Thanksgiving has come and gone, and you might be thinking, “Well, looks like the holiday cheer is over.” Except you’re wrong. Christmas music is here. But maybe you’re not ready for Christmas just yet, or maybe, for some reason, you’re not Christian. Whatever the case may be, let these words be your guide to a wonderful holiday season filled with music evasion.

1. Avoid going to Macy’s for the month. Actually, avoid all department stores in general. Just stay home all month.

2. If you have a car, turn your radio off. No station is safe from Christmas cheer. With pop stations, you run the risk of hearing Mariah Carey, essentially the Nickelback of Christmas.

3. DVR everything. That way you can fast-forward through all the jingles. Commercials are riddled with them.

4. Being the smart and savvy Binghamton University student you are, you probably already provided a “No Christmas Music” clause in your Roommate Agreement Form. If not, get on that. It’s an easy way to avoid holiday cheer and make your roommate think you’re really weird.

5. You might wish to do some maintenance on your own end, like running through your iTunes library. Keep your eye out for songs that may be vaguely Christmas-themed or even just Christian, like Wilco’s “Jesus, Etc.,” Green Day’s “Jesus of Suburbia,” Kanye West’s “New God Flow” and The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.”

Well, there you have it, the five best ways to avoid the most ubiquitous music of the holiday season. Be warned, those truly committed will probably just wind up alone in their rooms wearing headphones blasting dubstep or heavy metal music. Happy holidays!