Ding! Dong! Merrily on DIE! DIE! DIE!

[playtime]

I saw this article on The Register (UK-based IT news site) and immediately thought of asking for reaction here due to my aquaintance with the resident lord and master, Rapscallion.

It seems Giftmas music in stores is actually a form of torture on the employees and it's being taken seriously in the UK. Well, no shit Sherlock

TFA: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12...music_torture/

Your thoughts?

[MystyGlyttyr]

Amen to that.

I adore Jessica Simpson 11 months out of the year, but if I have to hear her singing "Is It Christmas?" one more time, I will go on a rampage. And doubly so for that freaking "Where is Christmas" song from the Grinch movie.

And that's only from spending an hour tops in stores. I can't imagine subjecting myself to that 8 hours a day five days a week.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I second that wholeheartedly. A few Christmas songs here and there mixed in with the regular music would be okay, but at my store it's just overkill.

[Rapscallion]

Playtime! Didn't expect to see you here, but welcome aboard!

Fine article, but I doubt enough of the managers in the world will take note. It's a start.

Rapscallion

[powerboy]

I don't see whats wrong with playing music, as long as it is not offensive, and if it is not played 100 times an hour

[Ree]

I actually like Christmas music, but then again, I'm not so uptight and easily offended as a lot of people in the world.

[Rapscallion]

I don't mind it from time to time - say, for example, yearly - but if it's looped and I'm trapped with it...

Just glad I never got into that situation.

Rapscallion

[Seanette]

I like Christmas music, but in reasonable doses. 40 hours per week of nothing but Christmas music is well over a reasonable dose, IMO.

[Ree]

Of course, you're looking at someone who has over 14 hours of Christmas music on a playlist.

Yeah, I'm weird.

[XCashier]

I don't know if I'd call it torture, but it is certainly irritating. Some jobs I've had, you can set your watch by when certain songs came on, it was that repetetive. And that was just the non-Christmas music, the holiday music was much, much worse.

I would be quite content to intersperse the occassional carol in with the regular music, or at least improve the carol selection (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, anyone? ) But I just know some SC somewhere is going to take umbridge with it. "No Christmas music? Where's your Christmas spirit, you Scrooge?! I'm offended!"

[Boozy]

I don't know if I'd call it torture, but it is certainly irritating. Some jobs I've had, you can set your watch by when certain songs came on, it was that repetetive.

You just hit the nail on the head, there. Like Ree, I really enjoy Christmas music and I'll often play it at home, even after a long day of listening to it at my store. BUT - the songs we get at the store are piped in directly from head office via satellite. They start the CD at exactly 8 am every day, and its the same CD every day. So of course, my day goes like this:
9 am: "We Three Kings" = time to make the bank deposit
10 am: "Jingle Bells" = oh yeah, must be time to restock the outdoor display
11 am: "Let It Snow" = gee, I guess it's about time for a coffee break.
And so on. If it weren't so annoying, it would be funny.
We all dread 3:17 pm. A decidedly unholy version of "O Holy Night".

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

One wierd thing about our Christmas music...once in a blue moon it will go into a non-Christmas song.

Strange thing is it's always the same non-Christmas song that gets played--"Part Time Lovers" by Stevie Wonder.

Then, about halfway through "Part Time Lovers", it will suddenly join a different Christmas song in the middle of the song.

Meh. I know nothing about how satellite muzak works.

[ditchdj]

I adore Jessica Simpson 11 months out of the year, but if I have to hear her singing "Is It Christmas?" one more time, I will go on a rampage. And doubly so for that freaking "Where is Christmas" song from the Grinch movie.

Oh God I'd rather drink bleach than listen to that bubblehead sing anything over and over, let alone Christmas songs.

[Barefootgirl]

When I'm Prime Minister, I am banning the Christmas songs of Slade, Wizzard and Paul bloody McCartney. In fact, I may ban all Macca songs. And i can't stand Noddy Holder and his stupid voice or his stupid song.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind it if stores played proper Christmas carols, like the stuff from Kings', I could listen to that all day quite happily. Its the moronic "popular" songs that drive me nuts. Although I do really, really like Stop the Cavalry.

[Zombi]

Normally, I would agree with the Daily Express about their 'Save Our Christmas' campaign, but Christmas songs should have rules attached - as in, no trendy pop music versions, no putting the CD on repeat, and so on and so forth. Actual carols, I don't mind so much, but if I have to hear that friggin' Jackson 5 version of 'Frosty the Snowman' one more time, somebody will die. Every bloody time I go into Tesco, it comes on. Though having said that, there are carols which drive me nuts, too - 'The Little Drummer Boy' is one, particularly that god-awful Destiny's Child version.
This is why I have an iPod - Rudy Ratzinger eats your carols for breakfast.