I’m avoiding Christmas Carols like the plague.
Yeah, I know, it’s a very curmudgeonly attitude to have. All this “Bah-humbug” around Christmas. But there are reasons for this, I can assure you.
From 1989 to 1998 I worked in broadcasting. Five years of that as an on air announcer. Also known as a disc jockey. I wanted to be Dr. Johnny Fever (WKRP In Cincinnati reference). Needless to say, I became more akin to Les Nesman (one of my news jobs even had tape on the floor where walls would be). But, that time while I was an on air announcer, there was many a Christmas of late night and weekend afternoons filled with multiple versions of Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin’ ‘Round the Christmas Tree, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, and various other Christmas songs which could work on Adult Contemporary, Hard Rock, or Country format radio.
I will admit, I loved Twisted Sister’s Christmas album, that was awesome. But one can only take hearing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer before threatening bloody murder if the song comes up again for the 50th time in a day.
Many people might not know this, but the average length of time for a Christmas song for Adult Rock, Hard Rock or Country is about 2 minutes in length. In an hour, that’s 30 songs. With talking and commercials, maybe 20. Keep in mind, this is late night and afternoon weekends. Six hour shifts.
Which only got worse the closer to Christmas you got.
The format was as follows. December 1 to December 7: One Christmas song per day. December 8 to December 14: One Christmas song per shift. December 15 to December 20: One Christmas song per hour. December 21 to December 23: One Christmas song per quarter hour. December 24 and December 25: No other songs except for Christmas songs exist, play nothing but Christmas songs. December 26: Never play a Christmas song again.
For me, a lot of times I was the guy who had to work Christmas day. Which meant an 8 hour shift, not a 6 hour shift like usual.
So, I have my reasons for my “bah-humbug” attitude with regard to Christmas songs.
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