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

[Jumell]

And if so, how many ?

in 1982 a group of us went carol singing and raised some money for the children’s ward at the local hospital. Just before Xmas, a few of us in the group actually visited the ward to give them the money we’d raised.

it seems like a different era now

.SIGHHHHHH

Not seen Carol singers apart from in the town for years

No haven't seen any for probably 25 years

I don’t think I’ve ever seen them.

I'm in my 40s and have never had carol singers come around.

I've never seen one!
When I moved to the UK, I was in a flat between zone 1-2 in London for 20yrs.

I moved to a coastal village 3yrs ago and never seen them here either.

I don’t think I’ve seen them since possibly early - mid 80s

I had an idea about carol singing in 2008 for charity but didn’t because of

INERTIA

I don't think we've had any call at my house since I was a child. Been to plenty of outdoor carols events etc, some of which were fundraising, some just for fun, but not going door-to-door.

We did actually have some at the pub I was at for my work Christmas party last week!

We did it in my village in 2006. It was for charity.

You'll find them at markets, shopping malls and superstores these days.

There's a big community Christmas tree near my local station and there is regular carol singing around it.
I see choirs in shopping centres and usually the Sally Army will be out in the high street/front of supermarkets etc.
People walking from street to street I haven't seen since about 1985.
What does "inertia" mean?

Never had Carol singers in my life!

I was very surprised to hear Carol singers a week ago. They had a lantern too and lovely voices. We used to Carol sing as kids in the 80's for pocket money and with a church for charity. It seems to have died out sadly.

Me neither.
I thought they were the stuff of movies.

Inertia means in short ‘can’t be arsed’

I haven’t had carol singers since about 1993.

One of my main childhood memories is my dad shouting “you’re too early” through the door.

Never. I think most people realise that nobody really likes being doorstepped and asked for money, however nice the preamble. Have seen charity-collecting carollers all over central London though, and on quite a few London station concourses.

Agreed come to think about it - I wonder what’s caused the societal shift?

That’s what I was going to say too. I think we value privacy/ not being disturbed more these days - I guess because once people only had a couple of television stations to liven up the evening. Now there’s Netflix, internet etc etc and people just find being unexpectedly visited … a pain.

Im always amazed however by how many people buy into Halloween.

Not had carol singers (at the door) since the 1980s!

Would be lovely to get them.

.

I’ve never in my entire life had carol singers round the door. I thought it was a Victorian thing.

This explanation for the societal shift is so true I think

@Jumell I used to see school choirs singing in a local shopping centre. It would be during school hours when (in theory) shoppers would be out and about.
Unfortunately that particular shopping centre is almost dead as a dodo so no one goes there so I don't know if the choirs still perform.
Several years ago I saw a group singing a gospel style Christmas song. The children were probably all aged around 8 - 11 and they were fantastic. It was a song I had ever heard before.

We go carol singing every year where I live. The organiser asks (on community WhatsApp) who would like a carol, and we go to their doors and sing, generally getting treats in return. We end up in the pub. We don’t collect money. I absolutely love it.

The town centre also has the Sally Army band every Saturday in December. I realise I should be very grateful to live where I do!

I did it a few times as a child ( and I’m not Victorian!) 1980s…

Do you just stand there a bit goenlessly while they sing at you?