The best thing about Boxing Day...

...is the cessation of the infernal Christmas music.

Now, don't get me wrong; I'm not lacking in holiday spirit.   Actually, wait... If I'm being honest, I have to admit that, while I'm certainly not in league with Scrooge and the Grinch, I'm not the most festive of folks when it comes to holiday music, particularly of the sort they play on the radio.  Next Christmas may be three-hundred-sixty-four days away, but that's still too soon to have to contemplate those dreadful how-many-extra-notes-can-we-stuff-into-this pop renditions of seasonal classics - and don't even get me started on the recent original compositions.  (I haven't quite recovered from hearing something in the drugstore that had I'm gonna e-mail Santa as its key lyric.) 

With that said, there are a few bits of holiday music that I do enjoy.  The live steel band that was playing carols in the grocery store last week was positively delightful  - upbeat, bright and shiny (literally!), just as the holidays are supposed to unfold - and there have been some pop/rock holiday songs that don't make me retch.  I love '2000 Miles' by the Pretenders, for example, and of course I do enjoy the Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' year-round.   I'm also only slightly ashamed to admit that I have an enduring soft spot for the Chipmunks and their hula hoop.

But really... that's about it.

What I wonder, though, is why there's so little music written about other holidays.  New Year's Eve/Day, for example.   Off the top of my head, I can think of Death Cab for Cutie's 'The New Year' and U2's 'New Year's Day', and some execrable ABBA number that I vaguely remember from childhood.   Any others? 

Which reminds me: the other best thing about this week of the year?  The annual parade of 'best of' and 'the year in music' lists.  This year, I'm bookmarking several of those to go back and pick up on the things I missed or skimmed over... perhaps I'll make some new discoveries to brighten up January.   Meanwhile, expect me back this week with my own musical summary of 2010.   Cheers, all.