The Scene
Christmas caroling
Have you ever considered the absurdity of Christmas caroling? Honestly, of those involved, who doesn’t feel awkward? I apologize for the cynicism, but I’ve always questioned this peculiar activity. However, before playing devil’s advocate — or perhaps Scrooge’s would be more appropriate — first I will take a moment to acknowledge the positive aspects of Christmas caroling. Indeed, I do believe that behind the tradition, there were noble intentions.
As an appreciator of the elements of art and entertainment, I can see that Christmas caroling once had these types of qualities. Without radio, television or any other easily accessible source of entertainment during the heart of winter, Christmas caroling would certainly be an appropriate solution. I also understand that the act of caroling could potentially be a way to bring together community members during the holidays.
However, I still cannot get past the awkwardness of the situation. As a group of carolers, you venture out into a community that you may or may not know well. I point this out because you could potentially encounter individuals who are not particularly welcoming of the Christmas spirit. From their perspective, they didn’t invite you to their house, or ask you to sing to them. It is possible that they didn’t want to have guests at that time. Also, how exactly do you determine which houses to go to? Are certain houses targeted, and if so, what kinds of characteristics are required? I might be reading too much into the whole ordeal, but it seems like there must be some set of standards associated with the determination of where to go.
So, along with not actually being invited to an individual’s home, carolers further impose by asking the inhabitant to stand listening with the front door standing wide open as the cold air seeps inside and the warm air pours out. After the selected homeowners have been serenaded, the departure must also be considered. Oftentimes, individuals will then feel obligated to provide something in return for the songs they heard, which further contributes to the uncomfortable situation.
Nevertheless, to avoid killing the Christmas spirit entirely, I would like to point out that I am not entirely against caroling. In fact, I feel somewhat hypocritical as I sit here writing, because I actually spent part of this particular evening singing Christmas carols with friends. However, it is necessary to point out that, contrary to the above mentioned means of caroling, this activity took place in the comfort of someone’s home at a Christmas party to which we were invited guests.
I simply believe that caroling needs to be arranged in a certain way. Planning is absolutely necessary. It seems to be fairly important to warn people that you will be showing up at their home with a group of individuals who intend to sing to them.
Perhaps all of this is simply a result of my tendency to overanalyze things, accompanied by my belief that everything needs to have an organized master plan, but I do believe that these ideas are constructive and deserve consideration. Indeed, if what we are accustomed to remains unquestioned, there is never room for improvement.