By Austin Price, Staff Writer
I think it’s safe to say that all of us have experienced the awkward moment when you open your door in December to be met with over-enthusiastic, community college glee club members ready to serenade you with Christmas carols in freezing temperatures. Quite frankly, I think this tradition is outdated and uncomfortable but let us look at the why’s behind these unsolicited, amateur performances happening on your front lawn.
Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago, but these were not Christmas Carols. They were pre-Christian/pagan songs, sung at the Winter Solstice celebrations. Carols used to be written and sung during all four seasons, but only the tradition of singing them at Christmas has really survived. Christmas, remembering the birth of Jesus, then started to be celebrated at the same time as the solstice, so the early Christians started singing Christian songs instead of pre-Christian/pagan ones.
One of the first Christmas carols ever to be recorded was the 129 AD “Angels Hymn”, according to The New Daily. Around this time, Christianity-themed hymns started taking over the previous pagan songs celebrating Winter Solstice. More and more slow, solemn hymns started to emerge in the fourth century, and by the 12th, songs referring to Nativity themes and creatures had been introduced and incorporated into Christmas culture. Saint Francis of Assisi was the trailblazer in the development of Christmas carols as he began incorporating sayings and songs of well wishes in his Christmas services. He encouraged the members of his church to embrace music during the holiday season. Saint Francis’ method was met with widespread approval and soon enough, people began taking the songs home to enjoy with their families.
Arcadia Publishing writes, “These songs stuck to their oral traditions for several hundred years, being passed down from family to family, until some were finally collected, written down, and published in 1582. This helped to solidify the songs in cultures across the world. Soon, they migrated from the church and became a staple activity in holiday celebrations. While most popular carols have been given a modern spin from their former medieval tune, they continue to bring the warm wishes and comfort of the holiday season.”
According to Classic FM, carols were being collected and printed widely by the 19th century. In 1880, it’s believed the Christmas carol service was invented in Truro by Edward White Benson, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. The notion of groups of carolers assembling in public spaces began in the 19th century. These performances were called “waits” and were a collection of singers singing for passers-by, who traditionally thanked them with tasty offerings of drinks or mince pies. It became known as wassailing and continues today but is now most known as Christmas caroling. Groups continue to sing Christmas carols with unrestrained joy in Christmas church services, outside in the chilly air, or inside our houses as we put up the tree.