Jingle all the way

Ok, look, I'll admit it: I occasionally like the occasional Christmas-themed tune. ('Occasional' is the key word here.) I'm fond of the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan version of "baby it's cold outside." (Does that count?) I love Joni's "River" (even if it's not terribly cheerful) - I even downloaded the new Sarah McLachlan version. U2's "Christmas baby please come home" cracks me up. I like "let it snow", and even some of the churchy-er songs, despite not actually, you know, ever having gone to church as anything other than a tourist.

But there is a time and place for Christmas songs - namely, when no else is around to laugh at you for secretly liking three Christmas songs. (Ok, four. Fine, a half-dozen at most.)

That said, I don't really understand why people put Christmas songs in stores. On repeat. For a month and a half. I mean, I guess it's because they figure that it'll infuse the customers with a generous, expensive Christmas spirit (often called 'guilt') which will lead to higher sales.

Now, I love to shop. There's not a lot (besides a basic lack of funds) that will prevent me from shopping, when I really want to shop. But Christmas songs - bad ones - on repeat - for a month and a half - will make me run out of the store, crying onto my shiny, clean credit card, desperately searching for some place to use it unassaulted.

Thank god for online shopping!