Christmas songs: festive fun or cringeworthy crooning?

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/11/christmas-songs-cliff-richard-costa

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Christmas songs. Love them or loathe them you just can't escape them right now. Piped into every high street store or supermarket at a deafening level, they are subconsciously trying to make you spend more money. It's enough to put you off going to the shops and buying all of your presents online instead. Oh …

But someone is laughing each time that festive tune – one of a repertoire of about 14 – is played on repeat all day every day from 1-25 December, across radio airwaves and crowded dancefloors. Yes, the very people who masterfully composed each song. Slade is estimated to earn more than £500,000 this Christmas alone for their offering, while the Pogues and Mariah Carey receive the second and third biggest monetary gifts for their efforts.

Do they deserve it? Probably not, but we'd all be pretty fed up of While Shepherds Watched by now if not for these contemporary takes on the carol. As much as hearing them can admittedly get you in to the festive spirit, they can be slightly grating by the time you get to Christmas Eve. Still, it seems slightly Scrooge-like that Costa has banned Cliff Richard's Mistletoe and Wine from being played in their coffee shops. Some people quite like a bit of Cliffy with their gingerbread choca-mocha-latte, thanks.

What's your view on Christmas tunes? Should they all be banned or is there one that you can't help but hum along to?

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