Earlier this week our church went Christmas caroling. It’s something the church has done since I was a girl.
Back then we’d pile into the back of a flat bed truck with rails and ride through the community stopping to sing here and there. Most of the visits were to people from the church who were elderly or sick.
One year we stopped at James Mabry’s house. I was about 13. He had been sick for good while. James was a real character! There’s still stories of things he did and said shared in our family today. James was a strong presence in our church and a faithful member.
I don’t recall what Christmas songs we sung at his house, but I’ll never forget the image of him coming out on his porch to hear us better. His pajamas were striped, his body weakened from sickness. His spirit seemed to strengthen as we sung. He was encouraged by the songs and our presence. Yet more than that I believe he was pleased to see a bunch of young folks who would hopefully continue on the path he had helped forge in the community.
Today we have a church van for everyone to pile in to make the rounds. Although the mode of transportation has changed, the happiness seen on each person’s face has not. It’s a simple thing to ride around the community and sing Christmas songs. The camaraderie and reciprocal joy that occurs between the singers and the viewers is complex. I just can’t describe it. But I can tell you it’s a priceless experience for all.
Last night’s video: Appalachian Santa Saves Christmas.
Tipper
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During my youth our youth group from church would go caroling. Every year. I also remember trudging through the ice and snow on the ground. Nothing stopped us. My goodness it was cold. But we never complained. Well maybe a little bit. LOL We would go house to house in our small country town and it was so much fun. Of course we were bundled up in the warmest clothing we could find at home. Afterwards we’d go to our youth leaders home, and enjoy the hot chocolate and Christmas cookies and treats. Also the heat of furnaces. Such a great memory. Before living in the small town we lived in a large city, St. Louis, MO. There we would even visit apartment buildings and do caroling. Oh that really was such a great experience. Now I live in another little country town in another state, but sadly I haven’t seen or heard of neighborhood caroling. This year we did have a gathering at the little park in town, with caroling and other activities going on. I wanted to go but I had obligations already and was unable to attend. Hopefully next year. God willing. Miss Tipper, thanks for lifting these memories back up. It warms my heart to think of those times. The story you told of your caroling times was so sweet. Merry Christmas to everyone, may it be your best ever. God bless Miss Louzine, give her a wonderful Christmas Day, with all her family, who is coming together this year. To all who are not feeling too well, my prayers go out to you all for a blessed Christmas Day too. And may God give you all His healing mercies.
Glad your church continues this tradition. It really is a blessing to the shut-ins.
We postponed caroling last Sunday when the high was 26 to tomorrow after church when the high is mid 60’s. It’s been a crazy December so far weather-wise here in North Alabama and Christmas Day is supposed to be in the 70s! I’m looking forward to caroling tomorrow.
I loved the Appalachian Santa story last evening—you had me glued to the television! As a young girl, I had so much fun Christmas caroling through our neighborhood with the youth and young adults of our church. I went with my daughter and her Girl Scout troop when she was a young girl too. We went to a local nursing home and sang for all the folks residing there. They loved having young folks there singing and spending time with them. The last couple of years I have went with my granddaughter and her 4H group caroling around the neighborhood. The children left candy canes at all the houses we visited. This year, her 4H group spent a couple of hours one afternoon wrapping gifts for anyone in the area that needed help. They provided the wrapping paper, bows and tags for this community project. My granddaughter and her friend were in charge of adding ribbon and bows to each gift. She had so much fun, while learning at a young age, that it is rewarding to do something nice for others.
So many I remember where we went caroling are now gone on. I miss them and the caroling. I would not say we were good but we were earnest and enthusiastic. I remember one time when for a reason I can’t remember I started singing “O Holy Night”. I got a startled look from our choir leader because that was not one we ever sang! Somehow we made it through without wrecking. We always left a brown paper “poke” or two at each place. Nothing fancy, just some fruit and candy, the ‘old-fashioned’ kind like stick candy, orange slices and drop candy. It has been some years since we have gone.
Our youth group would go caroling every Christmas. We mainly went to the elderly and shut-ins. I’m 72 and recently was reminded of carolers when my cousin’s grandchildren appeared at her front door and sang. She videotaped them and I’m sure it meant the world to her. We’re both “young” 72 year olds but that visit was so meaningful and I’m so happy she shared the video with me. It brought back such fond memories.
Oh, Tipper. How wonderful to hear that your church still goes Christmas caroling. The church I grew up in always went caroling to the shut-ins. When nursing homes became available in our area we would also go to the nursing homes to carol. What a joy it brought to the recipients and to us carolers. Thank you so much for this post. It brought back some wonderful memories and really made my day. I hope your church never ends this tradition.
I went Christmas Caroling a few times as a kid and young teen in the country. Not an ideal thing to do in the city!
I’m going to get ingredients for the stuffed dates for Christmas Eve. They looked yummy!
Love to your family ❣️
So beautiful !!!!
Some of my fondest memories from childhood, elementary school to be exact, were the two times I was able to go Christmas Caroling. I remember it like it was yesterday. It obviously made quite an impact on me. I thought of it when your last post mentioned “serenading” and wondered if that’s what you called caroling…I see now it was two separate things. Merry Christmas Tipper. Thank you for sharing your wonderful life. ❤️
Lovely story!
My first date with my wife was in a decorated Dodge cattle truck full of kids from church singing Christmas carols. I was driving and Yvonne sat beside me and kept a watch on the kids in the back. I went where I was told and stopped when commanded to. I don’t remember the route or where we stopped but I can vividly remember the warmth of my future wife as she scooched up against me.
It was a “crying shame” us boys had to drive with one hand and shift the gears on a manual transmission with the other!!
Good morning Tipper and acorns! I was an older adult when I met Jesus, my Lord and Savior. After reading this post and the comments I know I missed out on a huge blessing as a child. Unfortunately, in central Alberta it’s always extremely cold this time of year (-31 Celsius today), far too cold to go outside Christmas caroling. However, we have gone into nursing homes to sing and visit with our seniors, which is a blessing to both the singers and the listeners! As with many churches our membership has decreased, so we haven’t done this in a while.
The joy and untold wonder of living in a close-knit rural area. The way things are nowadays in the major cities you probably need to get a permit to go caroling. No permit get ticketed for creating a nuisance, unlawful assembly and anything else that they can think up.
Members of our youth choir and MYF used to go caroling at the homes of older church members. They loved our coming. It strengthened the bond between those that helped lay the spiritual foundation of our church and those of us following in their footsteps.
Prayers continue for Granny.
I remember caroling during my youth and then when I was a youth leader, we would take our kids caroling to the shut-ins and even to the nursing home. It brought such joy to them and the kids enjoyed it as much as the elders did. I recall one year when daddy was in the hospital right before Christmas, I was sitting with him and thought I heard some music down the hall, well it got closer and it was a group of carolers singing Silent Night. It was beautiful and daddy smiled from ear to ear. That was priceless!!
Oh, how lovely, Tipper! Thank you for bringing such joy and strength to your neighbors.
Caroling at Christmas time reflects the sweetness of the Lord and Appalachia. Thank you for such a wonderful post.
How sweet and how wonderful it is for your church to go and sing Christmas songs at the homes of folks who are sick or unable to get out and enjoy the Christmas season.
The church takes the choir and folks who are just like to sing to the nursing home in Hillsville every month for singing and socializing. Majority of the folks that are patients there we know in some way.
It is just a small way to make their lives happier. We don’t go Christmas caroling every year but sometimes when the weather is warm and there is no ice or snow we go to folks in one of the neighborhoods where folks we know and welcome us. Just as you stated in your post, it makes everyone have a great feeling about seeing people that are shut ins smile and the socializing with friends and neighbors. Kathy Patterson
Glad you are still doing it!
How beautiful! Caroling has almost vanished in Roswell, I’m sad to say. I loved it so much, and for a few years we had an accordian player in our group.
Church groups caroling in the nursing home I used to work at was always fun. Seeing them light up, some singing along, after dementia had made them nonverbal. We had one lady that never talked, but you could sing any old hymn and she’d join in. Amazing power in music and community. Merry Christmas all!!
Our youth group goes to the 3 care homes in our town. I don’t know that they fully understand the impact they make on those sweet folks.
The Christmas story was enchanting. I kept whispering in my head please be Santa!
As always praying for Granny.
I grew up in eastern Kentucky and Jesse Stewart was one of my favorite authors. I had never heard this story. Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I loved doing that as a kid! We would go to all the houses of the elderly in our neighborhood and sing for them. They would often invite us all (a lot of kids, more than a dozen) to come in and have a snack or treat. They were so kind and it moved us to tears sometimes that the simplest little effort on our part made them so happy. I’m going to focus on that today, that the simplest effort from me may bring love and joy into someone’s heart today. I will try to find those little ways of blessing those I meet. Thank you for the beautiful idea!
Years ago, my late husband and a pastor started a new church branch & I remember every Christmas the church would go caroling at Christmas. Someone would bring a long trailer filled with hay & all the kids would pile in with adults who were brave enough to face the cold weather and we would go around the neighboring homes. Everyone had such a good time & it lifted the spirits of the elderly who could not get out at Christmas. Then it was back to the church for roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate. I wish more people would organize Christmas caroling. I love the memories of the past.
Merry Christmas to you all & praying that Granny will feel good enough to really enjoy Christmas this year!
Love hearing that your church goes Caroling! We always loved it at our church but have not gone since our Pastor died in 2014. He had a beautiful baritone voice. He was saved while in a secular college and transferred to a Bible college when he was called to the ministry. While there he was told that he had a tremendous singing voice and from that day forward he sang a special song each Sunday. My husband taped his voice and created cds which the Church gave out as Christmas presents to the members. He died suddenly and we, who still attend his church, miss him very much.
Richard
Tipper, I think you and the church riding through the community and bringing cheer especially to the sick and elderly is a very beautiful gesture of love, joy and cheer and is exactly what Christmas is all about! There’s no price one can put on eyes and a face lighting up with joy and hope! As a nurse, I guess it’s what kept me hanging on as long as I did. Joy is what makes life worth living and sometimes just knowing someone cares is enough to keep us hanging on another day!!!! I think you’re one wonderful and beautiful person, Tipper, inside and out! I’m thankful for you every day!!!
I love your story about Christmas Caroling. When I was a kid, my church’s youth choir would go caroling. It was so much fun. I think it made us feel as much joy as the people we were singing to!
I’m glad to hear that your church still goes Christmas caroling, I don’t know if there are any churches around here that still do this, at least I don’t hear about it anymore. My aunt and uncle drove school buses, so they would drive us around in the buses to our church member houses and nursing homes so that we could sing and visit with each person a little bit. I know everyone had a great time and really enjoyed having us show up and we enjoyed blessing them with Christmas songs!
Some of my best memories of my teenage years are about going caroling…such fun!♥️♥️♥️
Good Morning Tipper and Acorn. That is a sweet story. I remember the time I went Caroling as a teenager and the Christmas Pageant at Church. Churches don’t go caroling up here any more. A few have programs they put on for “the public”. To me they have lost their focus of community service. I’m glad to hear the folk on your side of the Mountains still do Godly work. TY for keeping Christ in Christmas rhen the world i taking over in so many places. I keep you all in my prayers. I love Y’all.
I also remember going caroling at Christmas time with the church we attended. It was made up of youth group with some adults to tag along. We would go to members homes, couple of the nursing homes, etc. It was always fun to see the happy faces as we would sing even many would join in with us and sing along. We would return to church for hot chocolate and snacks. It was always a fun thing to do something I always looked forward to doing.
Merry Christmas and God bless you very much,
I enjoyed last night’s story about Christmas very much, the man was really Santa Claus , at least to the little children, you’re doing a great work, Christmas caroling, Merry Christmas to all and God bless you, I pray the Lord to give Granny a peaceful no pain and suffering Christmas in Jesus name
Until recently, the youth at my church have went through the community singing Christmas carols to the elderly people. Now much has changed, longtime members are leaving and going to other churches because of this. When I was a youth, my Sunday School class would go visit a bedridden member and have our Sunday School lesson with her. She loved young people and seemed to get a lot of enjoyment from us doing this. I mentioned her being bedridden, I have never seen anyone in my lifetime in worse shape than she was with arthritis, she was a small frame lady, but her joints were huge. I think there is something about being around good decent well behaved young people that brings out enjoyment in us older folks, I know it does for me.
Along with no longer going out and singing carols in the community a few years ago my church also stopped the tradition of giving out small paper sacks of fruit after the Christmas programs. I am a lifelong member and this was done all of my life until a few years ago. It had nothing to do with not being able to afford it.