oh Carol

[ceagle]

Here's a thought... have any of you ever participated in neighborhood (or otherwise) caroling for the holiday season?

I'll start the theme: Yes, I have... had some family friends who loved doing it and sometimes would get 15 or 20 folks together to do this :>

Comments

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

My mother, brother, and I did this at home one year.

I have a vague memory of doing this as cub scouts, once.

This was also done at Christmas Eve Mass at our church.

And, before the taboos, we did this in grade school in the early 60s. I remember, in New York, maybe 1961, learning and singing “O Tannenbaum” in the school cafeteria. Here in RI we were given ditto printed copies of carols to sing. Good times :o)

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

One year.. wow, at least ya got to try it. As noted, I never did this with my immediate family, but with some extended family/friends a few years. Many of the houses would even offer us hot chocolate after a song :>

[carol-kitty.livejournal.com]

I did several times. Now i sing with Abq Ivic Chorus and wehave concerts!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

This is so cool, especially that you are staying active with it even in the present!

[hastka.livejournal.com]

When I was growing up, my parents put on some good Christmas parties and hanging around the piano singing Christmas carols was part of that ritual for several years, and someone got the idea to take the act out on the road probably 3-ish of those years. I think that, for cultural reasons, over the years: 1) it's become a bit "risky" because statistically fewer neighbors are "Christian enough" to appreciate it, and 2) just in general, people don't know their neighbors like they used to, and it's a little awkward for both parties to have any group of people going around to strangers' doorsteps uninvited. I guess you could target places with Christmas decorations, to hedge your bet a little.

I do sort of miss the tendency for people to take the time to decorate up for Christmas, make little food items to share around, etc. but I guess priorities and sort of "cultural inertia" have changed over the years.

I wonder if a new way of doing that might be a sort of local "Christmas parade" where you wind through the neighborhood (or literally down main street or something) and have one or more groups of carolers and other celebratory folks pass by, and you're free to either come out to the streetside or stay at home and be scroogey. Not like a "band music and floats" kind of thing, but something a little more respectful and low key.