Since November, our house has been filled with the sounds of Christmas music.
Actually, that’s a lie. Christmas music randomly gets played year-round in our house too. Sometimes it is shortly after the holiday season has wrapped up, sometimes it is in the fall as the season is nearing, and sometimes it is in the middle of July.
So, what is it about Christmas music that makes us feel so good? I know not everyone is a fan of the holiday tunes being played non-stop throughout December. But, in our house, Christmas music is just another genre of music that pops up as a recommendation on all our playlists.
As a kid, I remember being excited when some of my favourite pop bands would release a Christmas album. As a teenager, it was fun when you would stumble across some less traditional Christmas songs, covered by rock and punk bands. As an adult, I kind of just love it all.
While we all enjoy the traditional Mariah Carey and Wham! covers of popular songs, the Millennial in me dabbles much beyond that thanks to how accessible music is now. Buying a Christmas album that you would only listen to for a month or two of the year was a big commitment 20 years ago. Now, I can jump across decades and types of Christmas music with just a few taps on my cell phone.
When I did some quick Google research to see if anyone else had ever asked the question: ‘Why do people love Christmas music so much?’ There were actually a lot of articles that popped up.
First, I discovered that being a Millennial makes me more likely to love Christmas music. And most answers about why people love Christmas music relate back to nostalgia - I guess it really is that simple.
Christmas music just makes us feel good and brings up happy memories and good feelings from the past. Holiday music tends to make us forget some of our adult troubles and brings us back to a simpler time – even if it is just for a moment.
Sure, there has been some controversy around a couple popular Christmas tracks over the years as times and people change, but I will admit, ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’ still gets played during the holidays in our house. For the most part, Christmas music takes you away from the chaos and drama of the outside world, placing you in a nice little snow globe filled with falling snow and Santa Claus flying overhead on his sleigh.
While many of us love the extra details that come along with the holidays, such as Christmas lights, Christmas trees, sugar cookies, and wrapping paper, in the end, it is never about the actual items. It is, however, about the feelings that come along with those things, the warmth of being with family and friends, and the memories made.
