As the holiday season approaches, countless numbers of holiday-themed albums are cropping up. Holiday-themed albums are a-okay. In fact, they’re fun and really get us into the Christmas spirit. But remakes of Christmas carols? Tacky!

When Mariah Carey sang “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 1994, it was fresh and original because she was the first one to do it. It quickly became a classic; in fact, Christmas isn’t Christmas without this song. But when Michael Bublé remade it, and when Girls’ Generation remade it, and Justin Bieber collaborated with Mariah Carey to remake it . . . well, you get the point.

It’s so overdone that it’s actually confusing. When I hear people request songs for their lovers on KOST 103.5, it baffles me how the station chooses which version to play. There are way too many versions of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Silver Bells” and “White Christmas. And an upbeat version of “White Christmas” doesn’t exactly produce a romantic effect like the slow and heavy version does.

It seems that Christmas carols are the ultimate solution for artists in a slump. Christmas carols are the cheap and fast way to get back on the track to fame. For instance, Mariah Carey’s career isn’t exactly at its peak. But whenever the holiday season rolls around, you can hear her being resurrected. During late November and all throughout December, there’s rarely anyone who doesn’t know who Mariah Carey is. She’s serenading us through the radio, through the speakers of stores, and through YouTube. Her songs will never die.

But the artists who remake songs are easily forgotten. Sure, the songs are quick money-makers, but they hardly make legends out of anyone. No one has won a Grammy with a remake of a Christmas carol. The only discernible difference between versions of carols is the ambiance of the song. However, a difference in emotion doesn’t make anyone memorable; it just causes confusion for the rest of us who are trying to relay our feelings of love via the radio.

And in the season of cuddling, eggnog and mistletoe, misinterpreted displays of affection can be a disaster.