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“Caroling, caroling, now we go, Christmas bells are ringing! In 1223, following a visit to the Holy
Caroling, caroling through the snow, Christmas bells are ringing! Land, he came up with the concept of
a “living Nativity” to be staged in the
Joyous voices sweet and clear, sing the sad of heart to cheer—
neighboring village of Greccio. Locals
Ding dong, ding dong, Christmas bells are ringing!” took on the roles of the familiar
– Alfred Burt/Wihla Hutson, 1954 Biblical figures. Shepherds and farmers
supplied the livestock and other
Remember Christmas Caroling? necessary accouterments. All that was
Long ago (well, let’s say the missing was music to frame the familiar
1950s), and far away (well, let’s say story. Latin? No. Bawdy ballads?
in your hometown), door-to-door Certainly not. But how about words in
Christmas caroling was as much a the native tongue (in this case, Italian),
part of the holiday season as setting set to the tunes of those well-known
out cookies for Santa, or pretending melodies? Definitely a keeper, as the
you liked fruitcake. Sometimes the hordes of villagers who flocked to St.
singers were a church choir, getting Caroling around the tree: two Francis’ re-enactments proved.
in an extra rehearsal. Sometimes, it ceramic choir boys. Soon, the tradition of singing the
was a band of kids from the neigh- newly-christened “Christmas carols”
borhood, chirping out their best, in spread across Europe, with each country adding its own ethnic flavoring
hopes of being offered a hot cocoa. to the mix. There were lilting French noels (Angels We Have Heard On
More often than not, it was just a High) … straightforward Germanic refrains (O Tannenbaum) … and
group of assorted happy folks hearty English favorites such as God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. These
gathered to musically welcome in early carols were essentially folk songs, which helps explain their
the Yuletide (and perhaps get longevity. The melodies are tuneful and simple, the lyrics heartfelt and
offered something a bit stronger reverent. Most importantly, the first Christmas carols were easy to
A December 1946 Woman’s Day remember and easy to sing. For musically untrained churchgoers (then
“cover girl,” offering up her than hot cocoa). and now), these were important factors in their popularity.
songs of the season. Caroling. It was a Christmas In the 1700s and 1800s, the “Christmas carol” became formalized as
tradition. And if the night was cold
and crisp, with bright stars against a velvety black sky, and just a few the “Christmas hymn,” with both familiar and lesser-known musical
snowflakes falling, so much the better. names adding melodies to the holiday repertoire. In other words, for
Ah. Now you remember. every Felix Mendelssohn, (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing), there was a
Franz Gruber.
The History On Christmas Eve, 1818, organist Gruber, and Father Joseph Mohr
While angels are credited with the first Christmas carol, serenading created (out of desperation) one of the best-known (and certainly
sleepy shepherds in the fields outside of Bethlehem, more earthbound best-loved) Christmas hymns. The organ in their tiny Austrian church
renditions can be traced to the 13th had broken down, A simple song that could be accompanied only by
century and St. Francis of Assisi. guitar was needed for Midnight Mass. The music was Gruber’s, the
Music celebrating the spirit of lyrics Mohr’s, and the result was Stille Nacht – or, as we sing it today,
Christmas had been around for cen- Silent Night.
turies (the first actual “carol,” the
“Angel’s Hymn,” dates from 129 A-Caroling We Will Go
A.D.), but it was primarily confined By the mid-1800s, thanks to a bit of royal intervention, door-to-door
to religious settings. It was also in Christmas caroling become a beloved holiday tradition. Prince Albert,
Latin, not the first choice for a who’d married Queen Victoria in 1840, brought many of his beloved
community sing-along. Any secular Germanic holiday customs along with him to England. In addition to
holiday tunes bordered on the the best-known—the Christmas tree—Albert also championed the live-
bawdy, with roustabouts who had ly singing of holiday music. This proved an ideal match for the old
fortified themselves against the cold English winter tradition of “wassailing,” where friends traveled from
belting out raucous melodies in home-to-home bearing hearty wishes that all “be well and of good
return for more fortification. health” (a rough translation of the Old Norse “ves heill”).
Francis of Assisi had other ideas. They’re used to winter weather: Offering holiday greetings to the neighbors was certainly nice.
plastic light-up caroling snow duo. Offering them sung holiday greetings was definitely worth a figgy
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4 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles