We maintain a strict policy at our house: The holiday season begins on December 1 and not a day before. We resist the peer pressure of our neighbors’ tree lights shining through their front window; drive past tree lots crowded with people taking advantage of a warm day; and keep a tight lid on the bins and boxes in the basement until it’s officially The Holiday Season.
Come Dec. 1, however, we go all in — and there’s nothing more fun than pulling out the decorations while holiday songs play in the background. With music being what it is these days, we have more ways than ever to spin a holiday tune.
This year, SiriusXM debuted seven of its 15 holiday channels on November 1, while the local 24/7 Christmas radio station was up and running at midnight just one week later. We stream Christmas carols on phones, tablets and TV screens; even a ride in an elevator, a quick stop at the grocery store or a stroll through the mall fills the air with music we don’t even hear but inevitably find ourselves humming once the “Jingle Bells” ear worm crawls into our subconscious minds.
For the first day of our countdown, we thought we’d offer the gift of sound: our very own mutterhood Holi(daze) playlist, filled with classics and a few newer songs by some of our favorite singers.
It’s the first of many gifts of the season we look forward to sharing with you this year. We hope you enjoy this sampling of holiday cheer.