My grown children still suffer under the parental edict banning the playing of Christmas music before the day after Thanksgiving. I won't say they don't listen - but I know they feel guilty if they do, or they feel they have to justify it! And to be honest, I think they have come to appreciate the edict and enjoy its payoff on what shoppers call "Black Friday." We stay home and make it a day of light.
I mean, how else to make "Advent" a season of preparation? How else to guard against being jaded against the glut of Christmas music?
To be honest, the ban began long ago in our home. Because I have to listen to the music and prepare scores then rehearse pieces for choir, I just didn't want to hear more of it at home. Pretty selfish, eh? But then the day after Thanksgiving became this magic day in our home. The LPs - then the tapes, and then the CDs, and now the iTunes - come out, the stereos are turned up to "11" and the decorations come out. After Thanksgiving Friday, the next time we will all be together will be our festive Christmas Eve dinner - when again the stereo will accompany our preparations and draw us together with music and drama of the Nativity. (More on that night later this season.)
One of my sons prompted this reflection today by sending me a link to a new song by Paul Simon, "Gettin' Ready." Pat's subject heading, "for the day after Thanksgiving," was his nod to the ban. But I'm sure he knew I was hooked when I saw the link to a Paul Simon song. (Busted - I am a huge Simon fan.) My self-justification is that (a) I am at work and free to listen to Christmas music any time I need to; and (b) it isn't a Christmas song, per se, but an Advent song!
Yes, perhaps my children have also learned from me to how to justify breaking the ban.
Click here to hear "Gettin' Ready" and ... um,
Sing on!
