I am a tempted man.
I feel like Joseph standing before Potiphar’s wife, with her giving me the eye and that “come hither” look.
I’m not being tempted towards infidelity against my wife. I’m being tempted towards infidelity against my own standards and principles.
Over the past few years I have clearly defined my personal standard on when it’s appropriate to begin listening to Christmas music. There is a certain season for Christmas music, which begins after Thanksgiving dinner and continues through Christmas day. Outside of that time period, Christmas music should not be played and it should be avoided at all costs.
Not only have I laid down this standard for my life, but I have also been very vocal about this standard. I posted to this blog about it, I have told friends my views, I have told people I don’t know my views and I have loudly ranted against the practice of playing Christmas music too early when I hear it the day after Halloween. However, now that I have taken this firm stand, I am being tempted to listen to Christmas music early.
I want to make a Genius playlist based off of Little Drummer Boy.
I want to hear Old Blue Eyes singing The Christmas Song.
I want to pretend not to like All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey but secretly listen to it in my truck.
Alas, it’s only November 15 and Thanksgiving is 10 days away. So even though I’m being tempted, almost beyond what I can bear, I need to stay strong. I could fire up my iPod, plug in my headphones, get lost in my own personal winter wonderland and no one would know. I could compromise my standards, abandon my principles and begin listening to Christmas music right now. But like any sin, if I give early Christmas music listening that foothold in my life, who knows where I’ll end up? It starts with Last Christmas on November 15 but ends with Baby, It’s Cold Outside in the middle of July.
When do you start listening to Christmas music?
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For the whole of my opinion-forming life so far I have been in agreement with that standard. But that is because my whole opinion-forming life up until a few months ago had been lived out in California, where it begins to neither look nor feel a lot like Christmas before Thanksgiving (and usually long after that as well). But lately my position has shifted a little. Living in a climate where it actually gets COLD (for goodness sakes) is sort of swaying me. I haven't listened to any strict Christmas music yet, but I've started venturing into the soundtrack for "The Santa Clause." And it feels good. :) Soon I will purchase flanel pajamas and hot cocoa.
ReplyDeleteStay strong Scott and don't waver. Christmas music belongs at Christmas time. Don't let Thanksgiving be the forgotten middle child.
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