What happened to the carol singers? (From Bucks Free Press)

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What happened to the carol singers?

6:12pm Thursday 22nd December 2011

By ivor »

Mention Halloween and most people think of young children knocking on the front door trick or treating but mention Christmas Eve and turkey and presents are the first things to come to mind.

In years gone by things were very different as Christmas Eve was always associated with carol singers and mince pies.

I can remember, many years ago now, when carol singers would visit the Hall on Christmas Eve.

We would be sitting in the drawing room when the first verse of “God rest ye merry gentlemen” would drift in from the front of the house.

After the first verse there would be a knock at the front door and a group of singers would be standing under the portico.

My father would offer a small monetary gift and ask for a rendition of “Oh come, All ye faithful” or other suitable carol.

Later in the evening, many years ago now, a brass band would sometimes stop under the street lamp outside the Hall and play several carols.

Look how times have changed. The chances of having carol singers visit these days is practically nil.

The world in which we live is ravaged by evil and attendances at church are in decline.

Maybe the churches of Wycombe should band together and send carol singers around the roads to re-engage the local population and raise the profile of the church in the community?

I was talking to a friend of mine at lunchtime today about this very issue.

During the conversation I suggested that, in order to target those who wanted carols, it would be possible to pre-book the singers who would turn up in a minibus and give a couple of verses possibly visiting other nearby houses before going on to the next port of call.

I'm surprised nobody else has come up with that idea after all it would surely be popular.

It would be a nice change to open the front door and find something nice there rather than menacing children trick or treating or salesmen trying to flog me double glazing.

Now, what about boxing day?

I wonder how many people will be putting out a little something to show appreciation for the tradesmen who provide a doorstep service throughout the year?

In years gone by we used to have the services of a milkman, butcher, newspaper delivery boy, postman, green grocer and a farmer all of whom we used to put a little something out for when they called on Boxing Day.

These days the tradesmen can't even be bothered to come round on Boxing Day so they won't know if I put anything out or not. At least I will be better off financially through their laziness.

Are you going carol singing on Christmas Eve or maybe you still put a token of appreciation out on Boxing Day for the tradesmen who supported you through the year?

What do you think?

*Don't forget to read my regular column in this Friday's edition of the printed version of the Bucks Free Press!

*Have you signed the petition to bring back the Frogmoor fountain? More details can be found here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fountain-for-frogmoor-high-wycombe/signatures

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Comments(53)

Edna_Welthorpe_ says...
7:31pm Thu 22 Dec 11

oh gosh, I do feel guilty.