With the craziness of past months still fresh in our minds, something that people have to look forward to is the holiday season. No matter your age, race, or religion, something that almost all people share are fond memories of playing in the snow or seeing all the Christmas lights on the houses down the street. Festivities are plentiful from around the world; through Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the New Year.

Arguably one of the best things about the holiday season is the music it inspires. How many teenagers have heard How Deep is the Ocean by Frank Sinatra? How many have even heard of Sinatra? Well, it’s a safe bet they’ve heard I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, which was also written by Sinatra.

So why is it that these melodies that are so familiar and so imprinted into our brains get so much criticism? The common argument is that radio stations and retail stores start playing the merry tunes what some consider to be too early to be in the Christmas Spirit. Every year, department stores seemingly start putting out festive decorations earlier than the year prior, thus attracting criticism. 

While it is true that December is considered to be the more traditional time to sing the songs of magical snowmen and bioluminescent reindeer, the true holiday spirit shouldn’t be anchored down to only one month of the year but embraced throughout the pages of the calendar. Those in favor of the early arrival of holiday songs should not have to hide what makes them happy because society deems it inappropriate. 

Every year, the holiday season enjoys not only the originals from the likes of Michal Bublé and Mariah Carey but allows new artists to release their takes on the classics or write their own. Ariana Grande’s holiday album, Christmas and Chill, peaked at number 30 on the charts in 2016. Acclaimed rapper, Snoop Dogg, even had his own holiday album.

As shown more by modern music, Christmas songs don’t always have to be about Christmas. The merry season is used more as a template to which artists can base their songs off of. The holiday season is a time of the year that almost everyone enjoys, and having that shared emotion about a specific time of year can help artists and listeners relate to each other on a more personal level. 

Saying that Christmas music is only for December because that’s when holiday-themed tracks are released is like saying apples are only for autumn because that’s when the harvest is. Apples are a way to make many meals better, and they themselves are delicious.

Holiday music brings people together like few other things; it can thaw a frozen heart and bring joy to even the most devoted Scrooge. So the next time Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry plays on the radio, try to think of all the people that the song brings joy to.