Rachel Katz

It’s a natural part of entering any store in December. Depending on your perception, it’s part of the cheesy joy or unparalleled torture of the holiday season. It’s one of those things that can do anything from create one of your happiest memories to ruin your holiday season. You know what I mean. I’m talking about Christmas music.

I’ll be honest and say that I, for one, love Christmas tunes. I’m not talking about the Justin Bieber renditions of old classics, nor am I referring to the Gregorian chants my mother is oh so very fond of. My guilty pleasure around the holidays is Christmas pop songs and carols.

I’ve always found there to be something almost magical about Christmas music. I’m the first to admit that it’s probably one of the single most cheesy creations of all time, but it inspires that ear-to-ear grin, skipping-through-the-snow feeling that comes with putting up the Christmas tree and smelling all the delicious baking in preparation for the big day. It’s not the kind of thing you listen to all year round, and there are many family traditions associated with it. One Grade 10 student at North Toronto said that “My grandmother and my sisters and I will choose one Christmas piece to perform for the family with us singing and my grandmother accompanying us with piano.”

For me, Christmas music is like a time capsule. It takes me back to when I was little and the holiday season was a whirlwind of candy, feasting and more candy. Christmas time is one of the rare occasions when I have the time to go back to being a kid and enjoy the simpler parts of the holidays; including the crazy long wish lists I used to make and touring the downtown core, staring at the festive windows, wonderstruck.

That is not to say Christmas tune doesn’t have its downsides though. It can be more than a little disturbing and kind of sad to hear “White Christmas” literally the day after Halloween. Yes, the holiday season is short and one of the best times to make a profit from bustling consumers, but seriously, at least wait until we’ve hit freezing temperatures once or twice before you start blasting the hits.

Another problem is that old classics are continuously redone by new artists in ways that really don’t add anything to the piece. In fact, some renditions are downright frightening, but to each his own. If you want to listen to heavy metal “Jingle Bells” (it does exist kids, I checked), then be my guest.

All opinions and jokes aside though, no one can deny the fact that Christmas songs represent memories for everyone, regardless of whether you love ‘em or loathe ‘em. They’re an inescapable part of the holiday season, and unless you’re willing to stay inside a dank cave for the duration of the festivities, good luck trying to avoid them.