IT WOULD be easy to confuse satirical and carnival Christmas songs, since both seem to invert and subvert holiday traditions. Likewise, it would be easy for the carnival song to include traces of satire and for the satirical song to include elements of carnival. These crossovers and confusions, however, rest only on the surface, serving mostly as distractions. The main dividing line between carnival and satire is one of purpose: carnival wishes for little more than sensuous pleasure and a good time, while satire—beneath the laughter—demands a more serious appraisal.
