That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Today marks the 19th day of non-stop Christmas music on 99.1 WMYX. I know. It's November 19th. This means that this music began on the first. What craziness! Now, I'll admit to the occassional indulgence; I have tuned in a few times and have enjoyed getting caught up in the holiday spirit. But each time I've done this, it wasn't long before the synthesized choruses and shallow refrains about wanting a hippo for Christmas left me feeling a little, well, sick to my stomach. Kind of like eating a bag of Lays potato chips. So deliciously satisfying... and then suddenly your tummy feels more empty than you did before you started eating that crap.

I heard that 99.1 took a vote to decide when they would begin "Christmas all the time." Apparently, the majority of people in Milwaukee and the greater surrounding area wanted this. November 1st until December 25th. Oh yeah, that's the other thing - Christmas music stops at midnight on the 25th. I guess enough is enough when it comes to Christmas. Once the big day is over, so is the celebration! It's as though they can't wait to stop playing all that music.

I don't blame them...

...but I do disagree. Why couldn't we ease into the Christmas music? Why is it an all-or-nothing thing? Couldn't we have started with a few songs a day, then an hour, and then go all out after Thanksgiving? And why must we end on the 25th? The twelve days of Christmas start on the 25th. Once the 25th comes, the time for celebration is just beginning! Ending Christmas on the 25th says a lot about our society. Once the presents are bought and the gifts given, it's all over. Time to move on to the next marketing ploy! Time for... what, Valentine's Day? (Just another gimmick used to get people to buy stuff for others. And themselves, if you consider all that candy!) It's sad.

I wouldn't complain so much if the music played was... I don't know. Less about consumerism than about family, or shepherds, or Jesus. 24/7 Christmas music on a Christian radio station is so much more tolerable, because there the focus is at least somewhat in tune with what Christmas is all about.

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.