It's Already Sounding Christmasy

One of my favorite Christmas tunes is "It's beginning to look allot like Christmas", a bouncy fun tune made famous by the master of Christmas singers, Johnny Mathis. Well, around here as early as mid November it was already "beginning to SOUND like Christmas", if one turned on the radio. Yep! The music stations began playing Christmas music as early as the beginning of November. As much as I love Christmas songs, that may be a little early for me. According to tradition the first Christmas music is supposed to be played on the day after Thanksgiving, several weeks after they new starting time.
Hmmmmmmmm I wonder if merchants are sponsoring this early surge. It is a good and subtle way to motivate shoppers to buy their gifts earlier. But I suppose a radio station would not play the tunes that early if there were not ears to willingly listen. But then, Macy's Big Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City is supposed to be the start of the Christmas season. I wonder if Christmas is now going to begin earlier than before, that the radio stations early start of Christmas music reflects that. Since I love Christmas, it is ok with me.
Anyway, what started my early Xmas rumination today was the note I read in my newspaper about the earlier start of Christmas music on the radio. It said that 92 stations in the U.S. had already switched to an all Christmas music format on or after November 1st. One in Indianapolis, Indian, a typical American city, was first. I have heard Christmas music since early November on my car radio from a station about 50 kilometers outside of New Orleans. That one plays it all weekend, and says it's new format is "weekend Christmas music before Thanksgiving, and all Christmas music after". Yes, I did listen to some of that Christmas music because I am a fan of it whenever it is played. Mediagate, the radio play monitoring group that gave me the information about the early Christmas music said the four most played Christmas songs by those 92 stations were: "Sleigh Ride", "Winter Wonderland", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock". I like them all (an many more) and recommend you change from Scrooge and tune into a Christmas elf by listening to them today. I am sure they can all be found on line. I have them all on my computer, so if you want any or all of them I can send them to you. Just ask me and I'll send them.
And the movie theaters seem early too. There are four Christmas theme films out awash in yuletide trappings that have come out in early November. Christmas in Wonderland, This Christmas, Fred Claus, and Enchanted (A Disney film, non animated, rated four stars that even pokes fun at its own past animated classics via a film more for adults than kids).
I think I like this early Christmas trend, but I refuse to ever say "Ho Ho Ho" until at least the end of Halloween. Merry Holiday Music to you!