"Caroling," Reprise: Christmas Karaoke Online

On December 2nd, I wrote a post here making a case for renewing the tradition of home-caroling - that is, the singing of Christmas carols to celebrate the season. I realize that in many quarters, this has probably fallen on deaf ears; if so, c'est la vie. Nevertheless, I'm bringing it up again.

Sometimes there's a good reason for singing on Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day, just as there is for playing Christmas games. Because if you don't, it can be bloody boring. You eat, you open presents, you sit around and chat (and maybe you get pickled) but there are a lot of hours to pass, especially if folks are staying over.

But it's not only that. Singing is enormously useful in bringing a body out of its insular little world of needling concerns that continue to play in the back of the mind. Singing absorbs and occupies, and if you let it - if you put some enthusiasm into it - it cheers. That's why humans started doing it in the first place, umpteen millennia ago.

I can almost hear some of the grumbles out there. "Freakin' Pollyanna, going on about Christmas Carols..." If you're one of those, refer to the previous paragraph, first two sentences. Grinches. ;)

Well, I've said my piece. It's entirely up to you, as you well know. Just in case you decide to give it a try, but have no musician on hand, here's a list of links to Christmas Karaoke online. Instead of gathering around the harpsichord or the piano as in olden tymes, you may now gather around the computer.

SECULAR:

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed-Reindeer


• Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow


• O' Christmas Tree


• Deck The Halls (very fast)


• The Christmas Song


• Jingle Bells


• Blue Christmas


• White Christmas


• The Twelve Days of Christmas

RELIGIOUS:

• Good King Wenceslas


• Angels We Have Heard on High


• Go Tell it on the Mountain


• O' Come, All Ye Faithful


• Silent Night


• The First Noel


• God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen


• What Child is This


• We Three Kings of Orient Are


• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear


• Hark, the Herald Angels Sing


• Away in a Manger


• O' Holy Night


• O' Little Town of Bethlehem


• Here We Come a Wassailing