We don't wish you a merry christmas

Matts on 2002-12-23T07:59:53

Every year around this time we get carolers around. Now you'd think this was a nice thing, but not here in the UK.

It's always the same. Young lads aged about 13-15 mumbling under their breaths "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". They of course expect some money for this.

If it were any other song I wouldn't mind so much.

If the lad singing even knew the verses instead of just the chorus I wouldn't mind so much.

Instead it just irritates me, and that's pretty awful. I mean it's a nice gesture, right? Right? I'm sorely tempted to put out a sign that says: "No 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'" for the season.

---

Too late now...

pdcawley on 2002-12-23T18:42:54

But next year I can highly recommend a trip up Oughtibridge or Worrall or one of the other villages north of Sheffield where they sing carols in the pub. We made our annual pilgrimage on Saturday and it were cracking. I'm not sure Christmas has really got underway until I've sung Hail! Smiling Morn, Jacobs Well, Old Foster and a bunch of other carols you just don't hear anywhere else.

Solution

kingubu on 2002-12-24T19:25:17

If the lad singing even knew the verses instead of just the chorus I wouldn't mind so much.

This is clearly a documentation issue; and, since its better to patch than bitch, the true open source-minded solution is to offer PODs of the most popular tunes to the carollers as they approach.

As your house becomes known and more and more singers come by, you can then compile the PODs into a $50 USD softcover and pay of the year's Christmas gift bills...

-ubu