Let the Christmas songs ring-a-ling

Nancy Wilson is a morning radio personality for K99.1FM.


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Now that it’s December, bring on the Christmas decorations and Christmas music.

I can only handle one holiday at a time. Santa and Halloween pumpkins don’t belong together.

We just started playing Christmas music on K99.1FM the day after Thanksgiving, a little at a time, to get you in the holiday spirit. I know a lot of people who love holiday music so much they play it all year long. That’s a little too much for me, but in December, ’tis the season.

Imagine my surprise when I asked my morning radio-show partner, Frye Guy, what Christmas song he wanted to hear the other day. His normally friendly face scrunched up like he smelled something bad. Then he says, “I don’t like Christmas music!” Wait, what? I’m thinking, “What a Grinch,” but he quickly explains while he likes Christmas, he doesn’t Christmas music.

How can you like one without the other? No “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Silent Night”? That’s like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without jelly, or Florida-Georgia Line without the Florida.

I soon discovered he’s not the only one. Several listeners came to Frye’s defense, saying they, too, aren’t fond of Yuletide warblings.

Reasons vary: from the woman who works in retail who says the constant loop of “Frosty the Snowman” starting in late October through Christmas Eve is enough to drive her mad, to the guy who was humiliated in third grade when he forgot the words to “Away in a Manger” during his big Christmas pageant solo. From the lady who lost her dad on Christmas Day when she was a teenager to the man who said “Christmas gives me cavities,” it’s just not on everyone’s wish list this time of year.

Now if you’re one of us who likes it, then keep in mind there’s some great new country holiday albums out this year. Sara Evans’ “At Christmas” and Darius Rucker’s re-released “Home for the Holidays” are must-haves. “Candy Cane Christmas” is especially great.

When my mom passed three years ago, Christmas lost its joy for me, but with the recent arrival of my great-nephew Payton, and the impending appearance of my great-niece Carleigh, I’ve rediscovered the magic of Christmas.

So this year I find myself singing along in my car. (Be glad it’s cold outside and my windows are rolled up and you can’t hear me.) I’m thinking about putting up a tree again and stringing lights.

Bring on Christmas, but I draw the line at the “Elf on the Shelf.”

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