Student Perspective: It’s Never Too Early (or Late) for Christmas Music -

By Anthony Curioso

This is an independently submitted op-ed and does not reflect the views of The Tower.

In recent years, there has been considerable debate over when it is socially acceptable to begin playing Christmas music. According to a blog post from popular music streaming service Spotify, people in most countries start listening to Christmas music around November 1. However, in the Philippines, some individuals start enjoying classic holiday hits as early as September.

I have always adored the Christmas season and the joy that the accompanying music brings. I don’t want to lose that sense of joy, so I will happily listen to Christmas music all year round. I love classic Christmas carols like “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” I also appreciate niche carols that I sincerely doubt many other people I know have ever heard of, such as “The Boar’s Head Carol,” “The Sans Day Carol,” and “The Gloucestershire Wassail.” Additionally, I can find enjoyment in listening to more modern Christmas songs, including Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree,” Taylor Swift’s “Christmas Tree Farm” (which is one of the few Taylor Swift songs I genuinely enjoy), and the entire Christmas album “That’s Christmas To Me” by the world-renowned professional a cappella group Pentatonix.

Some of my favorite Christmas albums include “The Bells of Dublin” by The Chieftains, “Songs of Christmas,” and “Merry Merry Time of Year” by The Irish Rovers, as well as the “Carols for a Cure” series compiled by the organization Broadway Cares. The first and last albums on this list were introduced to me by my parents and regularly played in my home during the holiday season. I discovered the Irish Rovers’ Christmas albums on my own. I enjoy listening to any of these four albums at any time of the year, even when Christmas is still several months away.

As a member of the “University Singers” ensemble within CUA’s Music department at the Rome School of Performing Arts (formerly the Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art), I have developed a significant preference for performing in the Christmas concerts at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception over our spring concerts, as I derive more joy from learning, listening to, and performing the repertoire in the Christmas concerts than in the spring ones. Preparing for the Basilica Christmas concerts effectively forces the choir members to start listening to Christmas music as early as the last week of August (when the fall semester begins). Some people may not be particularly thrilled about this, but I absolutely love it.

Outside of the CUA Christmas concerts at the Basilica, I have happily seized every opportunity to participate in Christmas caroling, both in my hometown while growing up, where we would start at the beginning of November, and more recently during my first two years at CUA, where we would sing carols in the lobby of most of the dorms during or shortly before the fall semester final exams period. Unfortunately, last year, we CUA students were unable to organize a caroling event due to limited common availability among my fellow students and me. Regardless of when I have gone caroling, I always find great joy in the experience, partly because I love the songs we sing.

To quote one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time, Elf (2003), “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” In a time of widespread despair in the world, the least a person can do is inject a bit of joy into their lives by listening to, singing, and playing their favorite Christmas songs, regardless of the time of year.