Bah, humbug! This just in from Michael Barone...

Posted at 1:37 PM on October 25, 2010 by Alison Young (1 Comments)
Filed under: Fun finds, Musician stories

For some, the idea of wall-to-wall-Christmas music - spewing forth from the day after Thanksgiving up to but not beyond December 25 - borders on the offensive, even the intolerable.

The First Noël is fine enough, but by the 100th iteration, is not the message somewhat blunted?

After all, not everyone is a Christian, and though plenty of opportunity exists to ramp up and get in the holiday spirit, even for those who are Believers, must this happen in such a way that the liturgical season of Advent - formerly a time of introspection and preparation - becomes obliterated amidst the commercial urgings to buy, buy, buy?

Even the twelve-days-of-Christmas, that take us from the Nativity to the visit of the Wise Men on January 6 - Epiphany, the real gift-giving in the Christmas pageant - virtually disappear from notice, since once we've hit the goal of December 25th, all is over (except the post-Christmas sales).

With typically cheeky insolence, a movement is afoot in Britain to provide for a true 'silent night', and a campaign Cage Against the Machine is underway to make John Cage's legendary piano piece, 4'33" the number one Christmas hit in the UK.

It does give one pause.... :-)

Michael Barone

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Comments (1)

How about we make that 4 hrs. and 33 minutes every day without Christmas music between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Make that between 8 AM and 12:34 PM ?

Posted by Lisa Ragsdale | November 6, 2010 3:10 PM

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