to send 2 lads carol singing off with nothing but a flea in their ear

[kizzie]

I was just a bit suprised and said 'its a bit early isnt it - and I havent got any change anyway'.

(It was just for them - not charity)

They'll probably throw rubbish in my garden now.

Is it too early - or i am just being a misery? In the couple of weeks leading up to christmas I always keep some change in the hall and give them some no matter how bad they are.

I always make them sing an actual carol. Right through. If they can do that I'll give them something however early it is.

One chorus of "we wish you a merry Christmas" gets them a flea in the ear from me too, even if it's Christmas Eve

Nope, it's only 5 Dec FFS!! Bah humbug!! When I were a kid (HOVIS theme tune), we went round on Xmas eve and sang carols for charity - even got give a box from school to collect for it. Personally I think any carol singing done for £££ should be for a charity - otherwise they can b---- off!!

But maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I do the same as WW.

Cheeky feckers

Well worth the possibility of rubbish in the garden to tell them to get stuffed imo

oh good - im not an old misery then!

Only carol singing I ever did was with the local Brownie pack when I was a young leader. We used to make about £150 for a kids charity every year. Blooming freezing though, we lived on the North East coast at the time...

As for the original poster, well done!

Agnes

Funnily enough DH did same thing last night! Way too early for Carollers I think!

I've just had two lads round too - you must live near me. I told them to come back in two weeks & if they were lucky they might get a mince pie.

I wouldn't have minded if they were dressed up or something but they were just in track suits mumbling "we wish you a merry Christmas"! What a cheek!

This really gets my goat. I NEVER give any money to these little beggars. Most of them make no effort what so ever to sing in tune, so unless they have a license to collect money for charity I always send them away with a nest of fleas in their ear!

I must be soft then. I'd have given them a bit of silver

I love them, last year I decided that one week before was early enough and when they turned up in that week I made them sing a real carol, all the way through and got everyone in the house to come and listen. If they made it through all of that then I would ask if it was for charity, if it wasn't they got a token gesture (50p each or something)

So, in short, no YANBU it is too early but nearer the time I think the same about these "beggers" as any others, if they are prepared to work for it then why not?

Oh, for the record, the ones who were for charity didn't need to be made to do anything and were happy that everyone wanted to hear them!

o the irony. 'come back at Chrsitmas' say the women with Christmas message board names

'I made them sing a real carol, all the way through and got everyone in the house to come and listen'

That mental image really made me

I can picture a stony row of faces

Put their fal-di-ras at a peep

now slightly paronoid!

'That's not a real carol, you miserable pig-dog. AGAIN, AGAIN, I WILL MAKE YOU'

don;t be paranoid, sensible. Some of us find entertainment in the slightest thing

I am really laughing here...can picture it too. I would be mortified (though I have never carol sung in my life thankfully)

Oh I must do that If I get some. Why I'll even carry the cat to the door.

R
O
F
L

''That's not a real carol, you miserable pig-dog. AGAIN, AGAIN, I WILL MAKE YOU'

One eyebrow arched, head tilted slightly upwards

I love carol singers, used to do it myself and (shock) not for charity. My we wish you a Merry Xmas would have been the proper version Carols for Choirs(though without the other parts I'm afraid)

I do make them sing though to get anything, I could even get dh (singing teacher) to give them a few imporvment tips.

I so miss being in a choir and singing carols.

yes starlight, I was aware not everyone had name changed - would have made my post longer though