“It’s tiiime” rings into my ears as I scroll through Instagram. Confused, I swipe up to my lockscreen and realize two things. First, I have been scrolling for far longer than I care to admit, but more importantly, it is only Nov. 6; Halloween was barely a week ago, Thanksgiving is still on the horizon, and the Christmas season is already starting?
Do not get it twisted – I always have and still do love Christmas. But the fact that Christmas has come earlier and earlier each year has turned me into a Grinch. I have noticed this effect most when Christmas songs come on, especially one song in particular: “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey.
I could never hope to guess on how many times I have heard Carey’s biggest hit, and I am not the only one. “I hear Mariah Carey songs being played in the car, on the radio, and on my phone through apps like TikTok and Instagram constantly. Her Christmas songs are played as soon as right after Halloween, which I think is crazy!” exclaimed junior Molly Schutzman. It is practically impossible to escape Mariah Carey during the holidays. “I feel her songs are overplayed; I hear them all the time and everywhere. It’s like they never stop,” Schutzman elaborated. It is this incessant playing of her music that is the source of frustration.
When I first heard the song that is now the bane of my existence every winter, I, too, was left enamored. Even from the beginning of the song, it is blatantly clear that Mariah Carey is immensely talented. She, and co-writer Walter Afanasieff, managed to create a catchy and simple song whilst adding her own special twist to show off her high notes. Falling in love with the song is not an uncommon experience; it holds three Guinness World Records: “The highest-charting holiday (Christmas/New Year) song on the Billboard Hot 100 by a solo artist, the most streamed track on Spotify in 24 hours (female) and the most weeks in the U.K. singles Top -10 chart for a Christmas song,” – according to an article from People (people.com) titled “Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ and Its Lyrics.”
Regardless, enough is enough. There comes a point where a song that once inspired nothing but joy brings downright annoyance simply due to it being overplayed; there is no song where this is more applicable. Junior Jake Mehta also initially enjoyed Mariah Carey’s songs initially, but now feels that “every year they became more and more annoying…” This is not an unpopular opinion to hold. Senior Lilah Walsh is fond of Mariah Carey’s music, and even occasionally puts her music on at home. Still, even she feels it is “played a little too much.” If Mariah Carey’s songs continue to be overplayed, it will gradually lose its popularity because of its incessance. Luckily, there is a simple way to avoid this. If only the song were pushed a little less, it would actually be able to retain its legendary status.
Overall, the Christmas season is one that brings cheer – with its beautiful decorations, festive music, family bonding, and a much-needed break from school. But we need to recognize that there is a delicate balance between enjoying Christmas, and the season arriving far too early through the incessant blaring of Christmas music. Otherwise, many others will too become a Grinch.
