A holiday tradition

It is a holiday tradition for me to be curmudgeonly about Christmas.  Not the holiday itself, which is a good reason to visit my parents and other family in Thunder Bay, but all the stuff surrounding it.

Especially the songs.

I was listening to Christmas music in the grocery store tonight and was of two minds.  Of course they were playing non stop Christmas music, which I hate, but at least they took traditional Christmas songs and put twists on them.  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer played in a funk/folk kind of way is better than the standard version, I think, but the song itself still make me want to grumble.

The message of "It is okay to be born different from others.  Eventually you will find some unique utility for your difference, and then other people will accept you.  If you don't... get used to being alone and abused, I guess?" isn't exactly one I can get behind.  If the other reindeer accepted Rudolph because it is the right thing to do I would be cool with it, but they were only interested in being decent creatures once he was indispensable.  Yuck.

And seriously if we are going to make up random crap about Christmas we shouldn't start with a peeping tom old man who threatens to punish everyone all year with unclear rules and then gives everyone presents, but the rich kids get the best ones.  How is this a good thing?  Vague threats with no follow through, rewarding those who need it least... this guy is the worst parent around.

If stores want to play Christmas music on Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Boxing Day then fine.  I don't want it, but fine.  But good grief can we please stop with playing it for a bloody month?

To make that happen I probably need to start complaining as much as the people who demand Christmas music would complain if it stopped being played.  There are just so many stores though, and I want so little to spend my days in them yelling at managers about music choices.

Grumble.