What's up with the year-round "Christmas" movie broadcasts?

We are now into the holiday season, my favorite time of year. I enjoy all the music, movies and specials now that it's December. But I've been noticing something as I search through the channel listings. Hallmark used to do their lame "Christmas in July" programming, which was bad enough, but now they are airing these movies year-round. And this year I saw listings on the Lifetime channels and the Turner-owned stations for "Christmas" movies in November, which is still too early.

The local radio station that switches to the 24-hour "Christmas" format for the holidays started doing this in early November. And it's the same limited playlist of tired-out tunes that will be heard ad nauseum until December 25. In the past, radio stations would play an occasional "Christmas" tune during December and switch to the 24-hour format at noon on Christmas Eve, usually presenting this commercial-free. Who came up with the idea of airing this stuff in November?

I wish this would stop. Christmas should be a special, joyous time of year. The anticipation is a big part of what makes the season almost magical. It's the only time of year I look forward to. Seeing "Christmas" decorations up in stores in October, hearing "Christmas" music the day after Halloween, and seeing "Christmas" movies in the channel listings diminishes the experience. The charm is lost when all this stuff becomes commonplace.

December 1st is early enough for this.

(I put quotation marks around "Christmas" because what is being celebrated here is materialism rather than a holiday.)