Not much into singing but still want to spread some holiday cheer with a few Christmas carols this season? A unique new app for the iPhone called iCaroler lets you connect your iPhone with up to three other phones belonging to family and friends for a synchronized “virtual caroling” experience. You can sing along, or you can let the virtual carolers do all the singing — it’s up to you. This app seems great for the living room, but I’m not sure how much “caroling” people will really do with it. After all, can you imagine the looks you’d get from most neighbors when you and three of your friends show up at their door holding out your iPhones to let them do the singing for you? It’s a little odd, but a cute idea.
Most of us have sung the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas; my guess would be that most of you have not eaten the treat Figgy Pudding mentioned in the song. The tradition of carollers being given Christmas treats for singing to neighbors in the community is a reflection in this Christmas Carol. Figgy Pudding also known as Plum pudding and Christmas pudding, dates back all the way to the sixteenth century. Over the years figgy puddings mentioned in We Wish You A Merry Christmas have faded away. But if you’re one who likes to bake try this recipe that I found for Figgy Pudding. You can bake it now and keep it till Christmas.
Every family has its favorite list of songs to sing each year at Christmas. Some songs get old after hearing them over and over, but some you can sing time after time and still enjoy. Here is a list of our top ten songs with links to the lyrics so you can sing along!
1. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
2. Jingle Bells
3. Frosty The Snowman
4. The Christmas Song
5. White Christmas
6. Silent Night
7. Winter Wonderland
8. Feliz Navidad
9. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
10. Here Comes Santa Claus
Christmas is a major holiday here in the United States, but many other countries also celebrate with similar traditions. Caroling is one such tradition that spans the cultures in many lands. The site Christmas Traditions gives a look at some traditions in China and Denmark, and also explains the Carols by Candlelight celebrations held in Australia each holiday season.
Christmas caroling is an age-old tradition that has been around for decades, but the actual origin of the tradition is something that is much debated. There are three popular accounts for how Christmas caroling became such a popular tradition.
The first possible origin lies in the search for a little girl who went missing in London in the late 1800s. Since Jack the Ripper was still on the loose, her family and friends were worried that she was a victim or that they would become victims themselves while they searched for her. Legend has it that they started singing Christmas carols as they went from door-to-door, searching, to show that they were harmless.
Another possible origin for Christmas caroling is that the tradition was started by the town drunks, who would go from door-to-door, singing, hoping to get a few dollars.
The last possible origin for this holiday tradition has its roots in the mid-1800s, when Prince Albert married Victoria and English peasants wants to impress the new royal family by serenading them with carols. It’s been said that caroling was a tradition from that day forward, and that the tradition made its way to America through the Methodist and Lutheran churches.
Have you heard any other stories behind the origin of Christmas caroling? What are they? Which one do you think is the most believable?
Wouldn’t it be awesome to be walking around the mall, listening to the sounds of traditional Christmas carols, beautifully sung by people dressed in Victorian-era attire that really makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time? That’s exactly what the Merrie Olde Christmas Carolers do, and they do a great job. Watch this video to see them in action:
If you want to host a Christmas caroling party this year, you might be thinking of having a special dinner for your guests after you all get through Christmas caroling. If some of your carolers are vegetarian, you might be wondering what you should make. You don’t have to make a special meal for just a few people if you create an entirely vegetarian meal. (And it doesn’t have to involve tofu.) This week, ChristmasDinnerParties.info is featuring an article with vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas to help you plan.
Although not very many people go Christmas caroling anymore, there are a few exceptions. In some major cities, groups have started up to attempt to spread a little holiday cheer to the whole community, and Boston is one of those cities. The Christmas Caroling Mob has had as many as 30 to 75 singers at one time, and goes around the city singing Christmas carols in stores, restaurants, and subway stops. They don’t currently have their 2009 dates posted, but if you live in the Boston area, this could be a fun activity for a cold winter evening.
If you’re thinking about planning a Christmas caroling party or already have one in the works, this video features some useful ideas to make your caroling party festive, fun, and stress-free.
Holiday music really helps you get in the mood for the Christmas season. Some people even listen to it during the summer because they miss the festive atmosphere of November and December, as Christmas nears. If your family enjoys Christmas music, you can make it a prominent part of your Christmas traditions and everyone is sure to love it. Check out the Christmas Music Blog to find easy ways to make Christmas music a family tradition.