I must be getting older and softer when it comes to the extended celebration of Christmas

For many years, I stuck to a hard and fast rule whereby I would never, under any circumstances, listen to Christmas music before December 1st.

I wasn't being a Scrooge or anything. I just felt the tendency to extend the celebration of Christmas back into November (or, in some cases, even starting in October) kind of cheapened the holiday. I have a lot of great memories from Decembers past and didn't want to water down future memories by making Christmas two months long.

If that makes sense.

Now, however, I'm not so strict. I've been listening to Christmas music since Thanksgiving Day. I haven't minded seeing decorations go up "early" on houses and in stores. And I've generally been much more OK with a somewhat longer holiday season than I was in the past.

So what changed? What switch flipped?

I hate to say it, but I think it's an age thing. Not that I'm ancient at 54, but there are a lot fewer things on which I'm "hard and fast" than there used to be.

If people want to listen to Christmas music in October or November – or July, for that matter – where's the harm?

Heck, if I want to listen to Christmas music any time of year, who cares? Christmas is what you make of it, and a rousing chorus of "Sleigh Ride" six weeks before December 25th will only negatively affect my experience of the holiday if I allow it to.

Granted, "Jingle Bells" in mid-summer still feels a little strange to me. But hey, you do you.

If it helps, I hate myself for liking "Wonderful Christmastime"

December 1st is traditionally the first day I allow myself to listen to Christmas music. I know a lot of people start earlier, and that's OK. I just like to wait until the first of December.

Nearly every year, the first holiday tune that comes up on my phone is Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime." This is purposeful, because I put it there.

I am in a hated minority, I realize.

Which do you think is more highly despised: "Wonderful Christmastime" or Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You?" It's close.

In the case of the latter, I think it has more to do with people disliking Mariah herself. But who hates Paul McCartney? No one. No one hates Paul McCartney.

The loathing for "Wonderful Christmastime" actually stems from the fact people love Sir Paul so much. How, they wonder, could a musical legend produce something so annoying, so sappy, so grating?

I get it...I think. But I really like that song. It makes me happy. It's at the top of my most-listened-to Christmas playlist.

You are probably appalled at me.

Which is fine, because I'm appalled at me, too. I can't help it.

"Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding!"