Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

strange kid at door, singing

31 replies

aliasjoey · 21/12/2012 20:44

this is my first aibu, so please forgive me if this has been done before and I missed it.

we just had a kid (looked about 8 or 9) knock on the door, when I answered he sang We Wish you a merry Christmas. and then he just looked at me. and wouldn't go away. I assume he was expecting something (money? sweets?) I asked if he was with anyone, and he replied his mum - I couldn't see anyone and it was dark.

he wasn't one of the neighbours (we live in a culdesac) sometimes we get kids we don't know at Halloween, but never had this at Christmas before!

I didn't have anything to give, well I didn't really want to give him money, so I just said firmly and a Merry Christmas to you too! but I did think it was weird, has this happened to anyone else? DH said if we didn't give them anything they might go and scratch the car Hmm

ps. he had a Santa hat on

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
MereDintofPandiculation · 11/12/2024 20:46

TaggieCrimbleBlack · 21/12/2012 21:01

Carols are carols though. 'we wish you a merry christmas' isn't.

It very much is a carol, an old wassail carol from the West Country. Not all carols are religious, not all are for Christmas.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 11/12/2024 20:33

Never heard of one-person non-Carol-singing Carol singers, but I'm going to start keeping a stash of loose change and a couple of song sheets by the front door, just in case.

ByFunnyZebra · 11/12/2024 20:19

This happened to me today I’d say some where around 8 I found it really strange because this has never happened to us and u didn’t here any knocking on other people house. So why this house. The boy also looked a little bit worried or scared he was wearing a hood so can’t really describe him. I wonder why he came why this house and what would of happened if I I said yes when he asked me the question “Can I sing you a christmas carol…

exoticfruits · 21/12/2012 22:23

We used to have it in our old house. They always started with 'we wish you a merry Christmas' and I used to stop them and say-' I don't want that-I want a proper carol'-that silenced them to which I said that if they were going carol singing it would be sensible to know a few carols first and to come back when they knew one! One couple came back with the words of 'Away in a Manger' and I made them struggle through every verse-I gave them some sweets for effort.The rest just went.

BoatysTinselSails · 21/12/2012 22:19

Incidently, DS1 and 2 were choristers, they went out one evening and made £30 in half an hour which they put towards their music lessons. Xmas Grin

WorraLorraTurkey · 21/12/2012 22:19

YABU not to give him any money.

Have you seen the price of cigarettes?

He'll have to stay out all night at this rate...

BoatysTinselSails · 21/12/2012 22:14

A few years back we had problems where we used to live with the estate oiks all year round, throwing stones, verbal abuse, physical assaults on DS2, who come Christmas would come carol singing, expecting money for 'We wish you a merry Xmas and a happy new year' putting their hands out!! I stood there looking at them...silence... so they sang it again...I then said 'If you are here to carol sing, sing a carol....they looked at each other....'don't know any' me: then go away and learn some!
One kid came back the following evening on his own and sang the first verse of 'Away in a manger' I gave him 20p for his bottle! The following week they reverted to the usual abuse but being a 'tight bitch' was added to the insults!! Xmas Grin

pigletmania · 21/12/2012 21:57

I agree cute gorilla it is begging, no different to trick or treaters tbh. A group of children singing lovely, but a single kid singing not knowi g the words and expecting money no no no. Would have given him 50p though

cutegorilla · 21/12/2012 21:34

This used to happen in the area I lived in as a student. Kids would come to the door, sing the chorus of "We wish you a merry Christmas" badly, not know the rest of the words, and expect to be paid for it. Carol singers in organised groups singing properly and collecting for charity - lovely. Kids singing part of a Christmas song badly, not so much. It's just begging. And I quite like trick or treaters at halloween, as long as they're kids and they've made the effort to dress up. Again, if it's a teenager who has just stuck a scream mask on, not so much. Although I'd still give them a sweetie I suppose.

TheSecretCervixDNCOP · 21/12/2012 21:28

he wouldn't go away

Er, did you tell him to?

Original poster
aliasjoey · 21/12/2012 21:27

it wasn't a group of carol singers singing "away in a manger" ! it was one kid, on his own. and he sang it... menacingly Xmas Wink

OP posts:
LRDtheFeministDude · 21/12/2012 21:25
Grin

It happens to us all taggie.

(Though, I did wonder when I read the OP if you'd turned into my mother, which would be much worse ...)

TaggieCrimbleBlack · 21/12/2012 21:23

Oh jesus I have just reread and I HAVE TURNED INTO MY MOTHER. oh my god.

nameuschangeus · 21/12/2012 21:22

It's called Carol Singing. Quite an old tradition I think Grin

LRDtheFeministDude · 21/12/2012 21:16

Oh, poor little one.

'We wish you a merry Christmas' has as much right to be called a carol as anything else! Confused

TaggieCrimbleBlack · 21/12/2012 21:13

And halloween is about sweets.

One kid singing that wants cash.

Which I disapprove of.

Booblesonthetree · 21/12/2012 21:11

taggie sometimes it's the only Christmas song children know sadly. There are some beautiful Christmas Carols but they're not taught unless they go to church or a religious school.

CatchingMockingbirds · 21/12/2012 21:06

:o he's not a thug, he's carol singing! I did this too when I was a child. Have you really never heard of this?

Festivelyfedup · 21/12/2012 21:03

A child singing carols ... at Christmas. It really must be the end of the world. Whatever next?

Tryharder · 21/12/2012 21:03

He's carol singing you berk! Grin

We had 2 young girls who sang 'Rocking around the Christmas tree' which made us laugh.

TaggieCrimbleBlack · 21/12/2012 21:01

Carols are carols though. 'we wish you a merry christmas' isn't.

Tortington · 21/12/2012 20:57

id rather give him money than the little shits who just say 'trick or treat'

Allonsy · 21/12/2012 20:57

Aw hes carol singing lovely that kids still do that, surely you could of chucked him a pound or a mince pie?

SavoyCabbage · 21/12/2012 20:56

We did this as children. I can't believe you have never cone across it before! Happy memories.

SledsImOn · 21/12/2012 20:54

Oh dear. Can you go after him and bung him a quid? Poor lamb. I have a ds this age and while he would NOT be out at night knocking on doors, I know how hard it would be for him to do something like that.

I'd find it awkward too but Sad