Wednesday, November 18, 2009

November Gripe

by C. LaRene Hall

I don’t usually complain about much, but it really makes me angry when all I can listen to on the radio is Christmas music at the beginning of November. Don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas music, but not this early. The two stations that I usually turn on during my commute to work is 100.3 or 105.6. Well because they started playing holiday music so early this month, I’ve turned to country. I’m now listening to 104.3 or 107.5. Of course, if they start playing Christmas music too early then I’ll object and change stations again.

It makes me wonder what all my writer friends are listening to. How do you write a good story with Christmas music blaring in your ears? Since the Novel that I’m writing for the month of November isn’t about Christmas I better just keep turning on the country stuff. By the way, last Wednesday I reached the ½ way mark of my 50,000 word goal. It feels good to be on the downward swirl.

I love Christmas, but I also love Thanksgiving. I’m not sure if my biggest protest is because I had ancestors than sailed on the Mayflower and I hate leaving the thankful part out of the month, or if I’m just a Scrooge. I know that my moaning and groaning isn’t going to change anything, and come December I’ll be excited to listen to the beautiful Christmas music. Until then I’ll just stay country.

6 comments:

Carolyn V. said...

I was surprised the other night when I was driving home and found Christmas music on the radio. I have a hard time listening to Christmas music for two months in a row, so I'll just save it for December. =)

Don said...

Though I'm not particularly excited about Christmas music in November, either, my biggest gripe about Christmas music on the radio is the music itself.

Just because it's a Christmas song doesn't mean it's a good Christmas song, or that I want to hear it. But they just mash the good and bad all together into one big, nasty broadcast.

It reminds me of a ward pot-luck attended many years ago, where some of the youth mixed every available punch and soda together, and then added catsup and mustard for good measure.

Blech.

C. LaRene Hall said...

Thanks Carolyn and Don for your comments. Don you are so right - I hadn't even thought about that concept when I was complaining. Not all Christmas music is good. The pot luck you told about sounds disgusting. I'm glad I wasn't there.

Mike K said...

We have a rule. No Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.

Anonymous said...

I don't listen to Christmas music on the radio. Ever. I'm selective about what gets me in the Christmas mood and I can't have weird songs that make me roll my eyes. I guess I tend to go old fashioned Christmas. (And my husband forbids it before Thanksgiving.)

Bethany Wiggins said...

For me, Christmas and Thanks Giving are the same holiday wrapped into one. I decorate for Christmas the day after Halloween because that is when the season begins. Thanks Giving is merely a fabulous stepping stone to the bigger part of the season. The fun/spirituality/magic of Christmas is wasted if it is compacted into the 24 days of December leading up to the big, fast moment. And I love Christmas music! But I don't write with it on. Unless I'm writing a Christmas story.

Nice post. Thanks.