Get ready to unwrap some musical opinions as we delve into the world of holiday tunes. We let students air their grievances and share their least favorite Christmas songs. So, brace yourself for some festive critiques and maybe a few ‘bah humbugs.’
Christmas is a holiday known for its iconic music. We all know someone who’s obsessed with Christmas music, maybe even started playing it the day after Halloween, but the quieter population we don’t talk about are those who maybe prefer not to capture their holiday cheer through song. So, let’s compare some of USC’s favorite and least favorite Christmas songs.
Maysi Ang, an international student, is a fan of the classics.
Maysi Ang: I think the classic All I Want by-- Oh, All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey.
However, being an international student, she may not have spent enough time to be annoyed by a Christmas song yet.
Ang: I don’t think I have any. Like, even Jingle Bells is nice to me. To be honest, because I’m from Singapore, so we don’t really celebrate Christmas at home. It gives me the Christmas vibes, I think, which is really, really nice.
And for those who like Christmas more than the average person, their favorite is as important as what presents they give. Gabrielle Gonzalez, a freshman, is one of these people.
Gabrielle Gonzalez: I’m a Christmas lover.
Just like Ang, Maria Carey is a staple on her Christmas playlist.
Gonzalez: I like the Mariah Carey Christmas song, and that’s my favorite. All I want for Christmas is you. That one. I can listen to that year-round.
But even someone who loves the holidays has their limits.
Gonzalez: I’m trying to think probably one of the Justin Bieber Christmas songs like I don’t know. I do, but I don’t hate them. They’re just not my favorite.
Alex Bland, also a freshman, doesn’t entirely agree. Despite also being a self-proclaimed Christmas lover, she shares entirely opposite feelings as her friend Gabrielle.
Alex Bland: I’m going to have to say Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is you. Yeah, it’s definitely because it’s so overplayed on Tik-Tok it like it genuinely just, like, gives me a headache.
And Bland’s favorite? Gonzalez’s least favorite.
Bland: In contrary to Gabrielle, I have to say, Justin Bieber’s and the Disney channels like Happy Universal Holidays. I love that.
Gonzalez: Alex has been playing Christmas songs since October.
But let’s not forget that for some people, finals week is an obstacle before winter break that cannot be overlooked and can definitely dampen the festive mood. Kirstan Azarrage, a sophomore, has a different relationship with Christmas music.
Kirstan Azarrage: Christmas time makes me a little anxious because it’s like the end of the semester finals and all of that. So, I’ve been associating Christmas music with that anxiety. Yeah.
And for some students, they relate to Christmas songs that reflect more of the California weather. Hayden Brown talks about her favorite:
Hayden Brown: My favorite Christmas song is Winter Things by Ariana Grande. I think it’s really cute. It’s a very quaint song, but I like that she talks about being in a warmer climate because I’m originally from Hawaii and now I live in L.A., so I’ve never really had like a cold winter. And it’s just it’s a fun, sweet couple song and yeah.
However, not all Christmas songs can provide that feeling.
Brown: Okay, my least favorite is Baby it’s cold outside. Super creepy vibes. Like super creepy that the woman wants to leave, and this guy is like, keeping her in the house. Being like, No, it’s so cool. Like, don’t leave. Just a very outdated song. I feel like that has a lot of sentimental value to older generations that I’ve really never understood myself. So that would be my least favorite.
For others, like Jaxson Hill, a graduate student, his favorite Christmas song is a reflection of what he grew up with.
Jaxon Hill: I would say my favorite Christmas song is The Peace Carol, which is a special that John Denver, who’s famous for taking home country roads, as you probably heard saying, with the Muppets on a Christmas special. And I don’t know, I listen to it a lot as a child, so it brings a lot of good childhood Christmas memories.
It seems the holidays have a way of bringing people together, even if it’s over trivial arguments on classic Christmas songs. Regardless of how much you love or hate Christmas songs, there will be no escaping them in the coming weeks.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Erick Trevino.