Holiday music enhances season

It’s getting to be the holiday season. I’ve already got the “Gobbles, the Tasty Turkey” song going through my head.

Yeah, I know. I’m alone on that one.

By way of an explanation, I wrote a column last year lamenting the fact there are so few Thanksgiving songs. I think I thought of one last year. So I made up one, to the tune of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

OK, so it wasn’t a literary masterpiece, but I was doing my part. If you missed it and are that interested, drop me an email and I’ll send you the lyrics. Then you can spread the turkey-licious cheer. OK, maybe you’ll just get a chuckle and tell me not to get into the holiday songwriting business.

At any rate, nothing helps provide spirit and atmosphere like a good holiday song. Or, maybe in the case of my Thanksgiving song, a not-so-good one.

And, like it or not, the holidays are rushing toward us.

Soon Thanksgiving dinners will be served, trees will be trimmed, halls and shoppers will be decked and stockings and those who hang them will be stuffed.

And it all comes with a soundtrack.

You know what I mean, particularly after Thanksgiving.

The airwaves will be filled with holiday tunes. You’ll hear songs about reindeer, snowmen, mangers, stars, elves and the dude in the red suit. You’ll hear songs that celebrate love, goodwill and a special birth.

Winter scenes will be set, warm fires will be enticingly described and get-togethers will be lyrically cherished. Never mind that for many listeners these things might not reflect reality; that sense of magical wonder is part of the allure of the season.

This is the season where we dare to hope we won’t be witness to acts of violence between shoppers scrambling for the same item they’ll save $2 on.

This is the season some are asked to believe it won’t end with family hostilities flaring up at the dinner table, and the evening won’t end with members of their family washing mashed potatoes out of their hair.

This is the season when we are asked to believe all good things are possible.

Songs will vary from the spiritually reverent (think “O Holy Night”) to the absurdly irreverent (think “Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer”).  And then there are all those in-between.

Pop Christmas songs will tie relationships to the season — “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and “Last Christmas,” for example — or simply extol the joy of the holiday — “Wonderful Christmas Time” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”.

Whatever the song, I’m in. Holiday music puts me in the right frame of mind for the impending season. And, as I might have expressed in previous columns, I’m one of those who must build up that spirit well in advance, so I don’t mind hearing holiday songs in October.

Funny thing is I’ve technically been listening to Christmas music almost every day for the past year. For a Christmas gift last year, I got a Charlie Brown clock that plays Christmas music on the hour, and that clock sits on a shelf in my den.

Yes, I’m also one of those people who puts up the Christmas tree and begins decorating before Thanksgiving. Sometimes the week after Halloween.

Part of that routine includes listening to Christmas music.

I realize many don’t like to think about Christmas before Thanksgiving, but I’ve got to start early. Otherwise it’ll be well into January before I get in the holiday spirit.

I’m not opposed to listening to Thanksgiving songs instead of Christmas songs until Turkey Day is over, but, as I mentioned earlier, those are few and far between. It’s too bad there’s such a musical void when it comes to Thanksgiving songs.

Hmm. If only someone would write a song about a succulent turkey.

Robert Villanueva can be reached at (270) 505-1743 or rvillanueva@thenewsenterprise.com.