This last Sunday, the Dick and Kathy Mouritsen family went caroling, as we have every December for as long as I can remember. I know people have mixed feelings about caroling and can acknowledge that when people you don't know, or don't know well, show up at your door to sing you Christmas carols, it can be awkward as you feel compelled to stand at the door, in the cold, and listen to them sing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in its entirety. But for us, and the select few families that we carol to each year, it's a special tradition. (We even made it happen the year my parents were on their mission in Connecticut, I'm sure much to their surprise).
Before I continue, I have to give my brother Brent credit for suggesting that I write about this topic as I had not planned to. In fact, I think Brent would have been happy if I would have skipped the second half of my siblings post and just gone straight to caroling (after all, he'd already been covered in the first half).
I haven't always kept track, but I think this last Sunday we had a record turnout. By my count, we had 32 carolers, at least at our peak (some arrived a little late, some had to leave early for other commitments). This included all six of my siblings, all but seven of my mom's grandkids, and most of my siblings' spouses (this included Jeanell, who accompanied for the first time ever. The joke was that it was the first time for her and Jude, my nephew who was born in June).
The list of families we carol to hasn't always stayed the same. I believe those that we still go to really seem to enjoy it and look forward to us coming so either they genuinely do enjoy it, or they are good actors.
We have our system pretty much down to a science. We sing the same two songs every year and at every house. It goes like this: We ring the bell. As soon as we see someone coming, we begin singing "Angels We Have Heard on High" (one verse plus the chorus). We finish that song, say hello, exchange some pleasantries, then we sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" (again, one verse, nothing about figgy pudding or refusing to leave). One of the grandkids hands you a treat from my mom and we say goodbye.
Years ago, we were caroling to Lynn Cook. As we finished the first song, he leaned forward and in his quiet voice that those who know him are familiar with, whispered "Would you like to come in?" I'm not sure if my mom didn't hear him or just didn't want all of us trekking into his house, but before anyone could even respond, she broke into "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Then we left. We didn't go in.
Another time, we went to Karen and Merrill Nelson's house, but they weren't home and their son Aaron answered. He wasn't quite as enthusiastic about our caroling as Merrill and Karen usually are, but he dutifully stood in the doorway until we were done.
The funniest was one year when we went to Kathy Cummings, and she wasn't home, but her son, who we didn't know, answered. We probably should have just foregone the caroling but old habits die hard (we'd probably already started singing before the door was answered as well). So we're there crowded on the porch, singing to someone we don't know and who doesn't know us, and then the dog gets out. So the son runs out and starts chasing the dog to get it back into the house and we're just belting out "Angels We Have Heard on High" through it all.
While I know not everyone enjoys caroling or being caroled to, I'm glad it's a tradition we continue. Until next year!
(All videos courtesy of Tracy Beckett)
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