Summary:
This article helps the reader plan a fun and memorable evening Christmas caroling with family and friends. The words to the first verse and chorus of 11 Christmas songs are included, along with attributions to who wrote the lyrics and/or music. Word count is approx. 1700.

Details or Sample:
Caroling at Christmas began in the Middle Ages after songs were banned in churches. Not to be daunted, people took their music to the streets, giving much delight to their neighbors and friends. In return, carolers were often invited inside for a treat. Give your family and friends a special evening to remember by gathering them together to celebrate the Christmas season with this time honored tradition.

The small amount of planning needed is minuscule to the delight and memories it brings to not only the givers, but also to the receivers. This is a great project to do with your school-aged children. Children especially enjoy caroling with their friends. And for some reason…maybe it’s the season…all carolers sing like angels….

Here are a few notes to help get you started…fa-la-la-la-la-la….sorry. Seriously, this article gives you all the information you need to go caroling, including the words (first verse and chorus) to some of the more well-known Christmas songs.

Plan Ahead

Preparations for the evening only take a few days at most. If you are the spontaneous type, you can arrange and execute it all in one day.

Determine how large the singing party will be. Make a list of those you want to invite to participate. Keep the size of your group manageable, especially if only one person is doing all the work. Make it a children’s gathering by having your kids invite their friends.

Select a day and time to go caroling. Notify everyone on your list, and tell them what time they need to meet at your house. Allow about 30 minutes for people to gather before leaving to go caroling.

Decide whether the visits to homes will be random and unplanned, or will neighbors be alerted to your coming. While impromptu visits are more traditional and a little less work, there is the possibility of people not being home. Notifying the neighbors make it somewhat staged, but you ensure there is an audience, which could make the difference between a good and so-so time, especially for children. You can also make it a combination of the two.

If you plan to tell friends and neighbors of your visit, make some “play bills.” This is a fun project for children. The “play bills” can be simple with just the necessary information of what, when and where. You can make them as detailed as creativity will allow such as adding the names of the carolers, lyrics to a couple of the songs, and decorative touches like drawings or holiday stickers. After the announcements have been written and decorated, roll and tie them with colorful ribbons, then deliver them to the lucky recipients. Calling to notify the neighbors is also an option and much easier.

Consider the number of houses you will want to visit. When considering this, take into account the children that are in the group. The more houses you go to the longer the evening and after a certain point kids get tired and cold, which usually translates into crankiness that affects everyone. Going to 10 homes will take about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

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Written by: Denise Karson
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Words: 1700