The joy and love in Christmas carols

Octavia Tsibes
Justicia Shipena

Some people dislike December because they hate hearing Christmas music everywhere they go, or because standing in those long lines to purchase your favourite snack is unbearable. I don’t think I am one of those people. Christmas music is one of the few things that bridges the gap between different genres and brings many people together.

There are the classics, the ones that our parents and grandparents grew up with, singing along to. Nat King Cole’s rendition of Silent Night, Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing Little Drummer Boy and Barenaked Ladies’ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, are all near the top of my ideal Christmas playlist.

Then there are the pop carols by NSYNC which is a boy band that broke up in 2002 but their carols such as Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays still continue to bring up cheer to many. Other pop carols include Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe, Band Aid’s oddly racist Do They Know It’s Christmas.

Most are forgettable. But one of these newer attempts is, in fact, a near perfect Christmas song. Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You is that song which was released 24 years ago and it’s pretty trendy to complain about this song, so I think it’s necessary to defend its honour this and every holiday season.

Other declarations of love are more subtle, quiet and safe, but Mariah doesn’t want subtle or quiet or safe. In her song All I Want For Christmas Is You, the love Mariah feels is bursting at the seams and there’s nothing she can do but belt a high A about it.

There’s something liberating about how happy this song is. Mariah’s affections may be unrequited, but she’s not going to let that stop her. Her earnest devotion is probably part of the reason why people think they don’t like it. Her openness and unabashed emotion make them uncomfortable in a culture where we are supposed to hide our feelings all the time. Mariah’s not hiding anything.

So here is the truth during the Christmas season, no one wants to be alone. Christmas, more than any other holiday, including Valentine’s Day, is about love. From a theological perspective, it’s John 3:16: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that who so believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.” That’s the greatest love of all.

However secularly, gifts are bought, cards are exchanged and families and friends gather round all because of love and we come together to remember what’s really important: each other and the love we share.

Yes, this is a little schmaltzy, but Christmas is the one time of the year when it’s okay to be schmaltzy. Have you seen Love Actually? The theme of that movie is that love actually is all around, but it’s especially all around at Christmas. That’s a theme I can get behind.

But when you’re surrounded by so much schmaltz and the love is not present, it’s a little less merry and bright. This brings me back to Mariah’s song. I had a conversation with mid-20s woman and she told me that almost every Christmas, she has earnestly sung along because her words resonate. She does not care about the gifts she receives but she just wants love for her own, more than the other person could ever know. All she wants for Christmas is you.

If this column was part of one of the vignettes in Love Actually, this paragraph would identify who that “you” is, but that’s sort of irrelevant at the moment. The magic of the song is that everyone has a “you”. After all, if the song only resonated with a few people, it wouldn’t be so popular. But many singers have recorded their own, inferior versions because it speaks to all of us.

Maybe it’s someone you have a crush on, maybe it’s your long-distance girlfriend or maybe it’s your family who you won’t see on Christmas Day. It might be a little needy or selfish, but we all just want love for Christmas. Mariah’s right… no amount of gifts could ever change this human desire.

In general, I think the many different cultures in Namibia place too strong of an emphasis on romantic love as the most important or only relationship we can have, and that we don’t value our platonic bonds enough. So I don’t mean to suggest that the platonic friendships I will celebrate all month long aren’t as important as a hypothetical relationship with a hypothetical boyfriend.

After all, my favourite plot in Love Actually is about the friendship between an aging rock star and his manager. The love I have for my family and friends is important and life-sustaining and wonderful. But sometimes, when the mistletoe comes out, and the couples cuddle and I’m left with visions of unrequited love dancing in my head, it’s good to know Mariah’s got my back with the song I’ll be singing in the shower all month long.

I end by saying, we are all hyped by what we can do and enjoy in the holiday hence I urge you all to do it responsibly. Remember to sing along and happy festive season!

justicia@myzone.com.na