So I don't think this is the first year this has happened to me: crisp fall day, and I think "mmmmm christmas music" and I whip out the Darkest Night, and play it without shame. Happened yesterday, is happening now.
My parents write children's christmas plays for our church and for publication, so the christmas preparation does begin around October in my family, but I know some people are real particular about Christmas music in its proper season.
So, anyone else? True confessions of premature christmas music listening? Think I'm nuts (well, I am, but for this?)

My mother would never allow me to play christmas music until November 1st. I guess she just grew tired of hearing me sing the same twelve (or so) songs for three months straight.

But now that I'm all growns up, I listen to it anytime I want.

hmm. . .maybe I'll get out the Nat King Cole tonight.

We listen to Christmas toons Nov 1 always. October is for the ghosts and ghoulie tunes! I will say I have more than 1/2 my shopping done. I will be scheduling the photo time in a week!

I play The Darkest Night of the Year frequently. It is by far the most eclectic musical mix on any OTR disc. The Darkest Night drips melancholy in a way that wraps my psyche in a kind of a liquid velvet embrace. Laying in bed listening to the disk pulls the drain plug on my angst and fills me back up with sweet surrender best described as the emotion of "oh well".

How funny this thread pops up. I was just rifling through my cds looking for my Aimee Mann Bachelor no. 2 album and I found Darkest Night and kinda held it in my hand and smiled for a bit. "Not Yet" I told myself but left it at the top of the pile so I can find it easily next month. Happy Scout was right, October is for Halloween and then begins the transitioning weeks to "the holidays."

It's a perfect album to hang up Christmas decorations to.

I guess it's based in personality, or maybe even deeper, but I have friends who say they can't stand this disc. It is not your typical xmas songs, but it's so lovely. It is sad, and not to use cliche, but it's a beautiful kind of sad.

I wonder what the differences in our perceptions are compared to my friends, etc who don't like the songs. It's not an answerable question, I realize, but it is an interesting one. What makes these songs attractively somber to some, but distasteful to others? Could it be a subjective level of comfort that some are not willing to delve beyond? Is it a particular personality that resoponds to these songs.

Let's do an impromptu poll, If you know your Myers Briggs indicator post it here and whether or not you like DNotY. Crude I know, but it's a starting point.

Mark

I'm an INFP/J and I like DNotY.

I expect most of the people on here are going to like DNoTY since we're all OtR fans.

FWIW though, I'm an INTP.

This is probably true, but I just wondered on the off chance some fans of OTR were not fans of DNotY, that their M/B might indicate something.

I think I'm ESFJ. I *heart* DNOTY. I like cheesey christmas music too. But I REALLY love Darkest Night.

I like all Christmas music too. One of my favorites is Mariah Carey's. That chick can sing! Man, I remember my first semester of college when Napster was still cool, I found so many awesome Christmas songs. I should have burned them on CD, they are all gone now. The southpark holiday songs are some of the best...I've literally fallen out of my chair laughing listening to them.

But DNKotY (I'll be cool and abbreviate like everyone else) is reserved for the quiet moments. Driving around looking at the houses with Christmas lights, driving home after a day of skiing, or for just sitting around in the dark with only the tree lit up.

Sigh. Sorry, this will be first Christmas away from home and now look at me getting myself all worked up.

dnoty is still my favorite otr album. it's the first music i play every time i move.

what... it's a CHRISTMAS album? huh.