Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if Mumsnetters open their door to carol singers?

105 replies

MatchaYourEnergy · 11/12/2025 20:27

Because it’s the season to be jolly and everything - I just wondered this really.

i know that MNers are cautious about opening their doors - and I can’t say I blame them.

but do you open the doors to carol singers?

OP posts:
scalt · 12/12/2025 15:28

We once had a German au pair who opened the door to some carol singers in 1986, and she was totally stumped; she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. Say "thank you"?

Beware of Scrooge households, the sad song "there are no lights on our Christmas tree" has this verse:
Some carol singers came to our door,
I've never seen dad so mad before.
He grabbed the leader by the coat,
And tried to ram his lantern down his throat.

Also, whenever I hear the carol "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", I keep thinking of Scrooge rushing out with a long wooden ruler.

Original poster
MatchaYourEnergy · 12/12/2025 15:28

BauhausOfEliott · 12/12/2025 15:17

I believe the full range of Mumsnet advice on how to handle carol singers would be:

  • 'Log it with 101'
  • 'Get a Ring doorbell, OP'
  • 'Change the locks just in case'
  • 'Do a Claire's Law'
  • Debate whether 'it's a safeguarding issue'
  • Assume that the carol singers had SEN, were ND and/or had dementia
  • Complain that the singing made them anxious because of 'sensory issues' or misophonia
  • Profess to be 'baffled' for some reason because some people handle carol singers in a slightly different way to them
  • 'OMG they're probably lonely, it really wouldn't hurt you to to invite them in, give them the figgy pudding they're demanding and then meet them 'for a coffee' every other day for the rest of your life, what happened to being kind'
  • Assume that if the carol singers are men, singing on your doorstep is either 'creepy' or 'typical male entitlement'
  • Ask the carol singers if they meant to be so rude
  • Tell them to fuck off and die and then blame that aggressive response on perimenopause for some reason
  • Suggest that the OP's DH should open the door to share the 'mental load'
Show quote history

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
scalt · 12/12/2025 15:32

And if you want more paranoia, the Christmas episode of The Thin Blue Line (oh, when TV comedy was actually funny!) had villains singing carols to draw the family to the front door, so they could break in at the back door. When the police try to catch them, they arrest some genuine carol singers, including the bishop and the local MP.

Rewis · 12/12/2025 15:34

I thought it was a thing rhat only happened in movies

scalt · 12/12/2025 15:46

In the Adrian Mole books, he goes carol singing as a teenager to raise money to buy his family Christmas presents, after all his savings had been confiscated. He and Pandora wear their school uniforms because they think it will be worth more, and the old ladies cough up "conscience money" to the tune of twelve pounds.

XWKD · 12/12/2025 15:50

BauhausOfEliott · 12/12/2025 15:17

I believe the full range of Mumsnet advice on how to handle carol singers would be:

  • 'Log it with 101'
  • 'Get a Ring doorbell, OP'
  • 'Change the locks just in case'
  • 'Do a Claire's Law'
  • Debate whether 'it's a safeguarding issue'
  • Assume that the carol singers had SEN, were ND and/or had dementia
  • Complain that the singing made them anxious because of 'sensory issues' or misophonia
  • Profess to be 'baffled' for some reason because some people handle carol singers in a slightly different way to them
  • 'OMG they're probably lonely, it really wouldn't hurt you to to invite them in, give them the figgy pudding they're demanding and then meet them 'for a coffee' every other day for the rest of your life, what happened to being kind'
  • Assume that if the carol singers are men, singing on your doorstep is either 'creepy' or 'typical male entitlement'
  • Ask the carol singers if they meant to be so rude
  • Tell them to fuck off and die and then blame that aggressive response on perimenopause for some reason
  • Suggest that the OP's DH should open the door to share the 'mental load'
Show quote history

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Report them for benefit fraud.
Share your finances.
Don't share your finances.
They're cocklodgers.
LTB!

LeftieRightsHoarder · 12/12/2025 15:51

I’d love to have carol singers round! Haven’t seen any going door to door in decades. I always keep a few coins by the door for delivery people, so I’d be prepared if they were collecting. Otherwise, I’d offer some of the mince pies that we always buy too many of, every year. Mmmm, now I fancy a mince pie ….

Original poster
MatchaYourEnergy · 12/12/2025 16:03

XWKD · 12/12/2025 15:50

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Report them for benefit fraud.
Share your finances.
Don't share your finances.
They're cocklodgers.
LTB!

Show quote history

Also engage in some competitive undereating!! Keep the BMI below 20!

OP posts:
BauhausOfEliott · 12/12/2025 18:46

MatchaYourEnergy · 12/12/2025 16:03

Also engage in some competitive undereating!! Keep the BMI below 20!

Show quote history

"I would never offer figgy pudding; it's full of sugar and fat. I would provide some carrot sticks, hummous and a high-protein option, water to drink. My carol singers haven't been stuffed with UPF all their lives so they're baffled when they see other carol singers pestering for figgy pudding. Also on a healthy carol singer you should be able to see their ribs."

Growlybear83 · 12/12/2025 19:01

we last had carol singers a couple of years ago. I opened the door to a group of about ten enormous youths bellowing out a very tuneless version of Good King Wenceslas. They were very menacing. I gave them a couple of quid and a box of mince pies 😆😆

TheaBrandt1 · 12/12/2025 19:11

Love it Bauhaus! Though you forgot the outrage about the possible upsetting of pets in the house.

Fireworks and trick or treaters enrages many sensitive dog owners on here!

shiningcuckoo · 13/12/2025 08:17

40 years ago as a teen my friends and I used to go carol singing door to door - a few nights in different areas over three or four years. We were all in a bigger choir and we used to work out harmonies for our carols. We were always welcomed because we were good. We'd donate the money, usually to something for our local hospital as one of our sisters was a nurse there. It seems charmingly antiquated now.

Enko · 13/12/2025 08:18

Ive lived 35 years in the UK and I have never once had Carol singers come to my door.

TheChosenTwo · 13/12/2025 08:19

If someone knocks on my door I open it. I think in the 17 years we’ve lived in this house there has been one set of carol singers, 3 teenage boys 😂 they got a quid each once they’d finished their song and went on their way.

Owly11 · 13/12/2025 08:22

Haven't seen or heard of this since the early 80s.

christmassaurus · 13/12/2025 08:23

This is my 6th Christmas in this house and never had carol singers... but yes I probably would. Especially if DD was still up to listen to them.

christmassaurus · 13/12/2025 08:40

BauhausOfEliott · 12/12/2025 15:17

I believe the full range of Mumsnet advice on how to handle carol singers would be:

  • 'Log it with 101'
  • 'Get a Ring doorbell, OP'
  • 'Change the locks just in case'
  • 'Do a Claire's Law'
  • Debate whether 'it's a safeguarding issue'
  • Assume that the carol singers had SEN, were ND and/or had dementia
  • Complain that the singing made them anxious because of 'sensory issues' or misophonia
  • Profess to be 'baffled' for some reason because some people handle carol singers in a slightly different way to them
  • 'OMG they're probably lonely, it really wouldn't hurt you to to invite them in, give them the figgy pudding they're demanding and then meet them 'for a coffee' every other day for the rest of your life, what happened to being kind'
  • Assume that if the carol singers are men, singing on your doorstep is either 'creepy' or 'typical male entitlement'
  • Ask the carol singers if they meant to be so rude
  • Tell them to fuck off and die and then blame that aggressive response on perimenopause for some reason
  • Suggest that the OP's DH should open the door to share the 'mental load'
Show quote history

Actually, reading this I'd keep a diary and report to the council for noise

youegg · 13/12/2025 08:43

God no. What do you do? Stand there and smile benevolently? Bring your family to the door and stand arm in arm in your fair isle jumpers gazing in awe as lights gently twinkle in the cavernous hall behind you?

I can’t think of anything more awkward.

Abso-fucking-lutely not.

CinnamonBuns67 · 13/12/2025 09:22

Never had any but if I did I'd not open the door, I don't want to listen to it and have to pretend I enjoyed it.

Brendahollowayjustlookwhatyouhavedone · 13/12/2025 21:28

Not if if it was Tommy Robinson and his cohorts.
He put on a Christian carol service..definitely something so wrong with that.

Brendahollowayjustlookwhatyouhavedone · 13/12/2025 21:39

As reported in the daily mail.
I really have to stop looking but that was first in a long time.

Zov · 13/12/2025 21:53

MatchaYourEnergy · 11/12/2025 20:27

Because it’s the season to be jolly and everything - I just wondered this really.

i know that MNers are cautious about opening their doors - and I can’t say I blame them.

but do you open the doors to carol singers?

Haven't had carol singers for about 40 years. I have lived in a city, a town, a suburb, and now a village (been here about a decade.) Haven't had them since I lived with my parents - mid 1980s. In a small-ish town.

I would open the door for them (now) though (and give them a quid or two.) But I wouldn't open the door after 8.30pm... And I wouldn't open it right away, I would listen to them a bit first! Smile

We do (as a pp said) have a Santa and his sleigh kind of thing that comes around on 22nd-23rd December, that stays about half an hour and talks to the children and gives out sweets to the children.

They have a collection tin, and the collection goes to a local charity...

/

HisNibs · 13/12/2025 22:05

After Gremlins, never again! 😂

To ask if Mumsnetters open their door to carol singers?
Zov · 13/12/2025 22:28

@HisNibs 😆

shiningcuckoo · 13/12/2025 22:54

I live overseas now and have for many years. A couple of years ago I did a uk christmas - first time I’d been back for christmas. I found myself in the city centre of my home town on Christmas Eve. There was a silver band playing carols. I was overwhelmed with a huge rush of memory and sadness. I stood in the street and cried and cried. Those carols were powerful.