To ask if anyone’s had carol singers this year ?

My late uncle used to sing carols at Gatwick Airport with his choir.

Only at St Pancras station 2wks ago. They were absolutely amazing, opera style voices. Sure I saw some others too when on my travels last week, but can’t remember where

I was going to say the same thing! Ditto selling “flags” for charity - paper badges on a pin.

I think “penny for the guy” and carol singing for pocket money was already disapproved of when I was a child in the 80s, although there were always a few. We did go carol singing as children but always for charity with a sealed official collection box. I think it’s largely died out because it’s not an efficient way to raise money and it’s an invasion of privacy. That said, it was lovely when the Salvation Army, Brownies, church or Rotary Club came carol singing. At least, when they still came in person! I seem to remember they started coming with recorded music played from a car at some point 😂

I think the difference is that a couple of nights, not potentially a whole month.

i haven't had any here in the 15 years I've lived here.

They'd need a card machine these days!! 🤣🤣🤣

You’ve inspired me to try and get a group together. Its not too late!

In Covid we were extremely isolated, saw no one for months in the flesh, as Dh was very vulnerable due to health issues. 2 of my friends came to sing carols to me, stood at the end of my front path. It was one of the kindest, loveliest things anyone has ever done for me. I mostly just stood there silently sobbing.

It’s a shame really. My 8 year old daughter is very keen to go carol singing, complete with lantern like they do in some of her books but it doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore.

Yes! Yesterday evening! About 9 people, all aged 50+

I'm going tomorrow! As a PP has said, it's usually a group who stop out on the street and others knock on doors to collect for charity and take requests for carols. People come to their doors to listen and they honestly do enjoy it!
It's been part of my life forever, but is dying out now the church congregation is so elderly and numbers are much smaller (the fact that far fewer people go to church now also limits the likelihood of hearing carollers). Up until about 20 years ago there'd be upwards of thirty of us singing in four part harmony, and back in the 70s and 80s we had a piano on a trolley that got pushed round with us. It's one of my best Christmas traditions and memories.

No the money isn’t part of it traditionally.

I've never even heard of this- so people come singing Christmas carols at your door and ask for money?!

Traditionally you get “ paid” in mulled wine/ cocoa and a mince pie at the more generous houses.

When we used to go, about 10 of us would stand and sing, under the lamp post, and the non singers would go and ring the bells and collect money for that year's charity, from all the houses that could see / hear us from there.
After each carol, we'd move to the next lamppost.
Some people would go straight back in, some would stand on the doorsteps and listen, and some would lean out of windows to listen for a few carols / lampposts.

No, but we have had a brass band!

We (girl guides) used to sing carols for the lord of the manor and his family as they had their Christmas Eve dinner, I think as repayment for being able to use his grounds for the summer event. Afterwards were taken into the Great hall, to drink weak orange squash and gaze at their huge Christmas tree and all the presents under it. Very feudal! I used to love the singing, though.

We used to get carol singers, and I remember going house to house carol singing - maybe with Brownies or Guides in the village I lived in, in the 70s.
I don’t remember any house to house carol singing in the village that we moved to, or in the city that I lived in as a student in the 80s but there were Salvation Army/other groups singing round the tree, etc outside.

I didn't realise carol singers were an actual 'thing'. I thought they were just in the movies. I can't imagine having a group of carols singers come to my door. I'd find it very awkward. What are you meant to do? Just stand there with your door open while they sing? I also need carry cash anymore, so sadly they'd not get anything from me even if I did actually answer the door

I did this back in the late 60's early 70's - can't remember the exact year or how old I was but I do remember being shocked that someone put in 50p - that was quite a bit of money to donate in those days Do you mean a ten shilling note? (which was a lot of money)? Although I was surprised to find the 50p coin was introduced in 1969, before the change to decimal.

It’s gone the way of ‘Penny for the Guy’. Both were commonplace when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s in South Wales. I can’t remember when I saw either last. And yet ‘Trick or treat’ wasn’t a thing then and very much is now.

We had a brass band come and play carols on our street on Friday evening. They were not near any houses with very young kids and it was 6pm. It was lovely although I did think I was hearing things at first. There's a lot of brass bands round here so they all go to different streets so we all hear them. Loved hearing God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman while I was fighting to put the lights back up on the window!

We used to go house to house carol singing every year, it was a village tradition but we haven't since 2010, the last attempt to do so. Even though we are 90 minutes from London there has been such a change in the last 30 years with the people moving in. There was a time when the houses in the parish had low hedges and open drives and gates, the properties welcomed people to call and drop by. Over the last 30 years, every newcomer has turned their houses into fortresses with electronic gates. It's difficult to carol sing through intercoms from the bottom of the driveways.

I did this back in the late 60's early 70's - can't remember the exact year or how old I was but I do remember being shocked that someone put in 50p - that was quite a bit of money to donate in those days

It is one of my most enduring Christmas memories. I remember being in a large cul-de-sac and it started to snow, there were people playing guitars we sang beautifully - not some rubbish duo of kids. If I could go back and re-live that moment I would

Live in a dodgy part of London so never seen them 😄 but would love to join a group of them with dd! So christmassy

Very different. Charity door knockers make no attempt to give you something in return. You give money to carol singers to show your appreciation.