December Music and Decorations

As we have turned the calendar to the month of December, Christmas music has started to play all over the place.  It did not start magically playing once November ended, oh no, that would be too easy.  And it didn't even just start playing on Thanksgiving or the day after that.  Every once in a while on the radio stations, I would hear a holiday song start to play.  I say start because I refuse to deal with anything Christmas related until the month of December starts.  I am stubborn like that. 

You are not going to see me really change my opinion on the music or decorating for that matter.  I know plenty of people who start putting Christmas decorations up before the turkey is out of the oven Thanksgiving night.  Bully for them if that's what they want.  I approach holidays one at a time.  There shouldn't be any overlap.  Plus there has to be some down time with your house or apartment all gussied up.  A return to normalcy for a week or so before the whirlwind that is the last month of the year.  For all the complaining people do about the retail giants putting Christmas stuff out in October, I sure do see a lot of decorating in November.  Just an observation.  Christmas is the one holiday where we seem to go 'all out' for.  At the moment, we have three totes of decorations and that doesn't even include all the ornaments for our little tree.  

The other major change when December rolls around is the music.  For one month, the music is all upbeat and happy.  It gives me a break from the music I normally listen to which is nice to have.  No political underlying lyrics or depressing ballads or heavy metal.  I love the classics from Bing Crosby to the Rat Pack to Elle Fitzgerald.  There are some modern versions of the oldies (but goodies) which are well done too.  However, I have determined that from track one to the end, my favorite album has to be the Charlie Brown Soundtrack.  I wrote about this a little bit last year and I did some intense Christmas music listening last year, and this is what I have determined. 

I think that the best chance I have to get through this extremely busy (and often infuriating) time at work is to delve right into the season.  Surround myself with the positives and disregard the people running around buying their over privileged kids the newest technology that I cannot afford.  For lack of a better phrase, to 'go to my happy place'.