There were a magical few years in my house growing up where the argument between us kids and my parents over what to listen to during dinner held prominence over all other discourse. As we saw it, my brothers and I were technically doing my parents a favor, who clearly didn't understand how lame their taste in dining accompaniment was. There was Candlebox to listen to, after all. There was Spin Doctors.

In time, we conceded this battle with the folks- like you do- but it's a contention that rose up again years later. I was working as an organic produce buyer for a mom 'n' pop whole foods store in my hometown, minus the pop, who'd scurried away from this woman (the owner) years ago. The petty rebellions I'd enact against her over the store's music knew no end. I'd hide all of her post- Till I Loved You Barbara Streisand CDs. Reprogram the radio dial presets and feign ignorance. I didn't feel my desires were out of bounds, either- I'd have gladly settled for any of our multiple Oldies affiliates than listen to the milquetoast strains of fucking Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow's "Picture" one more time. Or classical! Everybody likes classical.

Never did these sparks rise to flame as they did during the holiday season, though. As my boss saw it, it was Barbara, the "All Christmas music" station, or nothing. "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime" being so bad it almost cancels out Paul McCartney's entire Beatles catalogue, I tried my best to spice things up with non-traditional holiday albums: Sufjan Stevens "depressed" her. Herb Alpert made her feel "crazy". A James Brown Christmas was "dirty".

It wasn't until the week leading up to Christmas '05- just a few weeks before I moved to New York- that compromise was reached in the form of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas score. A compromise so simple I curse myself still for not thinking of it years prior. So as that album is ever played in the coming weeks, let us never forget its magical power to bring people together.

I think I just found my Christmas Sweater, guys. Ups to Pocketknife.

Vince Guaraldi "Linus & Lucy (Pocketknife's Hark, the Holler Remix)"