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

Used to get them at our door as a child in the 90s and you've actually just unlocked a memory of going carol singing door to door with some friends circa 2011... wouldn't dare these days!

I remember watching the carol singers and salvation army band from our window as a child - they'd gather under the lamppost across the road, and it would seem quite magical to me especially if it was snowing, with the flakes shining in the night. That would have been mid-late 80s in a suburban area. Not seen any more recently.

I remember them coming round when I was little (in the eighties). Not seen any for years though, it seems to be the preserve of Christmas films and Dickens novels.

I always wonder what you're supposed to do, though. Stand on the doorstep, awkwardly watching them sing, whilst secretly thinking "it's bloody freezing outside and now I've had the door open for three verses of Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, so is the house"...?

I’ve only ever seen them on the telly!

I’m amazed at the thought of more television channels meaning less need to liven up the evening.

I'm 55,NE England, I don't think I've ever seen door to door carol singers,other than in films.

Pre Covid you would get the occasional group though not many.

I was in a church choir as a kid so years ago and we did this but only to specific places such as care homes, town centre anf the local nunnery. The last time I went was at least a decade ago along a road where the neighbours were all very friendly and all houses were pre arranged. It was just a bunch of people from a couple of the houses but lots had musical backgrounds.

We had the Round Table sleigh last week, I always love that.

That was never the main purpose. The main purpose was the singing (however badly) something Christmassy. It died out as society started to-get more fragmented. Now you don’t know the people in your street and your friends are spread across the county, community traditions die out.

How it’s supposed to happen is you hear carols being sung outside your door, carols hopefully in the plural, and when they finish they launch into “we wish you a merry Christmas” and knock on the door, and you open it and give them a small amount of money.

So no standing with the door open, no singers being watched awkwardly.

Ah, so there's a carolling etiquette! I've wondered about it as I couldn't remember what happened when I was a kid. Thanks 😊

Never seen them door to door. Surely if they're collecting money it's no different to annoying charity door knockers who attempt to pressure you into donating?

I donate to charities of my choosing, not to people who knock on my door unsolicited and try to guilt trip me.

Each year a local group(British Legion I think) travel up and down residential roads with a Christmas float playing recorded Christmas music collecting donations for charities. I HATE IT.Hearing the recorded loud Christmas music blasting out. Almost as bad as piped music in shops. Now if real carol singers were to call I would be delighted to join in.

Never had carol singers at the door.
I’ve not sung carols since school.

Not for years. Used to get them here sometimes, but they never sang a proper carol, just the chorus of ‘We wish you a merry Christmas….’ and then expecting money. I used to tell them that if they came back and sang a proper carol I’d give them something, but not otherwise.

Well I think that’s just what people do. Mostly driving at night past homes you see the flicker, flicker, flicker of the screen in peoples windows.Sometines the tv is positioned right in the centre of the main wall like a piece of prize art work, whereas when I grew up it was a box in the corner .

I watch more now with Netflix etc. I seldom watch tv because I am not eclectic enough to find much that I like; but Netflix et al let you find something to suit. We only really watch in the evingi at the weekend, but once I wouldn’t have sat in front of a screen for many months on end.

Not seen a carol singer since about 1996 when I last went!

This. Had no idea it was real!

Oh my goodness, I’d forgotten that as the child of an 80’s churchwarden I was made to sing in the choir and therefore carol round the village for years. I do think it’s a shame that way of life is (has?) died out.

I love carols now though. We went to my son’s carol service where they had a stonking organ and a chapel choir. It brought tears to my eyes. I’m going to make the effort to go to our Diocese cathedral concert this year.

I’ve been carol singing round the local area with a church group and outside the church on the last Saturday before Christmas it’s so nice and people sometimes come and join in

That of course is another reason they have died out/: they often used to be organised by the Church and now of course churches can be so empty, and quite a few traditions are dying with the churches, especially little village ones.
I think it’s a shame we don’t work a little harder to upkeep the traditions. I had suggested to a few of DC’s friend’s parents that we could make up a little group and go carol singing this year. Quite a lukewarm response. But when I suggested a group trip to Wicked at the cinema everyone couldn’t respond fast enough and were adding on siblings etc etc. In the end I gave up as I thought there’s nothing worse than half-hearted Carol singers, but I’m determined to be better organised and cast the net wider next year.

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

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

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

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.

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!