Halloween is now over, which means that we have approached one of the scarier times of the year. I have already seen signs foreshadowing what is to come — holiday music. However, it is not time yet. I need more time. The phenomenon of Mariah Carey thawing from her ice cube shell to unveil her hit “All I want for Christmas Is You” has already begun. Why must it start so early? I don’t want to be grumpy, but November needs its own time to shine. What are the alternatives then? If I am not listening to Christmas music yet what am I doing? I am happy to provide some alternatives to help with the pacing of the transition between November and December.
To start off here, what about some Vince Guaraldi? The jazzy and serenading tones of the Charlie Brown soundtrack makes a perfect transition from October into December, in a way that allows us not to get ahead of ourselves. Hosting a cozy friend hangout while listening to “Great Pumpkin Waltz” is something I have been romanticizing recently. The “Thanksgiving Theme” needs to be played at November functions. To me the music feels warm and comforting, allowing for the perfect amount of wiggle room to transition into Christmas music further into the month, with the Guaraldi theme as a pivot point. Fall jazz makes it very hard for me to be the person that skips straight to christmas music.
We still have some more time to enjoy the changing colors of the leaves, which is why I have been listening to some acoustic and folk music. I have been trying to enjoy the beauty of the natural world, and I find that acoustic music accompanies it perfectly. These songs feel dreamy and comforting, while allowing some room to reflect on the things around you. “Boy With a Coin” by Iron & Wine has been one of those songs. It has a gentle guitar riff that propels the song along and feels like watching leaves rustle and fall. “Across the Water” by Vashti Bunyan also captures the gentleness of fall, which is made even more beautiful when juxtaposed with the harshness of winter. Songs that slowly move along with intention compliment the beauty of autumn into winter. Of course I cannot end this category without Mr. Folk Fall himself: Neil Young and his albums Harvest and Harvest Moon. These two albums are absolutely perfect for November. They are cozy, calm and feature the acoustic and harmonic characteristics I associate with the joys of fall. His lyrics and songs reference the transitional elements of the fall equinox, rustic themes of road trips, the passing of time, and crisp air. His music feels so reflective, which is an approach I often find myself taking to life in the fall. Listening to folk, or reflective music feels very fitting.
Other songs I have been listening to recently have been “Lake Shore Drive” by Aliota Haynes Jeremiah, “Alameda” by Elliott Smith, and “Golden Brown” by The Stranglers. They all have feelings that I associate with fall, like road trips and being involved in nature, and have an intimacy to them that feels so perfect for this weather.
There are many options to choose from if you still want to feel the immersion of music matching the month and holidays. I am not saying not to listen to Christmas music at all, but I think that adding a smoother transition may make life feel more immersive and special. Give Mariah her time to thaw before she is playing in every supermarket and public space across the country. Be a little reflective, enjoy nature, and do NOT let her thaw yet.
