Steinway Street's 'Constant' Christmas Music Gets Mixed Reactions From Residents
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The sounds of the season are wafting over Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens.
Christmas music is being piped in from loudspeakers attached to street lamps and trees between 28th and 35th avenues during the holiday shopping season, CBS2's Scott Rapoport reported.
The music has been a neighborhood tradition for the last 20 years. But not everyone is a fan of the tunes, which play on repeat every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
"If I hear 'Jingle Bells' one more time...I'm going to freak out," one resident said.
Other Christmas classics on the boulevard playlist include "Silver Bells,""White Christmas," and "All I Want For Christmas Is You."
Marie Torniali, of the Steinway Astoria Partnership, said they used to play the music until 9 p.m., but they cut back the hours after residents living above the local businesses complained.
"I try to tell them to get into the spirit," Torniali said. "It's really as lovely thing that we're trying to do."
Some residents do embrace the tradition.
"It's lovely, one resident said, "I like it. And it's joyful."
CBS2's Rapoport said overall, he found more people who liked the Christmas music than disliked it.
