I have a confession to make… I’ve been secretly listening to Christmas music in my car. On November 1st one of the radio stations started playing Christmas music 24/7. I outwardly agreed with everyone that it was too early, while happily driving around town singing along to “Feliz Navidad.” BUT! I have a few Christmas song “pet peeves.” The first one is…
“Last Christmas” by Wham.
I’m sorry. Very, very sorry, but I can’t stand this song. I know it’s wildly popular… why??? The lyrics… the melody… it’s just so inane. I don’t think it would irritate me so much if I didn’t hear it all the time. And the last thing we needed was ANOTHER version of it, Taylor Swift. In 2016, George Michael died on Christmas Day, and I briefly felt guilty about trash-talking his stupid Christmas song. I’m sorry he died, but I still strongly dislike this song.
“All I Want For Christmas” by Mariah Carey.
Once again- sorry. I don’t actually dislike this one as much as “Last Christmas” but it irks me that it’s the most requested Christmas song. I mean… it has a pleasant little melody but other than that it’s nothing special. Once again, I hear this song WAY TOO MUCH. I don’t get it.
“The Christmas Shoes” by NewSong.
I would actually listen to “Last Christmas” and “All I Want For Christmas” all day rather than have to hear this song once. The lyrics tell the story of a little boy whose mother is dying. He wants to buy her some shoes so she’ll look beautiful “if Mama meets Jesus tonight.”
No. Absolutely not. As a mom, I absolutely can’t hear a song about a boy whose mother is dying. My second biggest fear in life is dying and leaving my kids without a mom- and I especially don’t appreciate being reminded of that fear on Christmas. I’ve always said this song should be banned, and maybe enough people agree with me, because I don’t hear it very often anymore. In addition to being banned, I think NewSong should issue an official apology to moms everywhere. But I’ll settle for never hearing it again.
How about you- do you have a least favorite Christmas song?
Do you like any of the songs I’ve mentioned?
What do you think of the shoe song?
22 Responses
Well, I have never heard of the last one you mention here. I am not too fond of the other two. But I can hear them a couple time furring the holidays. One song I hate with a passion – no matter what language its sung – is Silent Night. The.worst.song.ever. I also find a little drummer by really annoying,. I don’t think I would hear that one if I can help it.
Funny that you mention those two songs. I think Little Drummer Boy is really monotonous, so I can see why you wouldn’t like it. Silent Night is a little boring, but I don’t hate it like you do! So funny how we all have our “least favorites” and favorites.
I do not believe that Christmas should be a thing until after Thanksgiving. I am not secretly listening to holiday songs in my car right now, although I love the image that you’re doing it stealthily, but instead I get riled up that one of my favorite stations switched to Christmas music on HALLOWEEN DAY (too soon!). Anyway, I love both the Wham! and Mariah Carey songs, so you won’t get agreement from me on that one.
There’s a running joke on a podcast I listen to (“Let’s Go To Court”) in which one of the hosts regularly breaks into “The Christmas Shoes” song and the other begs her not to. I find this joke hilarious because it really is a truly horrible song.
We used to play “Sleigh Ride” in concert band every year for the holiday concert. As a matter of fact, we did our chair placement using that stupid song. After so many hours with “Sleigh Ride,” I officially hate it and when I hear it, I get irrationally irate. Ha!
Ha, so funny because I also played “Sleigh Ride” every year in band, and yet it’s now one of my favorites. I agree that I would be mad if my favorite station switched to Christmas on Halloween, if I didn’t want to hear it. I always think these stations take a big risk- I wonder if they lose a bunch of listeners.
I love the story about the podcast. At least everyone seems to be in agreement over that song- which is why I probably don’t hear it much anymore.
Ditto on all those songs. They don’t feel Christmasy at all!
I tend to like traditional carols the best, especially if they have a slightly updated melody. I really enjoy Sarah Mclachlan’s Christmas album (and Zooey Deschanel‘s).
I haven’t been listening much, yet. I get burned out pretty fast after too many years of starting WAY too early. I love once Christmas music starts at church; I’m hoping today, but Advent is next Sunday so I might have to wait another week…
My strategy is to try and overload myself with Christmas things, in the hopes that I’ll get sick of it and not be too sad when it’s over. It hasn’t worked yet, though.
I totally agree and the last one, that I never heard, is totally inappropriate.
I like the Blackmore’s Night’s versions of the Christmas Songs.
I hope you never have to hear the shoe song!
I have to strongly disagree with you – I LOVE Last Christmas. It’s one of my very favourites and I even have a playlist, made by a friend, of Last Christmas in different versions and with different artists! I even play it on the piano. I also like the Mariah Carey song.
I really dislike “Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney, and I don’t like Christmas Shoes.
That is so, so funny. If my family wanted to play a joke on me, they could make a “Last Christmas” playlist. You and my sister are in agreement- she likes “Last Christmas” (because it reminds her of the 80s) and dislikes the Paul McCartney song. But you know what, we can disagree on everything other than the shoe song- that one has to go.
Hah! First, I do not want to hear Christmas songs until after Thanksgiving. #RespectTheBird
Second, I am with you on all of these!
While I am not Jewish my favorite holiday song last year (?) was Puppy for Hanukkah — did you hear it?
I’m not sure if I know that one, which is weird because as you can see, I listen to a lot of holiday music! Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ll probably start hearing it all the time.
I hadn’t heard of that last song before but it sounds very, very wrong. So it’s a no from me.
I usually like more traditional Christmas songs, although I don’t hate the first two songs that you mentioned. They’re just terribly overplayed.
I think one of my favorite Christmas songs is “Noel”.
I like traditional Christmas songs as well, more than the pop-sy ones. I will say this radio station is doing a good job mixing things up and playing some traditional ones as well.
I was station hopping on my drive down and one was already playing all Christmas. It lasted about half an hour! But I have some guilty pleasures. My least favorite? Jingle Bell Rock. So over played.
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I agree that Jingle Bell Rock is very overplayed, but somehow it doesn’t bother me. Go figure.
Your entire paragraph about Last Christmas just cracked me up – “I briefly felt guilty about trash-talking his stupid Christmas song” 🙂 That is my husband’s absolute favorite Christmas song, so much so that his friends tease him about it. Well, on Christmas Day 2016 he was driving home from visiting his parents on Christmas, blaring that song in his car the whole way home, like on repeat and singing at the top of his lungs. Only to get home and find out George Michael had died. It was super weird!
Oh, that’s funny! He’s not the only one- several people have commented that they love that song! I don’t get it, but I’m sure I love songs other people hate. To each his own!
Ugh, The Christmas Shoes is the WORST Christmas song of all-time. It’s so terrible and manipulative. NO.
I don’t know if there are any Christmas songs that I absolutely hate. I actually really like Last Christmas and anything by Mariah Carey – sorry!
Ha ha… I think I’m outnumbered on “Last Christmas!”