There's A Scientific Reason Why Christmas Songs Drive You Crazy

Christmas music is like marmite – you either love it or hate it.

If you hate it, then this time of the year is likely to send you barmy – Christmas songs playing in the shops, Christmas songs playing in bars, Christmas songs everywhere you go.

‘All I Want for Christmas’ is likely to send you into fits of despair.

And there’s a scientific reason for that.

She told Sky News: ‘People working in the shops at Christmas have to [tune out] Christmas music, because if they don’t, it really does stop you from being able to focus on anything else. You’re simply spending all of your energy trying not to hear what you’re hearing.’

So time to switch off ‘Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer’ if you want your concentration skills to be sharp.

Previous research has shown though that customers feel happier about their environment when shops strike the right balance between festive smells and music.

One study found that people spend more time in a shop and subsequently spend more money when this balance is achieved.

Marketing professor Eric Spangenberg told NBC that slow tempo tracks slow shoppers down so they stay longer while fast tempo songs make customers rush through stores quicker.

For anyone else, it’s time to invest in some good earplugs.

But if you’re one of those that fall into the ‘love’ camp, here’s a special Christmas treat for you.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.