St. Louis U. High students are gearing up for an eventful Christmas, full of exams and crunch time, but with these unruly implications comes cheerful tunes and Christmas spirit. Many SLUH students have strong opinions on when Christmas carols should be played as well as the best carol of them all. 

    There is most certainly a spectrum, with merry and bright Christmas connoisseurs on one end, and the Scrooges on the other. Do not fret, though, as SLUH has students and teachers on both ends of the spectrum, as well as those who fall right in the middle. 

    “I think that if you have the Christmas spirit really strong in your heart, then you should listen to it all year long,” said Latin teacher Jennifer Ice. “I think that Christmas music is a genre in and of itself. If you want to listen to rap in June, you should be able to listen to rap in June. If you want to listen to Christmas music in November—you can listen to it in November. It's a genre.” 

    Teachers and students alike are in favor of Christmas carols. 

    “For me, I won't listen to it in October but some people get in the mood early, and in that case, then I think you can listen to it early,” said senior Michael Robinson. 

    On the other side of the token Ice is on, there are those who preserve the joy and cheer for a smaller increment of time. Preserving the “fun” of it and making sure the songs are not overplayed is their number one priority. 

    “Start listening after Thanksgiving, I’d say give it a week and the start of December is a good middle ground,” said junior Collin Graham. 

    “People play Christmas music way too early,” said junior Mario Del Pietro. “There’s a fine line between Christmas cheer and ruining it for everyone else.”   

Between the two extremes are students with a love for the holiday but don’t care when the carols begin. 

    “ Christmas music should be allowed the first time it snows. The first time it snows you'll have to listen to it—as long as it's a decent amount of snow or the very start of December,” said senior Adrian Zepeda

    Other students are completely indifferent and decide that it is a quantitative matter—how much spirit you have. 

    “I think it’s great. You should be able to start whenever you feel most in the Christmas spirit,” said junior Evan Pierce. 

    Overall, regardless of where SLUH students stand on the spectrum of opinions, one thing is clear: that Chrisstmas music, whether you love it or it is just, ok, is something that really transforms the holiday and gets people into a merry spirit.

“ I think Christmas music brings a great spirit and fascination to the month of December,” said Zepeda. “My favorite song is “Holly Jolly Christmas.” That’s my all time favorite to get me in the Jolly spirit. I have like 12 hours on the song excluding the month of December.”

The opinions on what the best song to play around and on the Christmas holiday is as unpredictable and vast as St. Louis’s forecast for snow each year. Students felt strongly about what was their favorite song to listen to around the holiday season, with choices ranging from old singalong classics to iconic 80’s tracks.

“I’m a big “Last Christmas” by WHAM! kinda guy,” said Robinson. “It’s an iconic tune.”

Robinson may have given his heart to WHAM! (and gives it away each year at that), but many students give their hearts’ to other Christmas tunes. 

“My personal favorite is “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson, it’s an absolute banger,” said junior Evan Pierce. 

Modern 21st tunes such as “Underneath the Tree” are favorites alongside 20th century staples.

“‘Here comes Santa Claus’—it’s a great one,” said Del Pietro

“I agree. That beat and everything about it gets me going. I couldn’t have Christmas without it,” agreed junior Collin Graham. 

Ice comes in sharing her passionate opinion, vouching for many of her favorite Christmas songs that she believes Christmas would be incomplete without. 

“I really love them all,” said Ice. “ I love classics like Bing Crosby. I like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Judy Garland. I like the Jackson Five Christmas medley. Of course you can't have Christmas without Pentatonix. But my absolute favorite Christmas song is “Mary’s Boy Child” by Harry Belafonte.”

There are many Jolly opinions on what the best Christmas song is, and these opinions sure to be contested around the holidays for a long time. But one thing is certain, Christmas music is an integral aspect to make Christmas the festive holiday it is, and puts people in a mood of cheer, eager to sing for all to hear.

“I think Christmas music is a great tradition and really puts me in the spirit,” said sophomore Charlie Hill.   

“Christmas music is the best musical genre and I love it so much—it makes me happy and if it makes you happy, then you should be able to do whatever you want,” said Ice. “ I think it makes Christmas the best season.”