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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on November 01, 2017, 10:24:15 AM

Title: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Ben on November 01, 2017, 10:24:15 AM
Christmas, er, sorry, "holiday" music has already started. Sirius turned on all their holiday stations today.

I know APS has a large population of Christmas music haters. I actually love listening to Christmas music, pretty much all older standards, classical, and kraut music that the folks played when I was a kid. It's always a happy reminiscence for me, especially as the family is dying off.

I just can't stand it this early. I'm good with it from 01DEC-26DEC. :)
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 01, 2017, 10:52:16 AM
Christmas lasts until Epiphany, in early January, so put me down for mid-December to about 6 January.  =)

Fum-fum-fum
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: makattak on November 01, 2017, 11:29:04 AM
Christmas, er, sorry, "holiday" music has already started. Sirius turned on all their holiday stations today.

I know APS has a large population of Christmas music haters. I actually love listening to Christmas music, pretty much all older standards, classical, and kraut music that the folks played when I was a kid. It's always a happy reminiscence for me, especially as the family is dying off.

I just can't stand it this early. I'm good with it from 01DEC-26DEC. :)

I have just one thing to say about this trend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=156&v=Ow0lr63y4Mw&t=2m34s

I love Christmas music, but I get extremely annoyed about big-footing Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a uniquely American Holiday. Christmas is wonderful, but starting it this early cheapens the Christmas season and ignores Thanksgiving.

Worse, it makes people think about what they want to get (or even to give) and removes a time to reflect and be thankful for what we have.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 01, 2017, 11:40:40 AM
It's legendary newswoman Joan Callamezzo!
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Ben on November 01, 2017, 09:37:56 PM
Christmas lasts until Epiphany, in early January, so put me down for mid-December to about 6 January.  =)

Fum-fum-fum

Okay by me. I jut switch on the 26th because by then, even I'm sick of it.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: charby on November 01, 2017, 11:09:42 PM
Christmas lasts until Epiphany, in early January, so put me down for mid-December to about 6 January.  =)

Fum-fum-fum

First Sunday of Advent to Jan 6th for me.

Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: KD5NRH on November 02, 2017, 01:58:25 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUId5f1-KbE

Blasting this over the other stuff makes it more tolerable.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Mannlicher on November 02, 2017, 08:15:36 AM
enjoy your Christmas music while you can.  The way things are going in America, it won't be around many more years.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: T.O.M. on November 02, 2017, 09:53:28 AM
My preference...start the day after Thanksgiving, stop a couple of days after Christmas.  And, I'll take all kinds of Christmas music.  Even some of the more modern stuff can be pretty good...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR07r0ZMFb8

On a more serious note, a personal favorite...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XApkl80-sb8
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 02, 2017, 10:36:50 AM
My preference...start the day after Thanksgiving...


You, sir, are what's wrong with this country.  :mad:  :P
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 02, 2017, 10:59:55 AM
Probably my absolute favorite Christmas carol is The Pretenders version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: T.O.M. on November 02, 2017, 11:01:25 AM

You, sir, are what's wrong with this country.  :mad:  :P

...for this and a dozen other reasons!  😜
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Hawkmoon on November 03, 2017, 10:29:11 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUId5f1-KbE

Blasting this over the other stuff makes it more tolerable.

I'm more partial to more traditional versions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmycgoBECgk
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Mannlicher on November 04, 2017, 09:04:31 AM
always my personal favorite.  :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddVZOK_9UUI
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: lupinus on November 04, 2017, 01:59:02 PM
I'm fine with most Christmas music, I just hate hearing it so much for so long. By the time Christmas hits I'm fully sick of it and just waiting eagerly for it to be over already.

Another thing work did last year was add it standard old Christian and gospel music. And then proceeded to never take it out. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't every few songs and most of the ones they stuck on the playlist didn't suck. My suggestion that in the name of diversity since we were playing Christian music we should also add some Viking raiding songs and Celtic chants to the mix was, sadly, veto'd.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: grampster on November 04, 2017, 02:05:53 PM
I think Thanksgiving is the best holiday.  Christmas?  Meh.  It's good for little kids as long as I don't have to be around them. :old:  Or all of the relatives.  As for Christmas being the Lord's birthday...it isn't and I don't think many people even think about that much anymore, and birthdays in general aren't particularly significant anyway.   So having said that....

GET OFF MY GRASS!!!
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: AmbulanceDriver on November 04, 2017, 07:22:52 PM
I'm more partial to more traditional versions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmycgoBECgk

I am too....  https://youtu.be/k-W2Bkz_Rno

But sometimes not so much: https://youtu.be/e9GtPX6c_kg

And sometimes not at all:   https://youtu.be/kWck-kFtNXI?t=2h24m

And then sometimes......   well....   I'll let it explain itself:  https://youtu.be/rAUb1U3VvYg
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: 230RN on November 04, 2017, 07:30:55 PM
Christmas music?

I don't mind a day of it.  Brings back so many memories.

But a week of it?  Nope.  Brings back too many memories.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 06, 2017, 07:43:03 AM
It's officially Christmas season.

WalMart has wrapped the pipe stanchions in front of its entrance with candy cane striped wraps.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Jamisjockey on November 06, 2017, 07:49:12 AM
Whatever day we're putting up the tree, parties, and then christmas eve and day.  Otherwise, I can't stand christmas music  :old:
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 06, 2017, 08:21:48 AM
" Otherwise, I can't stand christmas music"

Understandable, given how many years were you an elf in Santa's Village at the mall.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Jamisjockey on November 06, 2017, 08:43:30 AM
" Otherwise, I can't stand christmas music"

Understandable, given how many years were you an elf in Santa's Village at the mall.

 ;/

Eventually it becomes a broken record.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 06, 2017, 08:55:50 AM
Looks like he's run short on patience.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: charby on November 06, 2017, 09:00:28 AM
Whatever day we're putting up the tree, parties, and then christmas eve and day.  Otherwise, I can't stand christmas music  :old:

Wife and I fight over the tree setting up every year. She wants to do it on Thanksgiving, I want to wait until the first weekend in December or December 6th (St. Nick's Day), what ever comes first.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 06, 2017, 09:01:41 AM
Wife and I fight over the tree setting up every year. She wants to do it on Thanksgiving, I want to wait until the first weekend in December or December 6th (St. Nick's Day), what ever comes first.


And if you don't want to put up the Christmas tree right after labor day, you're a scrooge.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: charby on November 06, 2017, 09:04:38 AM

And if you don't want to put up the Christmas tree right after labor day, you're a scrooge.

I wanna celebrate Halloween to piss off the JWs and Evangelicals. 
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: slingshot on November 06, 2017, 10:49:22 AM
"Christmas" or the Christmas season starts with Thanksgiving as far as I'm concerned and lasts until the Epiphany as far as I'm concerned.  The Christmas movies have already started.  I enjoy a lot those feel good movies actually.

I have actually purchased a couple Christmas gifts.  Started a couple years ago and I have been giving planted Amaryllis bulbs.  You need to buy early for the selection.  Seems to be a good concept for adults that generally have just about everything they need anyway.  This assumes that they like "plants".  If they continue to grow them after they bloom, then more power to them and they can enjoy them for years.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 06, 2017, 10:53:19 AM
;/

Eventually it becomes a broken record.


This is the first time I've ever accused you of being Santa's Elf.

A leprechaun? Yes.

A Keebler Elf? Oh hell yes.

This one was a whole new record! :rofl:

Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 06, 2017, 11:03:03 AM
When I was a kid, we didn't decorate our Christmas tree until Christmas eve. It was a family tradition.

After my Dad died that sort of slipped as my Mom got older and it became more and more of a chore.

Last year, with Mom's issues and the fact that we had caregivers in for her, we didn't put up a Christmas tree. Her caregivers did, and that was fine.

Last year was the first year that I actively dreaded the holidays. There was way too much change, and I knew it was going to be trying for Mom because of all of the commotion. I didn't know how right I was.

I spent my entire Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks at Mom's explaining, over and over and over and over and over and over again that:

No, I wasn't going to take her home because she was home.

That my grandmother was NOT ignoring her because grandma (Dad's mother, and previous owner of the house when Mom was a kid) had been dead for 15 years

That other grandma (her Mother) wasn't in the bathroom, because she died in 1980 and, perhaps the worst one of all,

No, I wasn't the 1955 version of my Father.

By the day after Christmas, I didn't just dread the holidays, I actively hated them, and I hated a God that would allow someone's mind to decay like that.


Now that Mom is gone, this is the first year since in close to 20 that I'm not dreading making the trip for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't know what I'm doing for the holidays this year, but I'm seriously thinking that I'm going to say the hell home, watch movies with Seren, grill some burgers, and say *expletive deleted*ck it totally.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: slingshot on November 06, 2017, 11:07:25 AM
After my Mom died, my desire to go home for Christmas substantially reduced.  It became a go home during "good weather" thing, perhaps a couple of times.  After Dad died, I honestly have not been "home".  I am just not drawn anymore.  I know that I am at fault and should be making an effort to visit my Brothers and Sisters more.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: AJ Dual on November 06, 2017, 05:55:58 PM
Once Mrs. Dual and I scaled back our Christmas decorations to a single smallish/skinny artificial tree that already has the lights on it, and did all of our Christmas shopping from bed on a laptop online...

Strangely, I started liking Christmas again.

However, Mrs. Dual's insistence on running Hallmark Channel "Holiday Romance" movies is threatening to undo it all.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: slingshot on November 06, 2017, 08:14:13 PM
We went to a nice artificial tree (with the lights already on it) a few years ago.  I still like it, but last year we decided to just use a Norfolk Island Pine (large/tall house plant) with lights and decorations as our "christmas tree".  It worked well as my wife generally prefers a real tree.  I like real trees, but I dislike the falling needles and killing a tree just to place it in my house for a month or so.

The story around the Norfolk Island Pine house plant is interesting.... my wife gave it to her friend's son at the hospital as a little thing (maybe 8" tall)... typical store bought arrangement.  Her friend had died in a car accident, her son was injured, and my wife was pretty distraught.  When the kid got out of the hospital, he didn't want the house plant so we took it home.  It is now about 3.5-4 feet tall.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Andiron on November 06, 2017, 08:52:24 PM
We went to a nice artificial tree (with the lights already on it) a few years ago.  I still like it, but last year we decided to just use a Norfolk Island Pine (large/tall house plant) with lights and decorations as our "christmas tree".  It worked well as my wife generally prefers a real tree.  I like real trees, but I dislike the falling needles and killing a tree just to place it in my house for a month or so.


Funny, we've got the same thing going.  Wife got a Norfolk pine as an office gift years ago,  and the little bastard isn't all that little anymore.  Hers is almost 3' tall,  few more years and it's definitely pulling Christmas tree duty.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 06, 2017, 09:42:36 PM
No artificials for me, please. I figure if I'm going to have to go to the trouble of setting up a tree every year, and have to live with it for a month, I want it to be a real tree.

And that way, I don't have to store a fake tree for 11 months every year.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: slingshot on November 07, 2017, 12:20:08 PM
Funny, we've got the same thing going.  Wife got a Norfolk pine as an office gift years ago,  and the little bastard isn't all that little anymore.  Hers is almost 3' tall,  few more years and it's definitely pulling Christmas tree duty.
We keep it outside during the warm months and bring it in when the first freezing temps are predicted.  They still are house plants and when temps get below about 50 degrees, it's time to bring them in or simply make the decision to let nature take it's course.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 08, 2017, 09:20:31 AM
Article about Hallmark Christmas movies:

https://ricochet.com/468214/hallmark-christmas-movieshallmark-christmas-movieshallmark-christmas-movies/

I've seen a few of these, which are just like all the other Hallmark movies wifey watches, but with Christmas trees. They don't bother me in the least. The main characters nearly always have a healthy desire to, you know, settle down with someone of the opposite sex. As most humans do, in the real world. No one's finding redemption by believing in themselves enough to pull off that perfect routine at the oh-so-important dance competition. No one is noticeably homosexual, but you can't really tell, since everyone keeps their sex lives to themselves. The families and family-members may not be perfect, but they are basically functional and loving. Though the movies are made for women, the men are generally competent, and not uniformly boorish or stupid. The setting is often an idealized small-town America, which is pleasant, and relaxing. The protagoness is quite often some actress I had a crush on 25 years ago, and magically still looks nearly as good.

The formula works. What's not to like? [shrug]
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 08, 2017, 10:21:29 AM
There's apparently a Leonberger in at least one of the movies on Hallmark, including at least one Christmas movie. No one in any of the Leonberger groups can figure out whose it is.

OK, this picture is from At Home in Mitford. Not a Christmas movie, but whatever...

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.crownmediadev.com%2Fec%2F94%2F557b7f06494f8825734d7c9bced2%2Fathomeinmitford-0075-cb.jpg&hash=f09e041b171ba191ac32bb25b12d1b00e1d4e3a3)
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: RevDisk on November 08, 2017, 03:04:12 PM
I know APS has a large population of Christmas music haters. I actually love listening to Christmas music, pretty much all older standards, classical, and kraut music that the folks played when I was a kid. It's always a happy reminiscence for me, especially as the family is dying off.

Get locked in a top secret government facility for 14 hour shifts, and be forced to listen to the same two xmas music CDs on repeat, and I guarantee you'll develop a markedly intensive hatred of all xmas music for the rest of your life. I'm not saying the music is bad. It's not. Most of it is appealing under safe conditions. I'm saying it is repetitive and causes insane hatred, rage and psychotic violence due to overexposure. If kept to appropriate dosage, it would be fine.

However, I would assert that we should institute a mandatory death sentence for stores that put out xmas stuff before Thanksgiving. Certainly it shouldn't be questioned that we should torture THEN kill people who put out xmas stuff before Halloween, with the obvious exemption for ironic Christmas-Halloween crossover displays.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: makattak on November 08, 2017, 04:10:40 PM
On the Christmas displays, I'm less annoyed about things like craft stores or home improvement stores putting out crafts and decorations early- some people need time to prepare.

So, I'm willing to vote for Rev's proposed solutions, so long as they get a special post-Halloween, pre-Thanksgiving carve-out.

If you need more than a month to prepare, buy it the year before.



Also, on the repetitive Christmas music, there are literally thousands (probably 10s of thousands) of versions of a myriad of Christmas songs: Choral, solo, orchestra, solo instrumental, quartet, brass, wind, strings, accordion, organ, piano, duets, trios, etc...

You could go the entire Christmas season with Christmas songs playing round the clock from Dec 1 (or the day after Thanksgiving, if you want to go early) to Epiphany (if you want to extend the season) and NEVER listen to the same song twice. Instead we get Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is you" and John Lennon's horrific "So this is Christmas" and Paul McCartney's terrible "Last Christmas" and Dan Fogelberg's horrid "The Same Old Lang Syne" played every single hour on a continuous loop.

It's no wonder people hate Christmas music.  Even the songs that DON'T start out as terrible get on people's nerves.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 08, 2017, 04:30:03 PM
Also, on the repetitive Christmas music, there are literally thousands (probably 10s of thousands) of versions of a myriad of Christmas songs: Choral, solo, orchestra, solo instrumental, quartet, brass, wind, strings, accordion, organ, piano, duets, trios, etc...

You could go the entire Christmas season with Christmas songs playing round the clock from Dec 1 (or the day after Thanksgiving, if you want to go early) to Epiphany (if you want to extend the season) and NEVER listen to the same song twice. Instead we get Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is you" and John Lennon's horrific "So this is Christmas" and Paul McCartney's terrible "Last Christmas" and Dan Fogelberg's horrid "The Same Old Lang Syne" played every single hour on a continuous loop.

It's no wonder people hate Christmas music.  Even the songs that DON'T start out as terrible get on people's nerves.


This very much. And you forgot all that Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Little Saint Nick garbage, too.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Ben on November 08, 2017, 04:54:17 PM


Also, on the repetitive Christmas music, there are literally thousands (probably 10s of thousands) of versions of a myriad of Christmas songs: Choral, solo, orchestra, solo instrumental, quartet, brass, wind, strings, accordion, organ, piano, duets, trios, etc...


Thanks to the interwebz, for several years now I have been finding "new" old music to listen to. There really is a ton of good classic/standard stuff out there. I was also able to find some older German Christmas music that I thought I would never hear again after my folks "lost" some of the old albums. I haven't found it all, but the search has led me to more "new" old stuff, so all is good. :)
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 08, 2017, 04:56:25 PM
When I worked at Navy Federal, for the several days leading up to Christmas break they would play, at a relatively low level, Kenny G's Christmas album... on a repetitive loop.

It was maddening.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Angel Eyes on November 09, 2017, 09:23:39 PM
When I worked at Navy Federal, for the several days leading up to Christmas break they would play, at a relatively low level, Kenny G's Christmas album... on a repetitive loop.

It was maddening.

So that explains it.



And just for grins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUFfeTjuPeg
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: K Frame on November 10, 2017, 06:13:11 AM
It was maddening until, with the marketing director's "permission," I yanked the leads on all of the speakers in our department.

Problem solved.

Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: makattak on November 10, 2017, 11:05:02 AM
Instead we get Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is you" and John Lennon's horrific "So this is Christmas" and Paul McCartney's terrible "Last Christmas" and Dan Fogelberg's horrid "The Same Old Lang Syne" played every single hour on a continuous loop.

The irony is far too thick for me to let this pass.

My wife teaches dance, so several of her students are preparing for a Christmas show. That meant I got to hear a lot of Christmas music last night. (Not prominent, but I could still hear it). Guess what one of them chose for her song? No, no, guess!
.
.
.
.
.
.
Yep, Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is you". So I got to hear that for an hour straight. Usually not even the whole song, just snippets as they practiced different parts.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
THANKFULLY, I'm not the sort to go nuts over repetitive songs. AND it was only an hour. And, that was the least-bad song of the four I mentioned. I couldn't help but think how many people would be driven nuts by that though.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 10, 2017, 11:17:41 AM
Some of my most favoritest "Christmas" music occurs when some pop/R&B/whatever vocalist takes a well-known holiday/seasonal song, and sings it just as seductively as they do their usual set list.  :facepalm:  Unless you're singing "Santa Baby," you should not be attempting to turn us on with Christmas music.
Title: Re: Worse Than Christmas Stuff Being Out in Stores
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 12, 2017, 04:36:43 PM
Here is some real Christmas music, suckas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wit-jGD4wCw