have their basis in pagan celebratory song.
I understand your angst, though and know how frustrating it can get if you let it.
Great post.
Part of me wants to be angry that you’re fighting for political correctness (which leads to an overall dull world where no one can say anything without a disclaimer), and the other part wants to rant right along with you that why SHOULD you have to listen to Christmas songs 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, for 30+ days? It’s not fair. In fact in some countries, it could be considered cruel and unusual punishment.
In the defense of your place of employment, there have been studies done that have shown that if holiday (read: NOT CHRISTMAS)music is played, consumers are apt to purchase more, thus increasing that holiday bonus you might be recieving.
In your defense, more dollars or not, which is worth more? Your sanity or a few hundred bucks. Unfortunately, corporate America doesn’t give a damn about your sanity or feelings one way or the other. Hail to the Almighty Dollar so say the yes men. And good luck to you, so say I.
The endless repetition of it while working would annoy me no end. Any music repeated like that would. I suppose part of the thought process would be that it’s familair. I grew up with it, I liked it despite my change in religious views and preferences as I became an adult. For me, despite some of it having religious themes and references, I never paid any attention to that aspect of it. Like Joyous mentioned above in her comment, it’s the music itself, and not the lyrics, for me anyways. Odd that.
But I do prefer a lot of instrumental versions of songs too like the Manheim Steamroller or Narada collections.
My main problem with holiday music is not the religious content, because most of it is way too vague and simplistic for me to take seriously anyway. The music just sucks. It’s mindlessly simple, repetitive, and happy, and the tunes themselves are just annoying.
I agree that music does help along the sale. I also agree that xmas music can be annoying. Fortunately, where I work we are able to have some autonomy in what we play music wise. As long as, the lyrics are not offensive and the volume is not too loud we have the freedom of choice. However, during the Holiday season many employees in many business’s across the nation are subjugated to mindless xmas drivel. Strong statement yes. There are many religions in our current society. If we must listen to the drivel at the very least we should play pieces that take into account more than one religion.
heh, i just wanted to comment on a comment of yours, about the sprig of lavender and such in lvfrnshps blog. sad story
but well written 