Door to Door Christmas Carols Etiquette??

tenke

Hi,

Having just had the most awkward 3 minutes of my life...:eek::rotfl: opening the door for a family of Carollers (Mum, little daughter and teen boy ), I was wondering what I am supposed to do.. give them money? sweets? sign along with them?

They caught so much by surprise I just stood awkwardly there and say thank you and Merry Xmas to you as well, at the end, but I felt awkward all the time.

I'm not from here so I would like to know, what your experiences were and how you handled it, thanks

pulliptears

I flip on my CCTV and if I see Carollers I don't answer the door. I have a no cold callers sign and to me this includes carollers. So far I've had about 5 who ignore the sign. Oddly all seem to be scruffy looking teenagers.

Desperado99

the only carolers we've had here were a good few years ago and were two teenage boys. As soon as I opened the door, they stopped singing........ I made them carry on for at least a verse before I gave them anything (some money, not a lot).

A long, long time ago (I was a student) I opened the door to a little girl who was singing carols (with mean looking mother stood on the path). I gave her some money (not a lot, I was a student), but only cos we didnt have anything in the house (like some chocolates). I had a feeling that she wasnt going to see any of that money

j.e.j.

I think in theory you're supposed to give them some mince pies or some mulled wine? (..though imagine if they visited ten houses and were given a glass of mulled wine at each one..:rotfl:) Not sure, though, it's been years since we had carol singers knocking.

CrazyAngel_3

Awkward, awkward, awkward!

I dont like christmas carollers / trick or treaters or anything like that. If im not expecting anyone I dont answer the door at these times of year.

Personally, I think I would have just told them I had no change, said sorry and closed the door.

It seems too much like begging to me, and I dont like to be forced to hand over my own hard earned cash. I think you handled it well though - good on you for not handing over money out of guilt or because you felt you had no option.

tenke

CrazyAngel wrote: »

Awkward, awkward, awkward!

good on you for not handing over money out of guilt or because you felt you had no option.

That's exactly my thinking, it is like agressive begging somehow if spreading the Xmas cheer is not the REAL reason for doing it ..:cool:

elsien

Generally speaking most carol singers round these parts are kids doing it for the money - an extended version of halloween. Used to be for charity, but nowadays (being the cynic I am) I wouldn't believe that even if they waved a collecting tin in my face.
I generally don't open the door, but if I'm feeling wicked I make them sing the whole carol instead of the "sing the first line then tail off into silence" that usually happens. Worth a quid to watch them squirm when they realise they don't know it.

pulliptears

I don't mind doing Halloween, simply because its one night, for a few hours and I have the opportunity to prepare sweet bags for the little ones. For some reason Christmas seems to bring out the older teenagers looking for 'fag money' rather than the little one's excited for the event.

aliasojo

:think: mmmmm, new potential income opportunity.

*wonders how many carols I know the words to.*:rotfl:

Rockporkchop

Whenever any carol singers/trick or treaters/salesmen etc knock at my next door neighbour's house, he always looks excited to see them and asks if they have a spare half an hour to come inside and help spread the word of the Lord. They can't get away quickly enough!

tea_lover

I go carol singing most years in a group of about 15 people (aged 30 upwards) and we never expect to get any money. Some people open their doors, some join in, some just give us a little wave through the window. If anyone asked us to leave (hasn't happened yet) we would of course. We've been offered money in the past, so now we take an official charity collecting tin - but we keep it at the back. That way, if people do want to donate there's something to keep the money in and it's clear where it's heading, but it's not at all in your face.

We just go because we love doing it, and it's always been really well received.