by John Leonardo 
 
With the holiday season fast approaching, many families all over the world are getting ready to celebrate by decorating their homes, baking and watching holiday movies. However, the most universal way to get excited about anything is to turn on some holiday hits. Whether it be on the radio, played online or through an old CD, listening to the holiday genre is important to many in their preparation to get in the holiday spirit. 
 
The holiday season is marked by the start of the winter season. Around December is usually when the season begins in North America. Leaves already fell from trees and bare branches as well as cold temperatures that are prominent. So how does society keep from going insane with the sudden weather changes and forced days inside? That’s where the holiday season comes into play. 
 
The holidays are supposed to be a time of giving back and sharing the love to all family and friends. This joyful spirit is kept up all winter to help everyone get through the tough season. Songs with joyful tunes and sweet lyrics contribute to this positive  attitude that the holidays should be about. These songs include themes of love, cold weather, being together, genuine joy, having fun, gift giving or receiving and of course religious traditions such as Christmas or Hanukkah.  
 
Through musical, lyrical and visual references to the holidays, musical artists are able to capture this holiday feel, which attracts listeners. Some prime examples of songs that are able to do this include “All I Want For Christmas is You,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Light One Candle” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” 
 
There is a plethora of songs one can listen to, but these are some of the most iconic songs that cover essentially every part of the season. Some songs directly reference a religious connection to a holiday, while others only reference the winter season. 
 
This topic has been up for debate for a very long time, but how does one genre of music come to be so controversial for so long? The timing of playing said genre of music is one reason. 
 
Some feel that playing holiday music all year round is acceptable, while others would complain if you played it a day before Thanksgiving. To summarize, people can get pretty passionate about their music and when they choose to hear it. 
“Christmas music can be enjoyable for everyone when it’s the right time and place,” junior Dana Ascolesi said. “but If it’s played too early there’s gonna be a lot of disagreements about who gets the AUX.”
 
A group of SPFHS students were asked a series of questions regarding the debate. When asked for their opinion on when they think holiday music should start to be played, 5.4 percent said early Nov., 12.9 percent said mid Nov., 30.1 percent said late Nov., 28 percent said very beginning of Dec. and 23.7 percent said anytime. 

The timing of the music has a great impact on how the listener is going to feel. For example, have you ever gone food shopping during thanksgiving, rushing to find some cans of cranberry sauce? Chances are while you went you heard holiday music playing from the store’s loudspeaker. And if you are like some, hearing those types of songs when there’s still a whole month until the start of the winter season can get annoying. 
 
Junior Gabriel Melville expresses his feelings when in a similar situation, “Hearing holiday music in a season other than winter is annoying and kinda tacky,” Melville said.
 
Many individuals believe listening to the holiday genre of music outside of the holiday season defeats the purpose of the genre. Listening to this type of  music too early leads to the potential of spoiling the mood. making the holiday season seem less important. 
 
 “I think that when people listen to holiday music, it helps them to feel happy and it reminds them of a time to celebrate and be with the people they love,” senior Kathrine Ryan said. 
 
Some believe that listening to this genre of music doesn’t have any effect on the overall mood of the holiday season. Instead, they believe holiday music should be enjoyed whenever the person wants. 
 
People may never come to an agreement on an official time or date it is acceptable to play holiday hits. As we prepare for an interesting rendition of holidays this year, it is good to know the community is still engaging in the holiday spirit. And if you ever need recommendations for songs to check out, make sure to have a look at the Fanscotian article “Top songs you need in your 2020 holiday playlist” here! https://www.thefanscotian.com/2020/12/01/top-songs-you-need-in-your-2020-holiday-playlist/