Christmas songs: an annoyance or not?

November: it's a time when Christmas is slowly peeping over the shoulder. Decorations aren't in full swing but there are odd mentions of the festive holiday here and there. Once it's December though everyone goes apeshit and people start churning out Christmas oddity's as if there lives depended on it. Lights and ornaments are shot onto houses, people crowd to shops to buy presents and everybody talks about the legend of everyone's favourite fat man (Santa Claus!). There is one thing that the general public seem to either love or hate though: Christmas songs.

Go to any shop mid December and a million pounds says you won't hear Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody". You literally can't get away from this 70's glam rock hit. Live under a rock, you'll still hear it. Hide in a wardrobe, you'll still here it. Heck, go and live in an igloo in Greenland and you'll still hear it (probably). There's no escaping the mega monster behemoth that is "Merry Xmas Everybody". You would've thought that people would've gotten sick of a song that's been played countless times for forty years. Nope, DJ's still assault our precious ears with this tiresome song just because "it's Christmas". Come on guys, spark a bit of originality and change the tune. Some of you are being paid 100,000 pounds a year so stop being lazy!

"Merry Xmas Everybody" isn't the only culprit though. Others that have been suspected of ear murder include: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney and "Last Christmas" by Wham!

Others genuinely love Christmas songs because it gets them in the mood for this time of giving and receiving. Even Ebenezer Scrooge himself would probably have a glimmer of joy in his soul from hearing "Mistletoe and Wine" (the Ebenezer Scrooge after he's seen the ghosts though). You can't really blame people for having their own personal preparations, we all have them. Some people drink alcohol before they go to a party. Barrack Obama probably does vocal warm ups before a speech and Lewis Hamilton probably loves a cheeky Red Bull before a race. Overall, it can be argued that Christmas song are a natural necessity before the big day.

Personally, I think Christmas songs are fine just as long as they're not overkilled (cough "Merry Xmas Everybody" cough). I genuinely love a bit of "Sleigh Ride" by The Ronettes and She and Him's "A Very She and Him Christmas" Christmas album is great fun. To sum it up: Christmas songs are generally an annoyance but to some they're not.