Here We Come A-Caroling

I have thoughts and opinions about caroling. I haven't done it a whole lot but i have learned a few things about it and one is that it's much more fun being the caroler than being caroled to, which, I think we can all agree, is a pretty uncomfortable position to be in. Like, oh I didn't realize, by answering the doorbell, I was committing to standing at my freezing doorstep for _____ amount of minutes, forced to listen to an unsolicited choir concert.  It feels a little bit like an ambush. And, as the caroler, it's really enjoyable to watch that, or ambush someone else, in general.  I told some friends recently, "the next time we get caroled to, i'm going to like, jump down and join them so we're all singing to no one. OR, grab my flute and play along and make them super uncomfortable. Joke's on you!"  

I'm not really a huge caroling Scrooge but I do think it's a funny thing. I have a friend who has caroling wishes every year.  She lives across the street from me and expressed a desire one year to do some kind of caroling game where you travel around, and pick up people you sing to so you get an increasingly larger group as you go on.  Or something about standing outside in our little elbow sac (it's not pronounced enough to be a full-sized "cul de." Also, "elbow sac" sounds gross and makes us laugh) and just start singing and see who joins in.  I first teased her, "and then we all hold hands and sway as we're singing?"  Cue all the little Whos in Whoville-- 

Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome Christmas Come this way!

And then I told her it sounded really fun but I was probably going to be busy. 

I've only really caroled once in recent years. It was last year and we were dropping off some gifts for friends and I wanted to subject them to some caroling, as a joke.  But we condensed all the songs so it was a shorter experience. Like this:

We wish you a merry Christmas--
--and a happy New Year!

Then:

Silent night, holy night--
--Sleeeeep in heeeeavenly peeeace.

Then:

 It came upon a midnight clear--
--to hear the aaangels siiing!

****DONE****

Sort of singing just the introduction of a few songs and that's all. It works pretty well.  They're either grateful you didn't make them listen to a full verse (or more) or you leave them wanting more, just giving them a little taste, which is always a good way to go. And again, it's fun to make people listen to you and watch them squirm a little. T'is the season!