Graphic by Senching Hsia/The Choate News
With December being a month full of festive celebrations, ornate trees and decorative lights are popping up in neighborhoods all across the world, and, indeed, at Choate Rosemary Hall. This time of the year is widely believed to be “the most wonderful,” largely due to a wide selection of jolly music. In preparation for the festive holiday season, some members of the Choate community took a moment to share their favorite holiday music.
Aidan Concepcion ’21:
“My favorite holiday song is probably ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ because I sang this song in chorus in third grade. I have just loved the song since then. Christmas music, in general, makes me jolly. You can quote me on that. I know my mom hates ‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ so it is always very funny to see her reaction to when I cue the music. I think anytime after Halloween is the time for Christmas music.”
Mirielle Ma ’21:
“My favorite songs are ‘Someday at Christmas’ by The Jackson 5 and anything Christmas by Pentatonix or Mariah Carey. I start listening to Christmas music around the beginning of October, so October marks the start of the Christmas season! I have a playlist on Spotify. It is called Very Miri Christmas. You should go and listen to the playlist I’ve made. Listening to holiday music makes me very happy. Christmas is the best time of the year, and I listen to Christmas music while I study to make it less depressing. A memory that I have with Christmas music is that I listened to these bops with Niki Gummadi ’21 during Mb Duckett’s public speaking class in my freshman fall. Mb banned us from listening to Christmas music for the entire term because we would randomly play the music. ”
George Trammell ’20:
“My favorite holiday song is probably ‘Let It Snow’ — a classic, I know, but it’s a song I always used to dance to when I was younger, and it definitely got me into the Christmas spirit. Along with pretty much all other holiday music, I can’t help but smile thinking about going home for the holidays, drinking hot chocolate and watching the snow. I try my hardest not to start listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving ends, but when it snows before the end of November, it’s hard to resist. I have no specific traditions with this song in general, but whenever I get back home for winter break, I walk in the door with holiday music playing.”
Naomi Koo ’20:
“My favorite holiday music is ‘Text Me Merry Christmas’ by Straight No Chaser and Kristen Bell. This song is one of the cutest songs I have ever heard. It’s sometimes cringy, but the song is very uplifting. I could honestly listen to this song in August, but I usually start listening to holiday songs around mid-October. I once asked Bellacanto if they could perform this song, but I was rejected. They said that they would perform anything but that. So, that’s a specific memory I have.”
Wilson Wang ’19:
“‘Feliz Navidad’ by Pentatonix is my favorite holiday music. I know it’s a weird choice. I think ‘Feliz Navidad’ is one of the most beautiful phrases on this earth. Also, I love the arrangement by Pentatonix. This song makes me so happy and festive. My holiday season really starts around mid-December. So I start listening to holiday music probably around then. I don’t have a specific memory I associate with this song, because my family doesn’t speak either Spanish or English. ”
