I only went caroling once as a young person. The homeowner came outside and was pissed off because we woke up his kid. It was Christmas Eve and he was in the process of assembling a bicycle. The kid saw what his dad was doing and knew that this bike obviously did NOT come from Santa.
We didn't sing anymore after that traumatic encounter.
What time were you caroling? (sentence I never thought I'd type)
In my head there's a few hours between these two things...
...hypothetically, of course, because where are all you people that go caroling in real life?!?!
edit: please come to my house! this sounds awesome, had no idea it was a real thing (rocky mountain region, usa)
As kids, we hated doing it but my whole family is *really* musically inclined (and 80% of us were in choir) so we sounded terrific which is why all us kids were pressured into it.
But we'd go right after the sun set. In CO, it was like 6pm. People would sometimes give us cookies or hot cocoas in Styrofoam cups. This one ol bitty gave us each a dollar and told us not to spend it all in one place. :3
>This one ol bitty gave us each a dollar
You sound resentful of the fact that she didn't give you enough money. Has tipping culture reached x-mas carolers? You can't just show up at someone's house, sing a song and expect money. Your post made decide to never even open the door if I hear carolers now. I can't afford to.
Tipping culture is officially out of hand, and I used to be in the service industry for almost a decade.
What you're doing is no different than those aggressive windshield cleaner guys who expect money for a service that was never asked for.
I really was under the impression carolers did that for the love of the season, not to fill their pockets. I'll be adding one more thing to my sack of awfulness that has made me jaded.
>You sound resentful of the fact that she didn't give you enough money
Wtf? Look, pal, you're entitled to apply whatever tone you'd like to every reddit comment you see but don't be surprised when people tell you that you've misjudged. Go eat a snickers or something, geeze.
I was a young teen and this was many years ago. I don't recall what time it was. I just remember the angry father and how we all slunk back to my aunt's house in shame and humiliation. Our merry plan of doing something wholesome and good was crushed.
Just one person's experience but all the kids in my neighborhood went caroling and we didn't expect treats.
Just having the family come out and listen to us was all we wanted.
We didn't expect treats, but it was very common to be given hot cocoa or non alcoholic apple cider in my hometown when I was a kid. It's really cold, so the warm beverages were welcome. If they weren't offered, that was fine, too. It wasn't expected; it was just nice. Besides, if every house offered, we'd have had to pee a lot.
>> warm beverages were welcome
They were welcome.
I think some of the older neighbors who didn't have kids visiting would make big bowls of cider or cocoa just to have an excuse to invite us in.
This was a really small town, only 1000 people. Older people who didn't have kids visiting were adopted by all the kids in their neighborhood if they weren't mean old people. My neighborhood was the newest and didn't have many old people, though.
The big thing I remember about caroling was that it was so happy. The area was in a deep economic depression. Most of the mines had shut down, and times were really hard. But Christmas season was magic. There were lights and good smells and oranges! I seriously never had an orange outside of Christmas season as a kid. There was way more food than usual, and cookies and candies when we didn't get those a lot. And people were happy! Or they faked it well enough for children to believe it. Even the most grumpy townsfolk didn't mess up Christmas for the kids. Caroling was a chance to go to every door and see smiles from everyone. Real smiles. We didn't get to see those from adults most of the year.
That was way more important than the not very tasty cheap and often watered down cocoa and cider. At the poorest houses, it was almost completely hot water. But even hot water is nice to drink when you're cold.
We also didn't have a Christmas tree lot. You didn't buy trees. Each family went into the forest around the town and cut their own tree. Carols were sung. Very small children rode on the trees as they were dragged through the snow. If a kid didn't have a dad because he'd died in the mines, then an older gentleman would stand in and be the father figure who chose and chopped down the tree that day, or a neighbor dad would carry two trees. Moms saved tinsel from year to year and carefully placed each strand after the tree was decorated with ornaments and popcorn garlands. Those garlands would be hung in trees outside the morning after Christmas for birds to eat. Wrapping paper was carefully opened and then smoothed and folded for next year - or it was the comics section of the Sunday newspaper carefully saved for months before Christmas.
This all sounds very very old school, but it was the late 1970s and early 80s.
I'm not religious anymore. I haven't been since I was about 10, I think, but I'm still incredibly extra about Christmas. The holidays should be about lights and happiness, and I'll spread it myself if I have to. My neighbors in the city I live in now all seem to get a kick out of it. They all know who is leaving the cookies. They know who put solar Christmas lights on everyone's mailbox on the street last year. I did ask the family who is Muslim first. They happily said yes and kept my not so secret secret. They know which house their kids all come to for hot cocoa and cider after they've been sledding. They know who puts popcorn garlands in the trees on the 26th. When we do have carolers, everyone sends them to my house. :)
I don't do tinsel, though. That stuff is evil.
>Those garlands would be hung in trees outside the morning after Christmas for birds to eat.
I had completely forgotten about hanging popcorn garlands on the 26th for the birds. Thank you for the memory.
QQ: Were your stockings' contents an apple, an orange, some nuts, and a little candy?
No apples, usually. I'm from an area where they grow "wild", so apple picking is pretty much its own separate holiday.
An orange, nuts,, something chocolate, and for me, atomic fireballs because I loved them. The chocolate was usually those Palmer brand Santas. That stuff is oddly waxy feeling. Dad always got a Snickers bar. And not in stockings, because it would be messy, but mom always bought a bag of those sugar coated orange slice candies and a bag of cinnamon bears. I still absolutely love those.
Ohh, I remember people would make them a very dubious green with food coloring around Christmas, too. I always liked rice crispy treats better, personally. We had them around Halloween and at pretty much every bake sale, too.
I'm not too lazy to make them. It's the clean up I dread. Same with caramel apples, though now I'm tempted to make some.
Oh, that reminds me of another Christmas transition: Applets and Cotlers. Liberty Orchards sold out. The new owners replaced the packaging and seem to have changed the recipe. Those are a very Northwest US thing, btw.
Also Sunkist fruit gems. They've changed to taste more candy like and less actual fruit like. I'm not a fan anymore.
I am not familiar with Applets and Cotlers.
My mom kept her popcorn balls natural color then added spice drops in and put them in colored translucent wrapping and hung them in the tree. She was quite creative and it always looked so beautiful.
Rice Krispy treats are a favorite of mine, also! Original and peanut butter.
I can't even explain them right, but I'll try. ;)
Back then, they came in a tray like Valentine's chocolates do, not individually wrapped. I don't know why it bothers me to see them wrapped and I'm a bag, but it does. LOL
If you are familiar with Turkish Delight, that may help. They're similar, but pectin from the fruit makes the jelly, well, gel. In Turkish delight, I think it's gelatin. Aplets are apple, and Cotlers are apricots. They make a jelly with the fruit, wrap it around chopped up walnuts, and then roll the whole thing in powdered sugar. They're then baked. They were created to get rid of extra fruit at the end of harvest season, and they store really well. That makes them a perfect Christmas treat.
Bring them some figgy pudding because they wonāt go until they get some! Itās so caroling tradition that thereās a carol about it!
But in seriousness, we used to carol when we were in school and we *would* accept treats, we would *not* accept money but would ask them instead to donate to our schoolās music boosters to help pay for our band uniforms. Just seeing people light up when a dozen or so kids in festive hats in a rag tag brass band were on the other side of the door was totally worth it. One lady cried, donāt know what was going on with her but she said sheād had a rough year and said rag tag brass band playing āO Holy Nightā was the best thing that had happened to her. Decades later I still think of her when I hear that song.
My Dad made foggy pudding once for Christmas. It was basically like a fruitcake, then topped with some kind of alcohol and lit on fire. Very interesting.
Also, he's adorable. He starts making his fruitcake months ahead of Christmas.
Caroling isn't really done where I live, but I did it just once as a child and we only went around to the homes of people we knew. One old lady gave us some hard candy and one (the local Home Ec teacher, for what it's worth) had us in for hot chocolate, which brought the night to a lovely end. It's a pretty great memory. The rest just joined in singing/thanked us/Merry Christmased us etc.
I caroled as a teen way back when. We did it just to spread some joy. Some people might give us a candy cane or a dollar, but a smile was plenty. After reading some of these replies, itās no wonder that no one does it anymore. I havenāt seen carolers in more that 20 years
Iām 22 and have never seen carolers! I did it once as a kid with my school at a nursing home, but it was more of a planned thing and not a āshow up at your doorā type of deal. I always thought it might be awkward to just stare at kids while they sang, like when someone sings you happy birthday and you just have to put up with it until their done š
Fun fact: the āgirlfriendā in the picture that was in Buzzās secret locker was actually a producers son that dressed up. They didnāt want to subject a little girl of that age to the sense that she is ugly and is a joke in a movie. The son playing the GF thought it was hilarious since heās a boy.
Truth! Christmas caroling, trick-or-treating, and leaving May Day baskets all derive from a common origin of going round the neighborhood on particular saints' days with chants, songs, and pranks appropriate to the day.
Most were lost to history. Some survived and were commodified. But the weird roots are there.
I did it when I was little and in Girl Scouts a few times. Otherwise Iāve never even seen them. When we did it, they just applauded and closed the door. Definitely no treats or money involved lol. We didnāt expect that either- they didnāt know we were even coming and who has all that waiting on hand?
Exactly what I was thinking. In my entire life Iāve never had carolers come to my door. Iāve only seen it in the movies and it always looks so sweet and festive. But I can only imagine in real life what might happen if a bunch of people showed up in front of your house unexpectedly. First off you canāt stand in the open doorway like the movies because itās cold and youāre letting all the heat out or your pets will run out the door. You would have to close the door and stand outside in the cold without a coat because you werenāt prepared. Then my dogs would likely be barking up a storm because there are a bunch of strangers in the front yard being loud. Then after they are done you realize you donāt have anything on hand enough to hand out to 10-15 people. How i are you supposed to be able to get 15 cups of hot cocoa made while you are standing in front of your house. The movies always made it look so perfect. However if it was a planned event and people knew carolers were coming I would have all that ready
Yes especially with cell phones now, nobody shows up unexpected so I wouldnāt want anyone seeing me in my pajamas lol. I remember at one house there was a kid that was naked in the door, and they were too old for it to be acceptable š¬. People did stand with the doors open but we are in the PNW so it doesnāt usually get THAT cold to where itās an issue like if it was well below freezing.
My girl scout troop used to do it in the neighborhood next to the church we had our meetings at. We had a couple of people come out and listen which we appreciated and I remember one mom grabbing some candy canes from off the tree but the big thing was that one of the troop leader's friends lived in that neighborhood and when we got to the last house we all went inside had hot cocoa and cookies for a nice treat before going home.
One year the school marching band held a March in December where we played holiday music throughout a neighborhood and the instructor had a box to put money/check donations in. It was cold, most people just stared at us, and it sucked. I guess we didn't get enough donations or enough people complained because we went back to chocolate bar-selling for fundraising.
My son was in band for a short time his freshman year in HS. The band teacher was crazy intense and lived and breathed band and expected his students to put all their concentration on his class only. It was actually quite expensive to be in his class. It wasnāt just the band uniforms cost but his class traveled extensively throughout the year and the kids had to pay upfront all the travel, hotel and food expenses. It was mandatory for all his band students to go out in the first couple of weeks of school which was technically still summer heat in full band uniform going door to door asking for donations. The poor kids were near having heat stroke and it was a disappointing turn out as most people didnāt want to be bothered asking for cash donations to a school organization they had no affiliation with.
Way back in the 70ās one of my classes met and went after school. My neighbor was a widow, and we stopped at her home and she made us come in and gave us cookies and made me help fix glasses of tea for all of us. I think we were sophomores and it seemed to make her so happy. And it made me happy, that she made me help her. Itās a sweet memory
Thatās the only time Iāve ever been, never had a chance since.
I went caroling occasionally as a kid with friends and church members. I don't think we ever got anything beyond a thank you and maybe a little applause. I wouldn't have expected anything, either.
When I was a teen we would carol at the homes of widows in the neighborhood and give them a loaf of banana bread. It never occurred to me that people might give something to carolers.
Figgy pudding? I think that's a part of a caroling song "now give us some figgy pudding, now bring us some figgy pudding ....we won't leave until we get some, no we won't leave until we get some, bring us some figgy pudding, we know where you live".
Hah, here it's liturally the oposite. You carol and then the carolers are supposed to give the audience a specific (quite disgusting) type of bun called "lussekatter", but our tradition is usually indoors since it's blistering cold, dark, windy and snowing or raining outside constantly during that time of the year, so carolers carol at schools and offices, which pay the buns.
My tradition comes from England. There the whole reason people went out caroling was to get treats. Well at least the poor kids going to rich neighborhoods
Do you mind saying the country? I googled the buns and got back Sweden and Norway. Are the buns supposed to off-putting or are they just not to your taste?
Sweden. They're supposed to be good. But they're usually very dry. This is due to a combination of them getting dry fast and usually having laid on a tray for at least an hour or two.
Reverse trick-or-treating! Iām in the US and very rarely have ever had carolers come around since I was kid, although I would be so thrilled if they did! Warm cider snd sweets or just an enthusiastic round of applause and smiles (even if theyāre terrible singers) has always been the custom here.
A very polite no thank you and an apology.
No chance Iām standing there letting the cold deep into my warm house being assaulted by the same crappy songs Iāve been hearing in every store and elevator since the day after Halloween.
I don't really want people singing to me either. I would just do the normal human thing and not answer the door. Don't have to be an asshole. You say you've never even had carollers so it's not like you've experienced a never ending barrage of carrollers ringing your doorbell to warrant the anger.
I hate door to door people, my mother made friends with the Jehovahās Witnesses that came by and they basically watched me grow up and I was forced to indulge them whenever they came by instead of just being able to say āno thank you, weāre not interestedā and closing the door, there was also the odd random pamphlet people and find being labeled the asshole gets people to leave you alone better than politely telling them to leave you alone, I also hate Christmas due to personal reasons and donāt want people to sing to me or outside my house
Yeah but you realize these are kids like mostly under 10 right, doing it to spread Christmas joy? You can dislike it but you don't have to be a jerk to kids who don't understand that not everyone likes it. A simple "Sorry kids next house please" would do the job.
I mean, you do you, but if you want to be known in your neighborhood as the guy who cursed out a bunch of kids, on Christmas no less, that's your right. You can choose to be good or cruel to kids of your own free will without involving religion.
We sound like old men, itās especially annoying when they donāt take a hint that you want them to fuck off, had it once where I saw one coming since I was looking out from an upstairs window and never went to the door, I audibly calmed the dogs down and then sat on the couch and the fucker rang the doorbell again
I move the blind or curtain slightly and make sure they see me "peek" at them and let it close and go back to what I was doing while laughing. During the summer, door to door "prime cut" frozen meat salesman try to slide thru and I am usually out in the yard doing something when they do. I put a lid on that shit before they get their truck door all the way open.
"Nah bruh, we're good on that shit. Oh yeah, I AM going to have to pass on that deal you just offered me... *Keeps tryna pitch his sale script* ... Oh no way, my neighbor loves to buy that shit and you just want me to save money too. That's crazy that you can offer me the already deal of a lifetime at half of that price if I pay in cash... Oh because you need lunch money and you can't eat unless someone... Maybe buy some of your prime cut and save some money like my neighbors. Do yourself a favor player. You have nothing I want and this ain't what you want. That's wild that you saw me out here doin work and you said to yourself, he looks like a dumb ass who will buy my pitch... Real disrespectful coming at me like that. Tighten up bro. Out here looking like a Jehovah's witness reject. If you come back, at least say something that make my dick hard and I'll show you some prime meat my boy."
At some point itās gotta be considered harassment, if I tell some salesman I donāt want whatever theyāre selling and they keep trying I think you should be legally entitled to punch them in the mouth
If it's only you and them there when an alleged incident occurs, it's your word against theirs making it all heresay. Lol
You can say that the punch was a demand to cease and desist. Lol
My uncle and aunt got a large group of kids and some parents to come sing Christmas carols in their house. My mom offered the kids dessert after the carolers finished. One little boy who was sitting at the top of the small staircase snuck into my cousin's room and tried to play the playstation. That kid didn't deserve a crumb š”.
Iām an old timer, we used to go caroling when I was young. Weād get some cookies or a quarter, sometimes a dollar or a candy cane. It was just fun.
Grew up in the UK, if you went carol singing you got cash. Knock on the door, sing a song get given some cash. Havenāt lived there a while so i dont know if itās the same now.
Nah the go to was We wish you a Merry Christmas, because we all knew the words, and 20p was a good haul. Occasionally weād try Oh Little Town of Bethlehem and Good King Wenceslas and hope theyād give us something before we ran out of words. I donāt remember ever asking for money, it was just part of Christmas we sang and if they answered the door theyād usually give us something, the trick was to not start singing until they opened the door.
This was back in the 70s and 80s. If you didnāt want to participate you did what the OP said Bean did, just shut the door or said no thanks, not many people did that though which is why the sketch is funny.
In US it's normal not to, I think in Europe and other places you give them cookies or something. But if you're in the US and want to give some cookies or treats that would still be a fun surprise
Round where I lived (rural UK) we used to do it for charity donations, usually for the local homeless shelter. It was a village tradition, and you got a proper performance for it - grown-ups doing four part harmony.
I thought it was a wholesome trick or treat, but perhaps people get annoyed from that too. I live in a rural area meaning that we got one trick or treater every year, my neighbor.
I have never in my life encountered actual carolers or gone carolingā¦ going house to house. Iāve only ever seen that on tv or in the movies. I have seen folks dressed up in Victorian style outfits walking around the outdoor street mall in the center of town singing and as a child my church would have us kids ācarolā at the senior citizens home across the street. I donāt think the church does that anymore (they may not have enough kids now). As for the groups at the mall, I have no idea as I try my best to avoid the crowds of tourists who knock me over trying to get their fill. Last time I went I got pushed into the street as a car was coming by some āKarenā with a baby carriage, a screaming toddler and a sugary coffee thing with too much whip cream spilling all down her lululemon outfit. She had the nerve to tell me to watch out for her kid, never mind I was the one who nearly died.
I went caroling a few times with a church group when I was a kid. We walked around the neighborhood singing and stopped at the homes of a few elderly church members. One lady brought hot chocolate to us. Thinking back, I am sure they knew we were going to stop by. Itās a fond memory for me.
I have never had carolers (USA). But, if we did, I would make a bunch of small packages to hand out. Like a square of saran wrap with 2-3 small candies (I like the soft peppermints) tied with a ribbon to hand out.
My two experiences with caroling:
In the mid-90s I was in 4th to 5th grade and got invited to a caroling party that I was very excited about but remember as really disappointing although I donāt recall the exact details. I think maybe us kids were watching TV for hours waiting for the adults to get their act together and take us caroling, and in the end we only went to three or four houses? I donāt remember what sort of reception we got or if any treats or gifts were involved.
Much better experience: 10 or 12 years ago I was baking cookies on a December evening when a group of about a dozen middle or high school students and a couple of adults went caroling house to house. I heard them far enough in advance to have a plate of cookies ready to offer when they got to my house. It was really sweet and funny to hear the singing being gradually replaced by chewing š¤£.
In my experience, in the UK going carol singing is for charity so he'd have been expected to put some money in their bucket. TBH I've never seen carol singers doing it for any other reason. Mr Bean is usually good as humour that works well in all countries, but I guess this is an example where how we'd understand the joke is different.
I used to get forced to do caroling for the church youth group. We had a plate out the entire time begging money so we the poor kids could afford to go to church camp. I hated it.
Generally, where I was from, caroling was done to raise money for charity, so money was normally donated. But we would end up having a drink in some homes where the inhabitants were good friends with the carollers. Kids normally didn't get any special treatment.
Our Scout groups sometimes go caroling and collect monetary donations if anyone feels theyād like to give. The money goes to a Caroling Association that distributes the donations between several dozen charitable organizations (women and childrenās shelters, at-risk youth centers, etc).
I only went caroling once as a young person. The homeowner came outside and was pissed off because we woke up his kid. It was Christmas Eve and he was in the process of assembling a bicycle. The kid saw what his dad was doing and knew that this bike obviously did NOT come from Santa. We didn't sing anymore after that traumatic encounter.
What time were you caroling? (sentence I never thought I'd type) In my head there's a few hours between these two things... ...hypothetically, of course, because where are all you people that go caroling in real life?!?! edit: please come to my house! this sounds awesome, had no idea it was a real thing (rocky mountain region, usa)
As kids, we hated doing it but my whole family is *really* musically inclined (and 80% of us were in choir) so we sounded terrific which is why all us kids were pressured into it. But we'd go right after the sun set. In CO, it was like 6pm. People would sometimes give us cookies or hot cocoas in Styrofoam cups. This one ol bitty gave us each a dollar and told us not to spend it all in one place. :3
Aww xD I'm sure back when she was a kid that would've bought a whole bag of gumballs with leftover nickels for chocolate xD
Duuude as a 7yo, a whole dollar got me 8 whole strawberry flavored sugar sticks. I was set for life!! š
>This one ol bitty gave us each a dollar You sound resentful of the fact that she didn't give you enough money. Has tipping culture reached x-mas carolers? You can't just show up at someone's house, sing a song and expect money. Your post made decide to never even open the door if I hear carolers now. I can't afford to. Tipping culture is officially out of hand, and I used to be in the service industry for almost a decade. What you're doing is no different than those aggressive windshield cleaner guys who expect money for a service that was never asked for. I really was under the impression carolers did that for the love of the season, not to fill their pockets. I'll be adding one more thing to my sack of awfulness that has made me jaded.
>You sound resentful of the fact that she didn't give you enough money Wtf? Look, pal, you're entitled to apply whatever tone you'd like to every reddit comment you see but don't be surprised when people tell you that you've misjudged. Go eat a snickers or something, geeze.
I think I'll opt out, too.
I was a young teen and this was many years ago. I don't recall what time it was. I just remember the angry father and how we all slunk back to my aunt's house in shame and humiliation. Our merry plan of doing something wholesome and good was crushed.
š¤£š¤£
The only times I did it, I did it with folks from church, and we did it the Sunday evening before Christmas, done before 8. (US)
Just one person's experience but all the kids in my neighborhood went caroling and we didn't expect treats. Just having the family come out and listen to us was all we wanted.
We didn't expect treats, but it was very common to be given hot cocoa or non alcoholic apple cider in my hometown when I was a kid. It's really cold, so the warm beverages were welcome. If they weren't offered, that was fine, too. It wasn't expected; it was just nice. Besides, if every house offered, we'd have had to pee a lot.
>> warm beverages were welcome They were welcome. I think some of the older neighbors who didn't have kids visiting would make big bowls of cider or cocoa just to have an excuse to invite us in.
This was a really small town, only 1000 people. Older people who didn't have kids visiting were adopted by all the kids in their neighborhood if they weren't mean old people. My neighborhood was the newest and didn't have many old people, though. The big thing I remember about caroling was that it was so happy. The area was in a deep economic depression. Most of the mines had shut down, and times were really hard. But Christmas season was magic. There were lights and good smells and oranges! I seriously never had an orange outside of Christmas season as a kid. There was way more food than usual, and cookies and candies when we didn't get those a lot. And people were happy! Or they faked it well enough for children to believe it. Even the most grumpy townsfolk didn't mess up Christmas for the kids. Caroling was a chance to go to every door and see smiles from everyone. Real smiles. We didn't get to see those from adults most of the year. That was way more important than the not very tasty cheap and often watered down cocoa and cider. At the poorest houses, it was almost completely hot water. But even hot water is nice to drink when you're cold. We also didn't have a Christmas tree lot. You didn't buy trees. Each family went into the forest around the town and cut their own tree. Carols were sung. Very small children rode on the trees as they were dragged through the snow. If a kid didn't have a dad because he'd died in the mines, then an older gentleman would stand in and be the father figure who chose and chopped down the tree that day, or a neighbor dad would carry two trees. Moms saved tinsel from year to year and carefully placed each strand after the tree was decorated with ornaments and popcorn garlands. Those garlands would be hung in trees outside the morning after Christmas for birds to eat. Wrapping paper was carefully opened and then smoothed and folded for next year - or it was the comics section of the Sunday newspaper carefully saved for months before Christmas. This all sounds very very old school, but it was the late 1970s and early 80s. I'm not religious anymore. I haven't been since I was about 10, I think, but I'm still incredibly extra about Christmas. The holidays should be about lights and happiness, and I'll spread it myself if I have to. My neighbors in the city I live in now all seem to get a kick out of it. They all know who is leaving the cookies. They know who put solar Christmas lights on everyone's mailbox on the street last year. I did ask the family who is Muslim first. They happily said yes and kept my not so secret secret. They know which house their kids all come to for hot cocoa and cider after they've been sledding. They know who puts popcorn garlands in the trees on the 26th. When we do have carolers, everyone sends them to my house. :) I don't do tinsel, though. That stuff is evil.
>Those garlands would be hung in trees outside the morning after Christmas for birds to eat. I had completely forgotten about hanging popcorn garlands on the 26th for the birds. Thank you for the memory. QQ: Were your stockings' contents an apple, an orange, some nuts, and a little candy?
No apples, usually. I'm from an area where they grow "wild", so apple picking is pretty much its own separate holiday. An orange, nuts,, something chocolate, and for me, atomic fireballs because I loved them. The chocolate was usually those Palmer brand Santas. That stuff is oddly waxy feeling. Dad always got a Snickers bar. And not in stockings, because it would be messy, but mom always bought a bag of those sugar coated orange slice candies and a bag of cinnamon bears. I still absolutely love those.
My mother also made popcorn balls, which I wish I could have nowadays. However, I'm too lazy to make them myself. š
Ohh, I remember people would make them a very dubious green with food coloring around Christmas, too. I always liked rice crispy treats better, personally. We had them around Halloween and at pretty much every bake sale, too. I'm not too lazy to make them. It's the clean up I dread. Same with caramel apples, though now I'm tempted to make some. Oh, that reminds me of another Christmas transition: Applets and Cotlers. Liberty Orchards sold out. The new owners replaced the packaging and seem to have changed the recipe. Those are a very Northwest US thing, btw. Also Sunkist fruit gems. They've changed to taste more candy like and less actual fruit like. I'm not a fan anymore.
I am not familiar with Applets and Cotlers. My mom kept her popcorn balls natural color then added spice drops in and put them in colored translucent wrapping and hung them in the tree. She was quite creative and it always looked so beautiful. Rice Krispy treats are a favorite of mine, also! Original and peanut butter.
I can't even explain them right, but I'll try. ;) Back then, they came in a tray like Valentine's chocolates do, not individually wrapped. I don't know why it bothers me to see them wrapped and I'm a bag, but it does. LOL If you are familiar with Turkish Delight, that may help. They're similar, but pectin from the fruit makes the jelly, well, gel. In Turkish delight, I think it's gelatin. Aplets are apple, and Cotlers are apricots. They make a jelly with the fruit, wrap it around chopped up walnuts, and then roll the whole thing in powdered sugar. They're then baked. They were created to get rid of extra fruit at the end of harvest season, and they store really well. That makes them a perfect Christmas treat.
Bring them some figgy pudding because they wonāt go until they get some! Itās so caroling tradition that thereās a carol about it! But in seriousness, we used to carol when we were in school and we *would* accept treats, we would *not* accept money but would ask them instead to donate to our schoolās music boosters to help pay for our band uniforms. Just seeing people light up when a dozen or so kids in festive hats in a rag tag brass band were on the other side of the door was totally worth it. One lady cried, donāt know what was going on with her but she said sheād had a rough year and said rag tag brass band playing āO Holy Nightā was the best thing that had happened to her. Decades later I still think of her when I hear that song.
Aw, that's great!
I dont think you're really *expected* to, but I still give them each a pentagram necklace and a cigarette.
Should replace that cigarette with a 40oz. These are mostly kids after all..
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hey man you know I'm really okay...
Please tell me this is an Offspring reference!
Thatās not what your mother said Michael
That's alcohol abuse. Those little losers will puke it right back up without even catching a buzz.
I don't care what it costs I cut each and every one of them a line! Everyone should have a white Christmas.
Does that apply to caroling adults? Iām dreaming of a white Christmas.
It applies to anything. If a stick of butter throws on a Santa's hat and sings any song... Line of coke.
Youāre the hero we need.
They call me The Snow Man
Reminds me of Towlie on South Park. āDonāt forget to bring a towel!ā
Just out here with my full choir singing 40 songs.
By the end of it your not even singing but your teeth are chattering to the tune of the nutcracker. Another line!
A joint might be appreciated as well
Figgy pudding
They won't leave until they get some.
šµIt's the principle of the thing.šµ
"Marsha, could you go to the store and buy some ingredients for figgy pudding? The carolers are trespassing again."
My Dad made foggy pudding once for Christmas. It was basically like a fruitcake, then topped with some kind of alcohol and lit on fire. Very interesting. Also, he's adorable. He starts making his fruitcake months ahead of Christmas.
Yum! He must feed it with rum right? Iāve been wanting to try that recipe for years.
I believe it was a clear rum, yes
> Now in our country the caroling tradition is different (I can explain if anyone is interested) Yes, please explain
I said the same then saw this https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/bvsylOnEr9
Caroling isn't really done where I live, but I did it just once as a child and we only went around to the homes of people we knew. One old lady gave us some hard candy and one (the local Home Ec teacher, for what it's worth) had us in for hot chocolate, which brought the night to a lovely end. It's a pretty great memory. The rest just joined in singing/thanked us/Merry Christmased us etc.
I caroled as a teen way back when. We did it just to spread some joy. Some people might give us a candy cane or a dollar, but a smile was plenty. After reading some of these replies, itās no wonder that no one does it anymore. I havenāt seen carolers in more that 20 years
I grew up in the house that gave candy canes. Just realized it's been 20iah years since I've seen actual carolers and not folks on TV.
What!? But caroling is so much fun! We have an entire day devoted to caroling - saint Lucia's day, 13th of december.
Glad itās alive and well somewhere!
That's nice you guys can still do it. If you did that where I live you'd get a shotgun pulled on you.
Iām 22 and have never seen carolers! I did it once as a kid with my school at a nursing home, but it was more of a planned thing and not a āshow up at your doorā type of deal. I always thought it might be awkward to just stare at kids while they sang, like when someone sings you happy birthday and you just have to put up with it until their done š
Say Merry Christmas and close the door.
āAnd keep the change you filthy animalā
oh no, the wet bandits!
Fun fact: the āgirlfriendā in the picture that was in Buzzās secret locker was actually a producers son that dressed up. They didnāt want to subject a little girl of that age to the sense that she is ugly and is a joke in a movie. The son playing the GF thought it was hilarious since heās a boy.
This is amazing
r/MovieDetails Happy Cake Day!
Donāt even offer them a joint?
I think traditionally some little treats are given, but I'm not 100% sure.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Truth! Christmas caroling, trick-or-treating, and leaving May Day baskets all derive from a common origin of going round the neighborhood on particular saints' days with chants, songs, and pranks appropriate to the day. Most were lost to history. Some survived and were commodified. But the weird roots are there.
I did it when I was little and in Girl Scouts a few times. Otherwise Iāve never even seen them. When we did it, they just applauded and closed the door. Definitely no treats or money involved lol. We didnāt expect that either- they didnāt know we were even coming and who has all that waiting on hand?
Exactly what I was thinking. In my entire life Iāve never had carolers come to my door. Iāve only seen it in the movies and it always looks so sweet and festive. But I can only imagine in real life what might happen if a bunch of people showed up in front of your house unexpectedly. First off you canāt stand in the open doorway like the movies because itās cold and youāre letting all the heat out or your pets will run out the door. You would have to close the door and stand outside in the cold without a coat because you werenāt prepared. Then my dogs would likely be barking up a storm because there are a bunch of strangers in the front yard being loud. Then after they are done you realize you donāt have anything on hand enough to hand out to 10-15 people. How i are you supposed to be able to get 15 cups of hot cocoa made while you are standing in front of your house. The movies always made it look so perfect. However if it was a planned event and people knew carolers were coming I would have all that ready
Yes especially with cell phones now, nobody shows up unexpected so I wouldnāt want anyone seeing me in my pajamas lol. I remember at one house there was a kid that was naked in the door, and they were too old for it to be acceptable š¬. People did stand with the doors open but we are in the PNW so it doesnāt usually get THAT cold to where itās an issue like if it was well below freezing.
My girl scout troop used to do it in the neighborhood next to the church we had our meetings at. We had a couple of people come out and listen which we appreciated and I remember one mom grabbing some candy canes from off the tree but the big thing was that one of the troop leader's friends lived in that neighborhood and when we got to the last house we all went inside had hot cocoa and cookies for a nice treat before going home.
A quick spray with the hose is thanks enough, just like grand daddy taught us.
I think it depends on where this is happening. They usually alert you with a flyer or something that they're doing it on that night/week or something
I used to carol all the time. Sometimes folks gave us a cookie or something but usually not. We were happy with any acknowledgment at all!
I thought you were supposed to give them a shilling and sixpence or something.
You give them tuppence if they're homeless and selling bird food.
Traditionally you give them a cup of beer or cider (wassel)
Where I grew up youāre supposed to give them money
Give them each a dreidel
Itās not something thatās done in my area anymore, but when I was a kid people would give candy canes or disposable cups of hot chocolate / cider.
One year the school marching band held a March in December where we played holiday music throughout a neighborhood and the instructor had a box to put money/check donations in. It was cold, most people just stared at us, and it sucked. I guess we didn't get enough donations or enough people complained because we went back to chocolate bar-selling for fundraising.
My son was in band for a short time his freshman year in HS. The band teacher was crazy intense and lived and breathed band and expected his students to put all their concentration on his class only. It was actually quite expensive to be in his class. It wasnāt just the band uniforms cost but his class traveled extensively throughout the year and the kids had to pay upfront all the travel, hotel and food expenses. It was mandatory for all his band students to go out in the first couple of weeks of school which was technically still summer heat in full band uniform going door to door asking for donations. The poor kids were near having heat stroke and it was a disappointing turn out as most people didnāt want to be bothered asking for cash donations to a school organization they had no affiliation with.
Way back in the 70ās one of my classes met and went after school. My neighbor was a widow, and we stopped at her home and she made us come in and gave us cookies and made me help fix glasses of tea for all of us. I think we were sophomores and it seemed to make her so happy. And it made me happy, that she made me help her. Itās a sweet memory Thatās the only time Iāve ever been, never had a chance since.
I ended up having kids camping out in my yard for 3 days till I finally delivered the figgy pudding.
I went caroling occasionally as a kid with friends and church members. I don't think we ever got anything beyond a thank you and maybe a little applause. I wouldn't have expected anything, either.
When I was a teen we would carol at the homes of widows in the neighborhood and give them a loaf of banana bread. It never occurred to me that people might give something to carolers.
Figgy pudding? I think that's a part of a caroling song "now give us some figgy pudding, now bring us some figgy pudding ....we won't leave until we get some, no we won't leave until we get some, bring us some figgy pudding, we know where you live".
Baptism by Super Soaker.
We always applauded them, but yes youāre supposed to Offer refreshments
Hah, here it's liturally the oposite. You carol and then the carolers are supposed to give the audience a specific (quite disgusting) type of bun called "lussekatter", but our tradition is usually indoors since it's blistering cold, dark, windy and snowing or raining outside constantly during that time of the year, so carolers carol at schools and offices, which pay the buns.
My tradition comes from England. There the whole reason people went out caroling was to get treats. Well at least the poor kids going to rich neighborhoods
Do you mind saying the country? I googled the buns and got back Sweden and Norway. Are the buns supposed to off-putting or are they just not to your taste?
Sweden. They're supposed to be good. But they're usually very dry. This is due to a combination of them getting dry fast and usually having laid on a tray for at least an hour or two.
Reverse trick-or-treating! Iām in the US and very rarely have ever had carolers come around since I was kid, although I would be so thrilled if they did! Warm cider snd sweets or just an enthusiastic round of applause and smiles (even if theyāre terrible singers) has always been the custom here.
A very polite no thank you and an apology. No chance Iām standing there letting the cold deep into my warm house being assaulted by the same crappy songs Iāve been hearing in every store and elevator since the day after Halloween.
Never had carollers but my plan is to open the door and tell them to fuck off,
I don't really want people singing to me either. I would just do the normal human thing and not answer the door. Don't have to be an asshole. You say you've never even had carollers so it's not like you've experienced a never ending barrage of carrollers ringing your doorbell to warrant the anger.
I hate door to door people, my mother made friends with the Jehovahās Witnesses that came by and they basically watched me grow up and I was forced to indulge them whenever they came by instead of just being able to say āno thank you, weāre not interestedā and closing the door, there was also the odd random pamphlet people and find being labeled the asshole gets people to leave you alone better than politely telling them to leave you alone, I also hate Christmas due to personal reasons and donāt want people to sing to me or outside my house
Yeah but you realize these are kids like mostly under 10 right, doing it to spread Christmas joy? You can dislike it but you don't have to be a jerk to kids who don't understand that not everyone likes it. A simple "Sorry kids next house please" would do the job.
Iād prefer to scare them off my lawn
I mean, you do you, but if you want to be known in your neighborhood as the guy who cursed out a bunch of kids, on Christmas no less, that's your right. You can choose to be good or cruel to kids of your own free will without involving religion.
Iām perfectly fine being that guy, Christmas is not an excuse to be a nuisance
You seem like a completely well adjusted human being.
Indeed I am, the knob is supposed to be broken right
yeah, fuck those people. I don't even like people coming up on my porch or knocking on my door... the audacity of people these days.
We sound like old men, itās especially annoying when they donāt take a hint that you want them to fuck off, had it once where I saw one coming since I was looking out from an upstairs window and never went to the door, I audibly calmed the dogs down and then sat on the couch and the fucker rang the doorbell again
I move the blind or curtain slightly and make sure they see me "peek" at them and let it close and go back to what I was doing while laughing. During the summer, door to door "prime cut" frozen meat salesman try to slide thru and I am usually out in the yard doing something when they do. I put a lid on that shit before they get their truck door all the way open. "Nah bruh, we're good on that shit. Oh yeah, I AM going to have to pass on that deal you just offered me... *Keeps tryna pitch his sale script* ... Oh no way, my neighbor loves to buy that shit and you just want me to save money too. That's crazy that you can offer me the already deal of a lifetime at half of that price if I pay in cash... Oh because you need lunch money and you can't eat unless someone... Maybe buy some of your prime cut and save some money like my neighbors. Do yourself a favor player. You have nothing I want and this ain't what you want. That's wild that you saw me out here doin work and you said to yourself, he looks like a dumb ass who will buy my pitch... Real disrespectful coming at me like that. Tighten up bro. Out here looking like a Jehovah's witness reject. If you come back, at least say something that make my dick hard and I'll show you some prime meat my boy."
At some point itās gotta be considered harassment, if I tell some salesman I donāt want whatever theyāre selling and they keep trying I think you should be legally entitled to punch them in the mouth
If it's only you and them there when an alleged incident occurs, it's your word against theirs making it all heresay. Lol You can say that the punch was a demand to cease and desist. Lol
Officer he wouldnāt stop trying to sell me a lawnmower so I showed him how good mine was
I didn't know it was a thing that people actually do.
I think you're just supposed to applaud and thank them for the singing.
Only if they try to convince your wife to buy you an iPhone
My uncle and aunt got a large group of kids and some parents to come sing Christmas carols in their house. My mom offered the kids dessert after the carolers finished. One little boy who was sitting at the top of the small staircase snuck into my cousin's room and tried to play the playstation. That kid didn't deserve a crumb š”.
He didn't sing.
Iām an old timer, we used to go caroling when I was young. Weād get some cookies or a quarter, sometimes a dollar or a candy cane. It was just fun.
They're wassailing! Give'em some wassail!
I mean I would appreciate some cookies but Iāve gone caroling before and I didnāt expect anything
Unrelated, but did you enjoy that scene of Mr. Bean and the turkey?
I think youāre supposed to give them figgy pudding.
My motto is "Did anyone ASK you to do that ? Then please don't." Carolers fall under that heading.
I'm pretty sure that you're supposed to give them some figgy pudding. I don't think they'll leave until they get some.
Eat candy in front of them then close the door.
That was what he did in the show LoL
A trespass notice?
[I usually give them ten seconds to get off my damn property.](https://imgur.com/a/FPOwNLH)
The hose
Isn't it frozen by december?
Shouldnāt be. You should drain and put away you hose before it gets that cold. Only bring it out for carolers
Welp... Any water pipe outdoors (except for the ones burried far down) is frozen here.
Then use a spray bottle? Idk what to tell you. Idk why your pipes arenāt better insulated
Because they're half a century old. But spray bottle I can solve.
Grew up in the UK, if you went carol singing you got cash. Knock on the door, sing a song get given some cash. Havenāt lived there a while so i dont know if itās the same now.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Jesus. Happy birthday to you. 1 pound, please."
Nah the go to was We wish you a Merry Christmas, because we all knew the words, and 20p was a good haul. Occasionally weād try Oh Little Town of Bethlehem and Good King Wenceslas and hope theyād give us something before we ran out of words. I donāt remember ever asking for money, it was just part of Christmas we sang and if they answered the door theyād usually give us something, the trick was to not start singing until they opened the door.
How did you mark your house as not wanting to participate, or was every house expected to open their door?
This was back in the 70s and 80s. If you didnāt want to participate you did what the OP said Bean did, just shut the door or said no thanks, not many people did that though which is why the sketch is funny.
In US it's normal not to, I think in Europe and other places you give them cookies or something. But if you're in the US and want to give some cookies or treats that would still be a fun surprise
If youāre expecting something for hollering in my yard uninvited, itās going to be hose water.
Smithers, release the hounds
Contents of the turkey deep fryer. Thrown, not handed.
Wassail
You supposed to give them hot chocolate
I dont think I've ever seen a Christmas caroler outside of the mall or some event where they're brought in for some reason
Ale.
No. I'm old and never heard of giving out stuff to carolers.
foggy pudding
some festive colored fet
I used to carol as a child and never expected or really ever received anything. I didn't know this was a thing.
Round where I lived (rural UK) we used to do it for charity donations, usually for the local homeless shelter. It was a village tradition, and you got a proper performance for it - grown-ups doing four part harmony.
A clap.
A shove off your poarch
I would not be happy if someone started caroling at my door
I thought it was a wholesome trick or treat, but perhaps people get annoyed from that too. I live in a rural area meaning that we got one trick or treater every year, my neighbor.
Yes, you gotta start making your figgy pudding the day after Thanksgiving in preparation
I have never in my life encountered actual carolers or gone carolingā¦ going house to house. Iāve only ever seen that on tv or in the movies. I have seen folks dressed up in Victorian style outfits walking around the outdoor street mall in the center of town singing and as a child my church would have us kids ācarolā at the senior citizens home across the street. I donāt think the church does that anymore (they may not have enough kids now). As for the groups at the mall, I have no idea as I try my best to avoid the crowds of tourists who knock me over trying to get their fill. Last time I went I got pushed into the street as a car was coming by some āKarenā with a baby carriage, a screaming toddler and a sugary coffee thing with too much whip cream spilling all down her lululemon outfit. She had the nerve to tell me to watch out for her kid, never mind I was the one who nearly died.
In my home country they receive money,sweets and fruits.
I went caroling a few times with a church group when I was a kid. We walked around the neighborhood singing and stopped at the homes of a few elderly church members. One lady brought hot chocolate to us. Thinking back, I am sure they knew we were going to stop by. Itās a fond memory for me.
The finger and a cold bucket of water.
Youāre supposed to give them the āYou-kids-get-off-my-lawn!ā treatment
People do this still?
A restraining order
Penny for the song, Guv'nor?
Iāve never seen caroling in my whole life so I donāt know.
Hot cocoa. Christmas cookies. Cider
Well I donāt know how to make figgy pudding but if itās the only way to get rid of them Iāll figure it out!
A swift kick in the nuts
In the 1970s, I remember caroling adults might be offered a cocktail.
A what
We always collected donations food banks when we went carolling
Depends on where you are
I have never had carolers (USA). But, if we did, I would make a bunch of small packages to hand out. Like a square of saran wrap with 2-3 small candies (I like the soft peppermints) tied with a ribbon to hand out.
Whoever the carolers are in this thread, please stay away from my house. It's a nice sentiment, but just don't.
My two experiences with caroling: In the mid-90s I was in 4th to 5th grade and got invited to a caroling party that I was very excited about but remember as really disappointing although I donāt recall the exact details. I think maybe us kids were watching TV for hours waiting for the adults to get their act together and take us caroling, and in the end we only went to three or four houses? I donāt remember what sort of reception we got or if any treats or gifts were involved. Much better experience: 10 or 12 years ago I was baking cookies on a December evening when a group of about a dozen middle or high school students and a couple of adults went caroling house to house. I heard them far enough in advance to have a plate of cookies ready to offer when they got to my house. It was really sweet and funny to hear the singing being gradually replaced by chewing š¤£.
More likely than not "getting their act together" was a euphemism for drinking plenty of holiday spirits.
My friendās mom gave us each a banana. Guessing it was around 1979.
In my experience, in the UK going carol singing is for charity so he'd have been expected to put some money in their bucket. TBH I've never seen carol singers doing it for any other reason. Mr Bean is usually good as humour that works well in all countries, but I guess this is an example where how we'd understand the joke is different.
I used to get forced to do caroling for the church youth group. We had a plate out the entire time begging money so we the poor kids could afford to go to church camp. I hated it.
Yeah - some advice to git the hell off muh lawn
I would never assume someone wants to hear me sing especially something christian in my old neighborhood lol
Well... Kinda same. My country isn't very religious, like the US, but christmas carols are an exception.
Generally, where I was from, caroling was done to raise money for charity, so money was normally donated. But we would end up having a drink in some homes where the inhabitants were good friends with the carollers. Kids normally didn't get any special treatment.
The garden hose š
People answer the door for carollers? Iād die of a panic attack. Donāt like happy birthday being sung to me either lol
Hot chocolate and candy canes
Invite them in for candy you have inside
Our Scout groups sometimes go caroling and collect monetary donations if anyone feels theyād like to give. The money goes to a Caroling Association that distributes the donations between several dozen charitable organizations (women and childrenās shelters, at-risk youth centers, etc).
We host a neighborhood/block caroling party each year. No expectation of anything. We just like to see people smile when they come to the door.
In my country (Greece) we give small amounts of money. Like 1-2 euros.
The finger and a door slam!
When I was a kid, we took small gifts of cookies to the 'old' people and the sick, and sang carols. They just thanked us.