The origin of Christmas carols
The tradition of Christmas carols has been around for a long time. It is a tradition that many people love, both young and old. It’s a way to spread the holiday spirit without spending a lot of money. It’s also a way to lift the spirits of those who can’t get out during the holiday season, such as those confined to nursing homes. Christmas carols are also used as a way to raise money for charities during the Christmas season. How did such a moving tradition begin? Well, the answer to that is a bit sketchy.
Some say that Christmas carols were originally started by groups of drunken men and boys seeking alms. They would go from house to house singing folk songs or traditional drinking songs in exchange for money or a drink. While it is unknown if this actually happened, it is unlikely that Christmas carols as we know them originated from such a selfish act.
Another account of how Christmas carols originated involves a little girl named Carol Poles. Carol was supposedly reported missing from London in 1888, during which time serial killer Jack the Ripper was on the loose. This was a great cause for concern for the family and friends of the little girl, as well as for those who were looking for her. Legend has it that those who were looking for the little girl sang Christmas carols as they went from house to house, knocking on each door. They did so in an effort to reassure concerned residents and show that the search party meant no harm. Christmas carols are said to have continued from then on. This story has been proven to be a myth because Charles Dickens’s story A Christmas Carol, which had been written 50 years earlier, tells of people going from door to door singing Christmas carols.
The most credible account of the origins of Christmas carols takes place in England in the 1840s. After Prince Albert of Germany married Victoria of England, English peasants were eager to please and impress the newly minted royal family. married. After reading in a newspaper that Prince Albert greatly enjoyed Christmas carols, the peasants began to serenade him with them. Singing Christmas carols has been a tradition ever since. Methodists and Lutherans are said to have brought a modified version of this tradition to America. The American tradition of caroling involves offering food and drink to traveling carolers after being greeted at homes where they were serenading.
Although we don’t know for sure how Christmas carol singing began, it is a tradition that is still loved by many. It’s a touching way to let people know you’re thinking of them. It also tends to awaken the Christmas spirit in those who listen to it.