Do you hear what I hear?

I've always thought something must be wrong with me.

Why am I so different? Why can't I be like everyone else? Why can't I just fit in? Sometimes the shame and ridicule is too much to bear.

Being a christmas musicholic hasn't always been an easy burden to bear. People give me weird looks, and call me crazy, and wonder how I can stand it and not get burned out or sick of it. People are afraid to get too close to me, afraid that good-cheer will rub off on them like some contagious rash. I've always been a closet christmas musicholic, until fm100 and kosy ousted me. It's been healthy to know I'm not alone. There are others out there like me.

This year, I wasn't going to get my hopes up. Last year, the day after Halloween was such a let down because the holly jolly tunes weren't playing. Eventually the radio stations succombed, due to pressure from my fellow musicholics, and the season got back on track. This year, I wasn't sure if they would wait till they got the same response, or if they would start on their own accord. Either way, I told myself, I have enough of my own music to tie me over till they came to their senses. So I wasn't terribly disappointed when November 1st came along, but the christmas music didn't come along with it.

Really, I was ok. The weather was still warm, the skies sunny, it was hard to start thinking about a winter wonderland in the middle of an indian summer. (Besides, I had recently bought Kenny G's collection of christmas favorites and was already getting my money's worth out of it.) But imagine my delight, when on November 4th (I know, it's weird that I remember the exact date and time) I turned on my radio to keep me company while I made dinner, and lo and behold, it was beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!

The Christmas musicholics have scored another victory...and this time we have a celebrity on our side!

I don't know if it was coincidence, but just 2 days later, Jerry Johnston, one of my favorite columinists in the Deseret News, wrote an article entitled "It's time for annual clash of the carols". Catchy huh. Anyway, in his article he asks the all important question: How long should we wait before we start playing those troubling Christmas carols?

He mentions the "battle between the "hold off" crowd, those who perceive early carols as a ploy by merchants to sell Christmas. They dislike the materialism and fear the reason for the season has to do more with goods than goodwill.

Then there are the "play the carols early" bunch who are choosing the better angels of human nature. For them, the carols call to mind family, friends, good times and good feelings. They are anxious to rekindle the holy light within themselves."

He says, "the more tidings of comfort and joy we can bring to the surface the better. We've been through a long year. The information age has us worrying about things in distant lands we wouldn't have even known about 30 years ago. We're told to think 'globally'. But we're not globes, we're humans. We need to think 'humanly'. The more we focus on people around us, the more real we feel. And no songs help us see that human side of each other more than the Christmas carols. So I say bring 'em on. The more the merrier. For I know, in my case, the sooner I can hear a sweet version of "With Wondering Awe", the sooner I will find more perspective, sanity and faith in our frail existence."

Amen. I couldn't have said it better myself, (which is why he gets paid for his thoughts and I don't).

Christmas music makes me smile. It cheers my heart, lifts my down trodden spirit, and gives me hope when life is depressing and cold. No one should put a time restraint on happiness, and Christmas music just makes me happy; and I'm sure we could all use a little more happiness in our lives, whatever the season.

Now if you excuse me, I'm going to crank up the radio and fix myself a little hot chocolate. Oh yeah, chocolate makes me happy too!