Winter Singing Traditions: From Ancient Times to 2020

Here in the United States, we’ve reached the point in the year where Christmas music is inescapable. Despite working from home and limiting our trips outside the house, we’ve still gotten a healthy dose holiday tunes. This seasonal obsession with themed music goes back centuries and spans continents and cultures. It turns out “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has ancient roots! Below, we’ll take a look at the origins of caroling and offer some tips for safely enjoying seasonal singing during the global pandemic.

A Brief (and Speculative) History of Caroling

Like many oral traditions, the exact roots of caroling are uncertain; but the modern tradition seems to be a convergence of several very old practices dating back to at least the Medieval Period in Northern and Western Europe. There are records dating back to the 13th century of the practice of “wassailing.” Poor citizens would travel door to door singing and offering good wishes in exchange for food and drinks, in particular wassail - the great-great-grandparent of eggnog. Although the wassailing took place in the winter months, it wasn’t initially associated with Christmas and likely has pre-Christian roots.

Around the same time, Saint Francis of Assisi (that charming monk often featured in garden sculptures surrounded by animals) is said to have incorporated the upbeat songs of winter well-wishes from the community with Christian liturgy to create joyful musical services. His unusually energetic services were a sharp contrast to the somber liturgical music of the day and were a huge hit.

Though the merging of Saint Francis’s new, hip hymns and wassailing likely occurred over the course of centuries, caroling as we know it truly hit its peak in Victorian England. After a couple of decades of sober and serious Christmases by order of the infamous Oliver Cromwell, the traditional traveling bands of singers came back in force and began to incorporate horn players and other instrumentalists. At that point caroling and Christmas were inextricably linked.

Winter Singing Traditions Around the World

However, neither Christmas nor the Anglophone world has the market cornered on winter singing traditions. Cultures across the globe have celebrated the darkest days of winter since ancient times. Historically, mid-winter was a difficult time; food was scarce and weather was harsh. Societies from Iran to Scandinavia to Ukraine to China still have celebrations with roots in these ancient winter rituals - often including singing! (And fire - fire is the other common denominator.)

In Scandinavia, St. Lucia’s Day is celebrated on December 13th. Young women dress as St. Lucia and progress through the town singing traditional songs and carrying candles. Though the current celebration is linked to a Christian saint, its origins likely date back to pre-Christian Norse traditions.

Iran celebrates both a Winter Solstice feast day (Yalda) and a late winter fire festival called Chaharshanbe Suri during which celebrants leap over bonfires while singing rhymes asking the fire to purify and energize them. It’s also common for revelers to run through the streets banging pots and pans and asking for treats - not dissimilar to the wassailing traditions from Western Europe we discussed above.

In the Ukraine, Malanka is celebrated on January 14th or Orthodox New Year. Sometimes compared to Mardi Gras, participants dress in elaborate costumes or masks - some made entirely from straw - and parade through the town, traveling from house to house singing traditional songs. Though the origins of some of the traditions are lost to history, it's become a popular folk celebration, particularly in more rural areas.

Caroling In 2020

All of that brings us back to today in the United States in 2020. Caroling’s popularity has waxed and waned over the years, but group singing remains an important part of both religious and secular celebrations this time of year. Normally, we’d be giving advice on singing safely in the cold; unfortunately, group singing has also been responsible for several super-spreading events in the past year. Until there’s a vaccine available, traditional door-to-door caroling or even group singing at an indoor religious service is inadvisable. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to celebrate the season with song!

If caroling carries religious significance for you, many churches are offering virtual services - including distance singing programs. Explore your local congregations to see if you can join in some virtual singing celebrations. There are also interfaith distance singing programs if you’d like to take a broader view on incorporating spirituality into your seasonal singing.

But, as we explored above, caroling has its origins in secular traditions. If you’re not religious or from a faith practice that doesn’t have a caroling tradition, there are still ways to safely enjoy holiday singing. Consider putting together a playlist of Christmas or winter themed music to sing along with in your own home. There’s even this great playlist of karaoke holiday songs on Spotify to sing over - including Joni Mitchell’s “River,” one of our favorite non-Christmas winter songs.

If you really want the more traditional caroling experience, limit your singing group to people you live with. Wear a mask, and maintain distance from others on the street if you’re traveling on foot. We also suggest only visiting the homes of friends and family members - and arranging your visit in advance. Your loved ones can open a window and enjoy your masked seasonal serenading from a safe distance without leaving their home or even opening the door.

A good middle ground might be Zoom caroling. Pick some songs with advance and make sure everyone has sheet music or a lyric sheet. This website has a selection of free sheet music for public domain carols, including arrangements for a variety of instruments. Sites like MusicNotes also have a great selection of holiday music for a small fee.

Book a Lesson Today and Give Yourself the Gift of Music This Season

However and whatever you celebrate this holiday season, we hope it’s safe, warm, and full of music. Do you love Christmas music or are do you avoid it as much as possible? Do you have a favorite carol? Let us know! If you want to give yourself the gift of voice this season, schedule a lesson with Zelda, here. Happy holidays and don’t forget to love your voice!

Contact Zelda to schedule a lesson and create your own winter singing tradition!

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