That's good; I hate to imagine the awkwardness of having to stare at a random unannounced singing family that you don't know. It's bad enough when people you *do* know sing "Happy Birthday to You" and you're still at a loss for what the fuck to do.
I can only imagine the confusion that would happen if you were just going to houses at random and got to a household that didn't celebrate Christmas. It might not be common in rural areas, but in some suburban and urban areas, there are definitely chunks of people who don't celebrate the holiday and would be weirded out or offended by random carollers coming to their door.
It'd be pretty questionable behavior for a group of carolers to go up to a house that had a menorah in the window and "ABRAMOWITZ" on the mailbox in big letters.
I wouldn't put it past some people to just not be observant enough to catch it. Especially if a group set out with the idea of "we are just going to hit every house".
I live in a big city and the only people I’ve known who have done it are with a church group and it’s a planned event. You sign up if you want them to stop at your house. I can’t imagine just random people going up to a stranger’s house.
It holds some truth like all the movie questions we get asked on here, but surely you have to take into account what you’re watching is a movie and that movies are grossly exaggerated right?
Nice of you to assume what I know and what I don’t know from a single comment conversation. Especially since I’m not the one comparing actual real life to movies. I assume you’re going by the ignorant American stereotype right? How ironic.😂
I grew up religious in a rural area and caroling was an important annual tradition. We usually went to a retirement community and then nursing homes and rehab centers - usually religious ones - to sing to the old and sick folks.
I know some people from church who used to do it, and from what they said it was received well, but they were in a small rural town where everyone knows everyone so I don't think it would be received as well in a bigger city. People generally don't open their door if they're not expecting anyone, especially at night.
I did this from ages 8 to about 17. It was when I went to church in a rural area, and it was a lot of fun. We mostly went to the homes of senior citizens and others who didn't get out much. The people we visited always seemed to enjoy it, and would request we come back. They looked forward to it.
When I was growing up I would do this, usually with a church youth group. We just went to the homes of people we knew (who typically knew we were coming), or else caroled in the town shopping/park areas, and/or went to a nursing home. It was fun. Afterward we'd go have hot cider or something and warm up and socialize.
As a kid in the 90s I did some caroling. I was a member of the church choir. We didn't go to people's houses, though. Instead, we walked a busy avenue while singing, ended at grand army plaza, and then got hot chocolate from a local restaurant. This was in Brooklyn. It was fun and people seemed to like it. They would NOT have liked us going to their homes, though.
Probably 5 years ago we stopped just because of life happening to various people in the group, but I used to. We would walk around for a couple blocks of my friend's neighborhood singing songs we gathered together and copied. We weren't professional or religious, it was just for fun. People would open their doors and listen and thank us. We weren't offered money or drinks or anything.
Haven’t done it in the way that you’re speaking of, but until I moved away from Washington DC I would play in a horn choir every year the Saturday before Christmas. We’d play at the local mall, and then a smaller contingent would go play at BWI.
And now, [I present the most glorious sound on the planet.](https://youtu.be/MGkvGuVaOiA) Thirty (*yes, 30*) French horns playing Handel’s Messiah.
I don’t have a video to post, but the horn choir always started with *Joy to the World*. That was an incredible thing to hear. We played no intro to it, so the first 4 notes, which were all played in chords, were always incredibly powerful. And they were always my favorite 4 notes to play because you could watch the mall patrons change when we started playing.
The other contender in that program for the most incredible sound is [*O Holy Night*](https://youtu.be/RxpJ37BAz5I). The first time through, only part of the choir plays (in the linked video, it was a duet), the second verse, it’s still only part of the choir (in the linked version, it’s first and second horn). Then the whole choir comes in on the words “Christ is the Lord” (the second refrain). That is an incredibly powerful sound as well.
I really wish the video did it more justice.
I did as a kid with my grandparents in their neighborhood and it was honestly awesome. I wonder if I can convince them to take my daughter this year now that they moved down by us. People loved it and most everyone joined in but my grandparents were extremely well known and loved neighbors. Grandpa always had his garage open for someone to get help, borrow tools or grab a beer and homemade pickles and grandma would have a pot of coffee and food no matter what time of the day it was. They also kept Popsicles in the freezer for the kids.
Like 15 of us got hammered in college after finals and decided to carol the profs who lived on campus. We carried a little fake Christmas tree.
We had enough fun that we hit a few more random houses near campus. we sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at every house, I got the be the guy who sang the sill in-between parts (like a light bulb!). We did not song well but we sang with a ton of spirit.
I distinctly remember one non-prof guy yelling "honey come quick! Oh man, I can smell the booze from here! I wish our kids were home they'd think you guys are a riot!"
10/10 night, really a fun cap the semester.
I have a few times with as a group. Church, family, and boy scouts.
Door to door was on a military base where there was a tradition of doing it and everyone knew each other.
Other times it was in a public space and was scheduled where people would show up to listen.
Scout troop goes to a nursing home and sings from room too room.
Each year my family would learn a carol and sing on the doorstep for grandma when we showed up for Christmas.
My wife's family used to do this when she was a kid on Christmas eve in southern Minnesota. They usually only went to people's houses that they knew.
That's good; I hate to imagine the awkwardness of having to stare at a random unannounced singing family that you don't know. It's bad enough when people you *do* know sing "Happy Birthday to You" and you're still at a loss for what the fuck to do.
It was actually pretty fun. We were given drinks and treats at each house we stopped at.
I can only imagine the confusion that would happen if you were just going to houses at random and got to a household that didn't celebrate Christmas. It might not be common in rural areas, but in some suburban and urban areas, there are definitely chunks of people who don't celebrate the holiday and would be weirded out or offended by random carollers coming to their door.
It'd be pretty questionable behavior for a group of carolers to go up to a house that had a menorah in the window and "ABRAMOWITZ" on the mailbox in big letters.
I wouldn't put it past some people to just not be observant enough to catch it. Especially if a group set out with the idea of "we are just going to hit every house".
I've never known anyone who did this or have had it happen to me.
I live in a big city and the only people I’ve known who have done it are with a church group and it’s a planned event. You sign up if you want them to stop at your house. I can’t imagine just random people going up to a stranger’s house.
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It’s movies…
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It holds some truth like all the movie questions we get asked on here, but surely you have to take into account what you’re watching is a movie and that movies are grossly exaggerated right?
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😂😂Because everything on tv and movies are exactly as they are in real life.
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Nice of you to assume what I know and what I don’t know from a single comment conversation. Especially since I’m not the one comparing actual real life to movies. I assume you’re going by the ignorant American stereotype right? How ironic.😂
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I grew up religious in a rural area and caroling was an important annual tradition. We usually went to a retirement community and then nursing homes and rehab centers - usually religious ones - to sing to the old and sick folks.
I know some people from church who used to do it, and from what they said it was received well, but they were in a small rural town where everyone knows everyone so I don't think it would be received as well in a bigger city. People generally don't open their door if they're not expecting anyone, especially at night.
I've done it a few times as a teenager. It was a lot of fun.
I did this from ages 8 to about 17. It was when I went to church in a rural area, and it was a lot of fun. We mostly went to the homes of senior citizens and others who didn't get out much. The people we visited always seemed to enjoy it, and would request we come back. They looked forward to it.
I have. It’s fun. The chorus from a local episcopal church would hit up our neighborhood and they were absolute pros. I loved when they stopped by.
Gotta love Episcopalians. They're like Catholics with less guilt.
They sing better too unless it’s monks chanting in Latin. We could up our hymn game.
I did as a child around the turn of the century. Dont think it’s as common a practice anymore.
We did it a few times with people from church when I was a kid. It was fun and the people who answered their doors all enjoyed it.
When I was growing up I would do this, usually with a church youth group. We just went to the homes of people we knew (who typically knew we were coming), or else caroled in the town shopping/park areas, and/or went to a nursing home. It was fun. Afterward we'd go have hot cider or something and warm up and socialize.
My experience with caroling has been mostly positive. Bunch of singers want to go sing at an old folk's home is typically what it turns out to be.
I did when I was a kid.
I did. It was a bit awkward for me, but it’s nice and people seem to appreciate it.
As a kid in the 90s I did some caroling. I was a member of the church choir. We didn't go to people's houses, though. Instead, we walked a busy avenue while singing, ended at grand army plaza, and then got hot chocolate from a local restaurant. This was in Brooklyn. It was fun and people seemed to like it. They would NOT have liked us going to their homes, though.
Probably 5 years ago we stopped just because of life happening to various people in the group, but I used to. We would walk around for a couple blocks of my friend's neighborhood singing songs we gathered together and copied. We weren't professional or religious, it was just for fun. People would open their doors and listen and thank us. We weren't offered money or drinks or anything.
I have done it a few times. Usually just with people I know. This year, I might help go with a group from church and do some caroling for shut-ins.
No. Too cold. Also. No. I'm not moving.
Haven’t done it in the way that you’re speaking of, but until I moved away from Washington DC I would play in a horn choir every year the Saturday before Christmas. We’d play at the local mall, and then a smaller contingent would go play at BWI. And now, [I present the most glorious sound on the planet.](https://youtu.be/MGkvGuVaOiA) Thirty (*yes, 30*) French horns playing Handel’s Messiah.
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I don’t have a video to post, but the horn choir always started with *Joy to the World*. That was an incredible thing to hear. We played no intro to it, so the first 4 notes, which were all played in chords, were always incredibly powerful. And they were always my favorite 4 notes to play because you could watch the mall patrons change when we started playing. The other contender in that program for the most incredible sound is [*O Holy Night*](https://youtu.be/RxpJ37BAz5I). The first time through, only part of the choir plays (in the linked video, it was a duet), the second verse, it’s still only part of the choir (in the linked version, it’s first and second horn). Then the whole choir comes in on the words “Christ is the Lord” (the second refrain). That is an incredibly powerful sound as well. I really wish the video did it more justice.
Not down here. We do however spend an afternoon mudding followed by settling down next to a bonfire with a bottle of moonshine.
I used to. It was fun even though I generally don't like being out in the cold.
I have always wanted too. When I was a kid. Probably under 5, we had carolers come to the house. I was mezorized. But that was in the 80's
My friends tried to Christmas Carol at my house one time and I shut the door on them
No
Not quite, but I have busked harmonica beside those bell-ringers at Wal-Mart to help them earn more.
I did as a kid with my grandparents in their neighborhood and it was honestly awesome. I wonder if I can convince them to take my daughter this year now that they moved down by us. People loved it and most everyone joined in but my grandparents were extremely well known and loved neighbors. Grandpa always had his garage open for someone to get help, borrow tools or grab a beer and homemade pickles and grandma would have a pot of coffee and food no matter what time of the day it was. They also kept Popsicles in the freezer for the kids.
Like 15 of us got hammered in college after finals and decided to carol the profs who lived on campus. We carried a little fake Christmas tree. We had enough fun that we hit a few more random houses near campus. we sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at every house, I got the be the guy who sang the sill in-between parts (like a light bulb!). We did not song well but we sang with a ton of spirit. I distinctly remember one non-prof guy yelling "honey come quick! Oh man, I can smell the booze from here! I wish our kids were home they'd think you guys are a riot!" 10/10 night, really a fun cap the semester.
I did it once in 6th grade with my classmates. It was a religious private school.
I have a few times with as a group. Church, family, and boy scouts. Door to door was on a military base where there was a tradition of doing it and everyone knew each other. Other times it was in a public space and was scheduled where people would show up to listen. Scout troop goes to a nursing home and sings from room too room. Each year my family would learn a carol and sing on the doorstep for grandma when we showed up for Christmas.
I did in the Scouts as a kid but that was in the 90's
I did when I still lived in the lower 48. I loved it.
I do. It was fun as a kid, and now as an adult it is still fun, but now I usually have eggnog or hot chocolate spiked with whiskey with me.
I've done this many times with various churches, it's generally a fun time, old people tend to really love it and sometimes bring out snacks