Sorry, Starbucks, but I'm not even close to getting into the Christmas spirit

I walked into (one of) my favorite Starbucks today and heard "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." I was told that corporate declared that Nov. 9th was the beginning of the the holiday music season at Starbucks stores. In 2004, I noted that the Christmas music started on Nov. 8. When do you think the seasonal tunes should begin? || Nov. 8 2004 -- "For the love of God, Starbucks, knock off the Christmas music!"

Comments

[Venti Urnex Latte]

Ah, for the days when they played only the Nutcracker.

I wonder if SSC thinks that Christmas music gets people into a buying mood?

[Rob]

Christmas music and Black Friday go together. Therefore, I'm not ready for the music.

[SBUCKS DRONE LOS ANGELES]

Christmas music AND PROMO DRINKS should begin the week of Thanksgiving. Anything before that is insane. I mean, RED CUPS ALREADY??? Really???

[AlliSwan]

No we do not use partner iPods to make the mornings more enjoyable for partners AND customers. No, we most definitely do not.

[Jen]

Everybody should just move to Canada. We've already had Thanksgiving and Halloween (in that order), so there really is nothing else on the holiday agenda until Christmas!

[Mauddib]

Christmas is every where right now and has been for sometime. Starbucks is hardly ahead of the game on this front. The radio stations dedicated to Christmas music started weeks ago. This is how Christmas is done now, not much to argue with.

[me myself and I]

Even though it is hard to admit, but i can not see Starbucks at fault here. They are merely playing the game everybody else is.

[Jeff T.]

No more Starbucks for me until 2010!

I really hate Christmas.

[me myself and I]

Well, then you better crawl underneath the next big rock and stay there until Jan. There is going to be no escape of Christmas in North America or Europe.

[cat]

Only the holiday cups and some of the drinks have launched.... People have been asking for gingerbread and eggnog since we got pumpkin spice... If holiday did not start until after thanksgiving my store would have ALOT of upset customers.

[Sheik]

!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!

Heaven forbid Starbucks tries to spread a little holiday spirit early this year in this horrible world we're living in...

"Christmas Music too early"

SO WHAT!!

Move on/Grow up........

[ex-sbuxmanager]

Reason #3482 why I'm glad I no longer work for Starbucks anymore: No more 6+ weeks of G**Damn, F**king Christmas music. I like Frosty the Snowman as much as the next person, but 6 weeks of it made me want to go postal.

[bcshift]

haha I hated the Christmas music last year. Christmas is here in Canada but the music has not started yet.

Although we do have Sting's winter album, which drives me nuts! Sting sucks.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I convinced my manager that we shouldn't play the holiday music until, you know, we actually have all our holiday stuff out.

[Christy Z.]

I refuse to decorate or play Christmas music until after Nov 11. The whole freaking world passes over Remembrance/Veteran's Day like a non-holiday. The least we can give our Veteran's is one day. Starbucks needs to do the same.

[CoffeeMaster33]

Here in the great white north we don't have Christmas music aside from the Sting Album. Though I did see a music data disc laying around, so it might turn itself on after US Thanksgiving. I'm quite okay with it. I've worked enough Christmases to teach myself to deal with it.

And then I remind myself that no Christmas music = no eggnog latte. And that makes me sad.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Christy Z,
They took away the coffee donation basket. Do you think they'll leave Veterans Day?

[christin]

we don't have holiday music at my store yet, and we use the digital stream. ?

[Bemused]

Not until after Thanksgiving. Stupid corporate faux-holiday "cheer" does nothing but annoy me. Twits.

[Irishgirl]

We don't have Christmas music in our store in California- maybe it is just the Sting album?? Our roll-out date for Gingerbread and Eggnog drinks is the 17th of November- about a week before Thanksgiving. Also, I was in local Peet's last Saturday and they had all their Christmas merchandise out. So, Starbucks is holding the line.

[mary]

who cares about the x-mas stuff- sbux employees are being bullied pushed around and taken advantage of- can we please fix that?

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

We play Rihanna and Lady Gaga in our store in the morning to take off the edge.

[B-man]

@boston starbucks rebel
"they took away the coffee donation basket"

I'm in southern CA and they too took away our donation box--coffee for teachers lounge--Any idea why?

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I want your love
And I want your revenge
I want your love
I don't wanna be friends

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Say a prayer to yourself
He says close your eyes
Sometimes it helps
And then I get a scary thought
That he’s here means he’s never lost

Thats what Howard Schultz whispers in your everyday you put on the Green Apron and bend over for him.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

To use the words of Rihanna from when Chris Brown was beating her senseless,

Howard Schultz and Cliff Burrows and the RVP beat the baristas like they have nothing to lose.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Permission to wish...
For more labor maybe?

[tired of this]

More labor? That is just wishful thinking.

[Will]

Anyone else's manager mention in their holiday meetings that Starbucks is monitoring what we look at on our AT&T wifi?

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

@Will Why does that surprise you? I know customers cruise the Internet on Craigslist, Manhunt and Adam4Adam. Sometimes, I download porn in the backroom and clog the network.

[CamSpi]

I worked at two stores today, and neither were playing Christmas music.
...While typing this a At&T Christmas commercial came on. UGHHH!
Can't wait till it starts getting crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's gonna be a busy season, I think. More so than last year.

[@usorthem3]

I had a store call and ask me if we had Polar Bear cookies because they already sold out of theirs and Siren's Eye isn't due to appear for another week. I mean can this company fail at Xmas too? I seemed to last year when in May we still had Xmas stuff on clearance that no one wanted. Really?

I know I play devil's advocate to much sometimes but how happy are the public at large going to B that there is no Xmas(envelope/mitten/stocking card holder)? I mean is it so that EVERYONE will need a red card that comes w/ a certain sleeve? I just can't wait for the words, "What do U mean there's no little ??? for the Xmas cards about 1000 times daily for six weeks. That & the whole GOLD card thing just wears me out. Good luck to any that still remain employed.

[Mark]

Not just Starbucks, but anywhere, "NO CHRISTMAS UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING"

I have already been assaulted by several TV commercials. Many stores already have holiday displays.

The music is insipid, and the holiday has lost all its original meaning. Just don't get me started on 'Kwanzaa" (invented in 1968).

[Cubical Drone]

"Anyone else's manager mention in their holiday meetings that Starbucks is monitoring what we look at on our AT&T wifi?"

Starbucks doesn't, AT&T does per their terms and conditions that you ok everytime you login. It's the whole "no malicious activity on the wifi" thing, welcome to modern society.

[Herman M.]

Ah, yes. The FCC intro has already switched to contain the annual favorite "With all the eggnog lattes we will be serving this holiday season...". Showed up the day after the "Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend" announcement.

Holiday decorations/Music/etc. should begin after Thanksgiving and run through the end of Christmas, on Twelfth Night/Epiphany/Three Kings Day on January 6.

Can't stand that the networks started showing "Christmas" ads on November 1. Nor that there were those air blower powered lawn things for both Halloween and Christmas available at local stores at the same time.

[Shana Dumblond]

Day after Thanksgiving. Period. It can be when the clock strikes midnight and then bam! On comes the holiday music and out comes the holiday flavors. Anything earlier than that just irritates the crap out of me...
And I see I'm not the only one who feels that way.

[Marcus]

Hold on, are you not supposed to look at porn on ATT's wifi? I don't like being infantilized like that. Especially when I'm trying to find pics of grown men in diapers.

[The Waco Kid]

i love Christmas time.........IN DECEMBER!!!

I love Christmas drinks........AFTER THANKSGIVING!!

Luckily i need coffee.......ALL THE TIME!!

:)

[gmreat]

ummm, @usorthem,
there ARE the little red fabric envelopes. received them in the order this week.

[SBUCKS DRONE LOS ANGELES]

We also don't use partner ipods that play similar music to what Starbucks plays, but sounds better. No, we don't. We really don't. Really.

[Sarah]

Yea my store isn't even listening to holiday music until the holiday officaly starts at starbucks on the 17th. Thank god.

[@usorthem3]

@gmreat We were told at the meeting that no "special" xmas card holders were coming then just like U we received 250 of the ones from last year.

I don't think I will ever be posting here anymore because "Big Brother" from the SSC that gets paid megabucks to watch this and other sites will get me fired if I do. I'll stop by to read but if U post Ur view point anywhere, U could B "separated" from the company. That's Y I don't follow or let @SBUX follow me on Twitter. Smile, Smile, Smile.

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good bye.

[@usorthem3]

I C I was right about my previous post @Cubical Drone is at it again. Don't say anything negative around them or it will be shared at the water cooler at the SSC. To Infinity and Beyond!
WE gone Bye Bye.

[Kent]

I love the christmas music. I'd be more than happy if it started Oct. 1.

[melissa]

As far as the wifi goes, it's not if you are watching porn, it's if you are planning the next terrorist attack, so we can relax. Your internet right now is being monitored, it's called national security.
Christmas is in 6 weeks, the music is the proper advertising....plus, the red cups attract people.

[javagirl666]

We still don't have any holiday music.

[sal]

i am being bullied at starbucks right now. i have approached my manager 3 times, twice face to face and onece via telephone on all occassions i have been talked to in a dreadful mannor and told to sort it out myself. i feel trapped and i need help. i have tried to call my district manager and i cant seem to get through, i cant approach the supervision because it is that person. this has been going on for months and its starting to make me feel suicidal can anyone help me?