Lets start a petition to cancel the holidays

[jeffandnicole]

Plus, no sales tax.

Wouldn't work for me, since Amazon has a physical presence in Kentucky, so purchases from them are subject to a 6 percent sales tax.

For NJ being a high-tax state, we have a very large number of products exempted from the sales tax.  Many of the essentials mentioned previously wouldn't be taxed in this state anyway.  Basically: If you purchase something to help prepare a meal, it'll be exempt from sales tax.  If the meal is prepared, then it is taxed.   If it's not essential (pool chemicals), then it is taxed.  If it is essential (most clothing), it's not taxed.

Then there's oddities:  Paper straws - not taxed.  Plastic straws - taxed.  Magazine subscriptions - not taxed.  Magazines sold individually - taxed.  Candy: Taxable unless product contains flour (e.g., Nestle Crunch) or requires refrigeration.

[hotdogPi]

Going back to an earlier discussion: Christmas songs. In a sample of 963 songs on 106.7 FM in Boston:

Top 3:

Winter Wonderland: 67
Sleigh Ride: 60
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: 58

Compare with these, which should be played more:
Deck the Halls: 15
Little Drummer Boy: 10
Jingle Bells: 6
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: 3
Blue Christmas: 1
Silent Night: 0

Also:
Anything instrumental: 57
Anything religious: 113 (44% of that is "Do You Hear What I Hear")
Anything in the top 10 songs played: 432

[agentsteel53]

Sleigh Ride: 60
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: 58

I probably have heard these two, but cannot place them by name.

[Scott5114]

Sleigh Ride: 60
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: 58

I probably have heard these two, but cannot place them by name.

Sleigh Ride is, when properly done, instrumental. Not that this will help, but It's in cut time.

[Molandfreak]

Sleigh Ride: 60
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: 58

I probably have heard these two, but cannot place them by name.

Sleigh Ride (Instrumental):

Sleigh Ride (with lyrics):

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:

[Duke87]

My key complaints about Christmas music:

1) Every major song has a zillion different versions. I can, to some degree, enjoy listening to the Christmas CDs my parents owned when I was a kid. Problem is, once I become familiar with a song, I expect it to sound exactly the same every time I hear it. So, any rendition of a given song that's not the specific one I grew up listening to grates on my ears.

2) It's too time of year topical. Really hard to appreciate a good song when for most of the year it just sounds wrong to hear it, and then for the remaining bit you get bombarded with it incessantly.


It is still nice during Christmas parties and when putting up your tree. But then once Christmas passes it's nice to be done with it. My father started a tradition several years back where we would listen to The Beach Boys when taking down the Christmas tree.

[sammi]

1) Every major song has a zillion different versions. I can, to some degree, enjoy listening to the Christmas CDs my parents owned when I was a kid. Problem is, once I become familiar with a song, I expect it to sound exactly the same every time I hear it. So, any rendition of a given song that's not the specific one I grew up listening to grates on my ears.

I don't like those new Christmas songs, the ones that don't sound like ones my parents used to listen to on the radio. Usually the same ones that only sing about snow, or Santa, or anything that I think really has nothing to do with Christmas. >.>

[hotdogPi]

The good ones:

All religious Christmas music
Jingle Bells
Carol of the Bells
Here We Come A-Wassailing (which never gets played)
Deck the Halls
White Christmas

The BAD ones:

Santa Baby
All I Want for Christmas is You (both)
Last Christmas
Merry Christmas Darling
My Grown Up Christmas List (one radio announcer said it was her favorite  )
Christmas Canon (not even a real song, just the Pachelbel Canon with words that are slightly Christmas-themed)
Where Are You Christmas
My Favorite Things (NOT A CHRISTMAS SONG  )
"In 500 Feet Turn Left On Seymour Street" (commercial that sounds like an annoying GPS)

Songs that are played too much but otherwise neutral:

Do You Hear What I Hear
Sleigh Ride
Winter Wonderland
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

[roadman65]

My key complaints about Christmas music:

1) Every major song has a zillion different versions. I can, to some degree, enjoy listening to the Christmas CDs my parents owned when I was a kid. Problem is, once I become familiar with a song, I expect it to sound exactly the same every time I hear it. So, any rendition of a given song that's not the specific one I grew up listening to grates on my ears.

2) It's too time of year topical. Really hard to appreciate a good song when for most of the year it just sounds wrong to hear it, and then for the remaining bit you get bombarded with it incessantly.


It is still nice during Christmas parties and when putting up your tree. But then once Christmas passes it's nice to be done with it. My father started a tradition several years back where we would listen to The Beach Boys when taking down the Christmas tree.

My dad and mom hate it when an R & B artist sing a traditional church type of song like Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, etc sings it their way.    They think adding an "ooh ooh ooh" is butchering the song.  You remind me of that.

To me I think it is very interesting to hear each artist do the song in their own way.  It makes it more better to hear the different renditions!  I love Sinatra's version of Jingle Bells with the " I love the holiday J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, Oh, those holiday J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, I love those J-I-N-G-L-E B-E- Double L-S, I love those Jingle all the way."  It adds to it making it a completely different song, but in the way keeping it traditional.

I do not like the Jackson Five version of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus as they stole lines from Warner Brothers Sylvester and Tweety's I thought I saw a Putty Tat in the end of the song when ole Michael is saying "I did, I did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus.  However, I do like their version of Frosty the Snowman.

I love Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You and even though I find it interesting that others are now covering it each season more and more, I guess in a way I could see your point as hers is still the one I prefer.

[Molandfreak]

The good ones:

All religious Christmas music
Jingle Bells
Carol of the Bells
Here We Come A-Wassailing (which never gets played)
Deck the Halls
White Christmas

The BAD ones:

Santa Baby
All I Want for Christmas is You (both)
Last Christmas
Merry Christmas Darling
My Grown Up Christmas List (one radio announcer said it was her favorite  )
Christmas Canon (not even a real song, just the Pachelbel Canon with words that are slightly Christmas-themed)
Where Are You Christmas
My Favorite Things (NOT A CHRISTMAS SONG  )
"In 500 Feet Turn Left On Seymour Street" (commercial that sounds like an annoying GPS)

Songs that are played too much but otherwise neutral:

Do You Hear What I Hear
Sleigh Ride
Winter Wonderland
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

For the most part, I agree with that list. I would add to good:
Thank God It's Christmas (only if Queen)
Happy Christmas-War Is Over (only if Lennon)
Please Come Home For Christmas
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (only if Crosby)
Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth (only if Crosby/Bowie)
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch (only if Ravenscroft)
anything off Michael Bublé's Christmas album

[Alps]

I walked into Wegman's today, and there was Christmas music ... everywhere... As a non-Christian, I don't really want to listen to or become familiar with these songs. I understand a lot of people like them, but when I tune into my radio stations, I want to hear my songs, not weird holiday songs*. And when I walk into a store, it would be super-awesome if they could just play non-denominational tunes. (I would ask for no holiday tunes at all, but I get that they think holiday tunes make people buy holiday stuff.)

*there are about two christmas song covers I can stand, and then Christmas with the Devil.

[hbelkins]

I walked into Wegman's today, and there was Christmas music ... everywhere... As a non-Christian, I don't really want to listen to or become familiar with these songs. I understand a lot of people like them, but when I tune into my radio stations, I want to hear my songs, not weird holiday songs*. And when I walk into a store, it would be super-awesome if they could just play non-denominational tunes. (I would ask for no holiday tunes at all, but I get that they think holiday tunes make people buy holiday stuff.)

*there are about two christmas song covers I can stand, and then Christmas with the Devil.

Conversely, I listen to a talk show hosted by a Jewish host. He's an observant Jew and takes off for all the major Jewish holidays/observances. He loves Christmas music and started playing it as his bumper music two weeks ago. As for me, I don't listen to much music on the radio (I prefer my iPod or my CDs) but it irks me that many radio stations go 24/7 Christmas before the candle is blown out of the Halloween jack-o-lantern.

[Zeffy]

Being non-religious [Atheist] and all, I don't really have any feelings for the holidays other than good food and free gifts. (sorry) However, I do respect the beliefs of others, and if they want to play Christmas tunes or other holiday tunes during December, then so be it.

[Duke87]

Christmas is somewhat odd in that while the celebration of it in the US is almost entirely secular and really need not be dependent on one's religion, Americans who do not come from traditionally Christian families are still largely excluded.

What will be interesting to see, going forward, is whether celebration of the holiday will grow or shrink. Lots of immigrants from Asia, India, and the Middle East are not Christian and don't care about it. But at the same time religion is becoming less important to a lot of people - I know a Jewish family that has been celebrating Christmas (secularly) for years because their kids were exposed to Santa and all that from TV, school, etc. and wanted to be part of it. They still sort of celebrate Hanukkah but don't give it nearly as much attention since none of their friends or neighbors do and they don't have the means to visit their extended family that lives far away from them.

[realjd]

I walked into Wegman's today, and there was Christmas music ... everywhere... As a non-Christian, I don't really want to listen to or become familiar with these songs. I understand a lot of people like them, but when I tune into my radio stations, I want to hear my songs, not weird holiday songs*. And when I walk into a store, it would be super-awesome if they could just play non-denominational tunes. (I would ask for no holiday tunes at all, but I get that they think holiday tunes make people buy holiday stuff.)

*there are about two christmas song covers I can stand, and then Christmas with the Devil.

Christmas in the US is both a Christian holiday and a secular national holiday. Songs about Santa and snow and jingle bells and such are non-denominational and non-religious.

Regardless, Wegmans is privately owned and can play what they like.

[Molandfreak]

A lot of christmas songs are non-denominational anyway. The ones I mentioned I like for various reasons, being either that I grew up with them, that I use the lyrics to make the best of the cold season, that they sound good or are from a band I enjoy, or that they simply sound like a bunch of friends making music together.

I like to spend time with my friends/family and give gifts as an atheist at christmas time because it makes me feel good. I guess I don't act any differently, but what it's really about, for me, is having optimism in a time that normally has terrible snowstorms and bitter, cold days.

Though I don't particularly enjoy them, when some of the religious christmas songs play on the radio, I enjoy singing along and harmonizing them (if I weren't a musician, that would probably change).

[NE2]

repost:

[Dougtone]

I reckon that some radio stations start playing Christmas music, including switching to an all-Christmas music format as early as the first half of November is a tad too early.  It actually makes me change the channel, but for some people, it is a popular thing to do.  Not to say that I don't like Christmas music, but too much Christmas music is too much for me.

I do like some Christmas songs, such as this holiday themed parody of Black Sabbath's Iron Man.

[formulanone]

I don't mind the Christmas music, except that it's seemingly repetitively-played; I'm not a fan of songs (of really any genre) which I've heard five times in a week, for example. I don't whether it's religious or not, although even as an atheist, I've noticed usually the religious-flavored songs are sung by folks with actual talent.

But growing up a Jew, I realized early on that the repertoire of secular and/or popular Chanukah music was essentially non-existent, save The Dreidle Song. It wasn't until the 1990s until Adam Sandler belted out a few songs and the Rugrats finally had a TV show about the holiday.

On the other hand, I couldn't - and still can't - really fault much else to do with Christmas. Sure, it's a looming deadline of sorts (but what isn't in many of our lives?), and services seem to be wonky because people take time off. There's more that's enjoyable about it, probably moreso because I have kids that still believe in Santa Claus (I think)...it's for them. Adults I know can mostly buy whatever they want.

[jeffandnicole]

Unless it's overly loud, I don't even notice the music in most stores/restaurants.

[1995hoo]

New version of "Jingle Bells":

Ovechkin's accent reminds me of that Chinese Restaurant scene in that movie about the kid who wants the BB gun.

[PColumbus73]

Paul McCartney's 'Wonderful Christmastime' is the absolute worst Christmas song of all time, period.

[roadman65]

I would like to know why My Favorite Things is played at Christmas Time when the song was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for The Sound Of Music movie.

True many may say, what does Sleigh Ride and Winter Wonderland have to do with Christmas?  However, it does mention the season of Winter and things related.  At least Christmas and New Years are in that season it talks about.

Fogelberg's Same Auld Lang Syne (excuse my spelling Mr NE 2 if I got it wrong) has not been played since he died, but that song is not Christmas either, except for the mention of meeting his old girlfriend on Christmas Eve.  Yet when he and the song were alive it was played exclusively at Christmas.

[Big John]

Fogelberg's Same Auld Lang Syne (excuse my spelling Mr NE 2 if I got it wrong) has not been played since he died, but that song is not Christmas either, except for the mention of meeting his old girlfriend on Christmas Eve.  Yet when he and the song were alive it was played exclusively at Christmas.

I have heard it played this year on radio, along with every year at Christmas time only.  Agree that this is not a Christmas song.

[roadman65]

Fogelberg's song is a great song. Do not get me wrong, but it should not be just a Christmas song or should it be mixed in with  Hark The Herald Angels Sing etc.

It is a song about meeting an old flame years later and could be played even in July or August as it is a general story. 

I have to admit protecting his old girlfriend's identity was a great thing to do and so noble.  However, his ex came forward years later long after his death. 

To me it falls with his other classics like Leader Of The Band and I do not see it as Christmas season material.