Feature Photo By: Rediet Ayanaw – The traditional meaning of Christmas can be seen here. The Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and Joseph next to Mary. Many religious families put these types of decorations on.

Christmas is right around the corner and stockings are already being hung! Songs of cheer could be heard the day after Halloween. Christmas is the most celebrated holiday in America with 90 percent of Americans stating they celebrate Christmas. Many people can say that the religious aspect of Christmas is fading away but nonetheless, people still celebrate and prepare for Christmas.

“I hear Christmas music a lot,” says Junior Maximo Vargas. “Too often.”

Christmas music first started out as pagan songs sung for entertainment. Christians later took over the pagan solstice celebrations and gave people Christian songs to replace the pagan ones. Most of the carols sung were religiously about Christianity and were performed in carol groups out in the public streets. What first came in Latin hymns rolled into English lyrics with songs like “ The 12 Days of Christmas” and “O Christmas Tree.”

“ Christmas music cheers people up, “ says Junior Sam Ayanaw. “It helps people get in the spirit of giving.”

Christmas songs were meant to get people into the mood of cheer and help them be more friendly and grateful during the holiday seasons.

However, some people might not agree. “Less and less Christmas music is being made over time because holidays are slowly losing meaning,” says Junior Sullivan Zody.

The classics are still being played on every station during the holidays. It looks like the classics will never be truly forgotten. Usually, classics are replaced with newer music. For example, the Golden Era of rap and hip-hop won’t be forgotten, but it is also not mainstream anymore. Here with the Christmas classics, it seems like they won’t be getting out of their mainstream lane anytime soon. As the cheerful soundtracks become repetitive and take over the American airwaves, it is hard for new Christmas songs to arise.

“I think Christmas music was more instrumental,” says Maximo. “In this new age, we have more electronic produced music.”

Some Christmas classic songs might include:

• White Christmas – Bing Crosby

• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer– Johnny Marks

• Jingle Bells – James Pierpont

• Silent Night– Franz Xaver Gruber

• Let it Snow- Vaughn Monroe

Can the classics ever be replaced? “ It can’t,” says Junior Maximo Vargas. “The classic songs will always be the best.”

Modern Christmas songs have been more of covers rather than true Christmas music.

“Wherever I go, I will hear the same 3 songs,” says Sullivan Zody. “It just gets annoying after the first week.”

Although it might be true that not many Christmas songs that were released not too long ago will be able to live up to the classics, there are a few that have gotten a lot of praise and fame- some maybe even might be put on the classic list in a few decades or less:

Some newer Christmas songs might include:

• All I Want For Christmas– Mariah Carey

• Mistletoe- Justin Bieber

• Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande

• Christmas Don’t Be Late– Kacey Musgraves

Nonetheless, wherever there is Christmas, there will be Christmas songs of all sorts.