AIBU to think that teenagers carol singing are just begging

[Norudeshitrequired]

2 teenagers knocked on my door this evening and started singing a Christmas carol when I opened the door. I immediately sent them away.
These girls were dressed in very fashionable clothes and I don't think for one minute that they were trying to raise money to feed themselves. I think they were just after extorting some cash from the local residents.
What would you have done in this situation?
Personally, I think it is just begging and that nobody should give money to teenagers who are knocking on the doors of random strangers. We have a lot of elderly people living alone in the area and these two girls would be bigger, physically, than a lot of the elderly people and might come across as very intimidating.

I don't assume that carol singers are collecting for charity, I didn't know that was a 'rule'.

If they're prepared to sing, fair enough. If you don't want to give them owt, say no thanks and shut the door. I don't blame anyone for having a go though!

Oh, I'm mean.

I send them away if they're not worth listening to and/or don't appeal because they're friends.

Oddly enough, it's pretty much the same attitude I have to all other performances of music.

Yes, have to agree that just because we don't call it wassailing any more it doesn't mean that people aren't still singing for money for beer.

People have been singing for beer money since the dawn of time.

Doesn't mean you have to give it to them - I don't.

Nigellas - I was actually trying to make the point that they were dressed in a fashionable manner (what is fashionable to teenagers) and not a bedraggled starving need a meal type manner. The fact is some older people might feel uneasy by somebody knocking on the door wearing a hoodie when it's dark out.

At least they weren't hanging around the local Spar, passing round a bottle of blue wicked and a fag.

Hmm. That should be 'don't appeal because they're not friends,' but I suspect it doesn't matter in this context.

Why op is being flamed I don't know, it's op right to send them away we need a bah humbug emocion

In fairness to the OP, when I was 15 me and my mate used to do this to get cig money

a group of us went around some houses and made a mint once, maybe it was because some of us had been to 'nice' schools and knew all the words....

In fairness to the OP, when I was 15 me and my mate used to do this to get cig money

And? That's what I don't get, what's wrong with that?

YABVU OP, it takes guts to do that kind of thing at peoples doors!

I don't think you've done anything wrong, I wouldn't have given them any money either. I don't like feeling pressured to give money to people on my doorstep.

Well, apart from 15 year olds smoking of course

But I mean, I never thought that there was any pretence that it was for charity or anything

Well if my teenage DS knocks on any of your doors this year, feel free to send him on his way. His half broken voice is not at its best when singing carols.

Guts or half a bottle of white lightning?

We always went Carol singing.

We borrowed a hymn book from school.

For the record - I also shut the door on anybody who knocks trying to sell me stuff or asking for donations for anything.
I'm just a big fat meanie.

I think it shows initiative! In the past my husbsnd has insisted on at least a verse & chorus then given them a couple of pounds. Usually they laugh and stand embarassed. These days everyone's so busy with their lives, self included, they don't even know the local teenagers.
Also agree it's not begging it's busking.....

I did it up to the age of 15. When I had enough money I popped off to the local off licence for 1ltr bottle of white lightening.

[sigh] Those were the days...

So what should they have been wearing? Horsehair shirts?

Crikey!

joyeux

Because we'd literally just decide whilst we were out, yano what lets go sing jingle bells for ten seconds and get some money. We didn't plan anything, or put some nice songs together to give people a good show!

We knew even then it wasn't right. Going knocking on someones door for money isn't right full stop.

Especially as the area was full of elderly people, I imagine two chavtastic girls knocking on your door step can be quite intimidating.

It's akin to teens who buy a 99p mask and go trick or treating

Feck me that was 10 years ago. I keep thinking I'm barely out of my teens. Dear god.

Don't you need a licence to busk?

The fact is some older people might feel uneasy by somebody knocking on the door wearing a hoodie when it's dark out
I am sure they didn't have their hoods up, and I doubt you could show me any clothes suitable for a teen in December that don't have hoods.

Tbh I think if they are prepared to rock up to peoples doors and actually do a bit of singing then good for them. Showing some initiative. My gran would have loved it. They weren't just knocking on doors asking for a quid.
Same as I thought good on them to the 2 teenage boys playing bag pipes in the city centre at the weekend to earn a few pennies.