# Why is "My Favorite Things" considered X-mas music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369 "2011-12-16T02:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/1 "2011-12-16T02:49:04Z")
It gets played every year like a regular X-mas carol. Cast members of “Glee” performed the song during their “Christmas special” (among many, many renditions from many other X-mas specials.) But there’s nothing especially Christmas-y about it as far as I can tell. Sure there’s a Christmas party scene in the movie, but this song isn’t sung during that scene. So why is it trotted it out every December? I mean really…“raindrops on roses?” That’s not even a _winter_ image. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/2 "2011-12-16T02:53:13Z")
Maybe because it mentions “sleigh bells”? Seems like any song that mentions a sleigh gets assumed to be a Christmas song, whether the lyrics have anything to do with the holiday or not (see “Jingle Bells,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Winter Wonderland”). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/3 "2011-12-16T02:55:07Z")
I assume you’re referring to “My Favorite Things”, from _The Sound of Music_. I’ve never really understood it being played at Christmas, either. The only reason I can think of for it is some of the lines are vaguely Christmas-y, or at least wintery: “warm woolen mittens”, “sleigh bells”, “snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes”, and “silver white winters that melt into springs”. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/4 "2011-12-16T04:20:58Z")
I can’t say I’ve ever heard it played around Christmas time. What region are you in? I grew up in the Midwest, then to Southeastern Atlantic area, and I’m not familiar with it as anything other than a song from _The Sound of Music_. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/5 "2011-12-16T04:38:18Z")
and brown paper packages tied up with string… Brian ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/6 "2011-12-16T04:39:41Z")
These days it’s in the Christmas repertoire - wasn’t when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/7 "2011-12-16T04:40:32Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > I can’t say I’ve ever heard it played around Christmas time. What region are you in? I grew up in the Midwest, then to Southeastern Atlantic area, and I’m not familiar with it as anything other than a song from _The Sound of Music_. I live in the Midwest, and it gets regularly slotted in by radio stations around here when they go to their “all holiday music” format. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/8 "2011-12-16T04:48:01Z")
I’m still trying to figure out why people put inflatable Scooby Doos on their lawn for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/9 "2011-12-16T05:12:23Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Maybe because it mentions “sleigh bells”? Seems like any song that mentions a sleigh gets assumed to be a Christmas song, whether the lyrics have anything to do with the holiday or not (see “Jingle Bells,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Winter Wonderland”). Add “Let it Snow” to that list of non-holiday holiday songs. Just a winter theme seems to be enough. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/10 "2011-12-16T06:01:58Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I assume you’re referring to “My Favorite Things”, from _The Sound of Music_. :smack: D’oh! Yes I am. @ N9IWP - To me, “brown paper packages tied up with string” doesn’t quite suggest Christmas gifts as much as it does old-timey local grocery shopping. When I think of holiday gifts, I think of decorative paper in ribbons & bows. FTR, here are the [lyrics](http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/soundofmusicthe/myfavoritethings.htm) to the song. There are some scattered references to wintery stuff, but they’re scattered throughout a whole laundry list of sugary goody-goody images - nothing specific about holidays. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/11 "2011-12-16T06:09:42Z")
Because it’s from TSOM, which is a story about a nun, who was married to Jesus, and Christmas is Jesus birthday. It’s dumb questions like this that caused the Mother Superior to ask Maria, “What is it, you cuntface?” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/12 "2011-12-16T07:01:51Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I assume you’re referring to “My Favorite Things”, from _The Sound of Music_. > [@Don\_Draper](#): > > :smack: D’oh! Yes I am. I fixed the thread title. I remember this song being used in at least one Christmas-y car commercial but I didn’t know it was being considered a holiday song. Then again I don’t know most of the lyrics in the first place. I’m used to hearing instrumental versions. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/13 "2011-12-16T14:59:07Z")
My guess : it’s a song from a movie that often gets shown around the holidays. Same thing with that "counting your blessings " song from White Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/14 "2011-12-16T20:27:00Z")
It’s yet another salvo in the War on Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/15 "2011-12-16T20:34:09Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > It’s yet another salvo in the War on Christmas. Happy Holidays! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/16 "2011-12-16T21:59:43Z")
I learned a couple of years ago that the first use of this song on a Christmas album was by Jack Jones in 1964. He sang the song, somebody shook some jingle bells in the background, and _presto!_ A Christmas song! 'Course, I’ve decided that this means John Coltrane’s album _My Favorite Things_ is perforce a Christmas album; therefore three more Christmas carols are: Every Time We Say Goodbye, But Not For Me, and Summertime. Which means _Porgy and Bess_ is a Christmas pageant, and “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” is _also_ a Christmas carol. Don’t like it, music industry? Fuck it. Stop putting “My Favorite Things” on your Christmas albums… ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/17 "2011-12-16T22:20:43Z")
The local mall playing a Coletrane album over the loudspeakers instead of some of the crap they do play would not be a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/18 "2011-12-16T22:22:19Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 'Course, I’ve decided that this means John Coltrane’s album _My Favorite Things_ is perforce a Christmas album … > > … > > Don’t like it, music industry? Fuck it. Stop putting “My Favorite Things” on your Christmas albums… So does this mean I’m committing some sort of seasonal faux pas by listening to Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things” among my other Christmas songs? That’s too bad because I really think it goes together with my holiday mix of Ella Fitzgerald’s “Swinging Christmas” CD and Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/19 "2011-12-17T00:21:28Z")
IMHO, it’s just wintery-enough to get played around this time of year (this helps when constantly being assaulted by the already-limited repertoire). What really makes it a wintery song is the melody really matches well with the rest of holiday music. It’s sing-song-y, in a way that you could write an extra verse with explicitly-Christmas lyrics, and it probably would roll off the tongue just as well as the existing words. You could weave an effective medly of it with Greensleeves 😉 Some personal trivia for “My Favorite Things,” my high-school choir director told us to sing this song on auditions if you didn’t have another worked on. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369/20 "2011-12-17T00:33:17Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m still trying to figure out why people put inflatable Scooby Doos on their lawn for Christmas. Didn’t Scooby pull Santa’s sleigh one year, when the Reindeer were all scared away by a ghost? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-favorite-things-considered-x-mas-music/606369.md?page=2)