Christmas Caroling

We just completed the 20th Annual Scarborough Christmas Caroling expedition this evening. It's a tradition my mom started to cheer up a friend of hers whose husband was in prison during the holidays. There's an organization here called the St. Louis Christmas Caroling Association that provides cans and songsheets to carolers who collect money which goes to local children's charities. So we pass out flyers in the neighborhood and tell people to leave their porch lights on if they'd like a serenade. I haven't been in several years--it's always the Monday before Christmas, unless that Monday is Christmas Eve, like this year--but I remember years when it was FREEZING and years when we only had us singing and years when we'd have 3 different caroling parties--one for me, one for my brother, and one for the grownups. One particular year, in 6th grade, I got to have my own party, and in my desperate desire to be popular and not exclude anyone, I invited the entire 6th grade, which consisted of 92 people. About 30 people showed up. And then it became the big news that the newly dating Aaron Lang and Melissa Hurley were going to have their first kiss at my party, which I found fairly devestating, but I don't think Aaron even came and the drama died down. How do I even remember this stuff?

Anyway, we had an amazing turn out this year....3 kids (who are always good for taking the cans for money door to door) and maybe 15 adults. One of the biggest groups I can remember. I guess it being the first memorial Christmas caroling really brings out the crowds. We always come back to the house for food and warm beverages. Mom used to put on an amazing spread with mini-cheesecakes made from scratch. We made do with the 2 hours between our arrival home from the airport and the arrival of people for pre-caroling pizza. And dad located the stacks of extra songsheets from all the previous years, which were needed with all the extra people.

One of our dear neighbors said, "When you used to come to the door when the boys [now 18 and 14] were little, I would make sure they came and listened, because I wanted them to think it was like this in every part of the world." That was mom, making the world the kind of place where everyone wanted to be.

I was singing some Christmas carols yesterday, and couldn't get through The First Noel, because I got choked up. You see, I love to sing harmonies, especially on Christmas carols, but it was my mom that first taught me to sing the alto harmony to "Joy to the World" in preparation for Christmas caroling when I was about 10 years old. My mom would also sing these pretty descants to The First Noel and to We Three Kings. So I was worried that I wouldn't be able to sing, but the joy of everyone gathering, of braving the cold together and singing and laughing with friends and neighbors new and old overtook any feelings of sadness.

And I'm sitting next to a fresh Christmas tree with bubble lights adorning its boughs. Does it get much better than this?