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There We Went A-Caroling

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We took a large group of little girls caroling on the weekend, which I’d dreaded for the past week. Last week, I walked around in this state of just constant stress – I’m having a ZILLION people over for Christmas dinner! I was taking a ZILLION little girls caroling on Saturday! And so I’d wake up in the middle of the night and wonder what exactly was wrong with my head that I’d sign up voluntarily for these things.

Because we’ve had -30 temperatures for the past week – oh, that’s been delightful – we had to make sure there was enough transportation for all of the kids, so we ended up having my mom and another girl’s very game grandfather volunteer as drivers, too, and we also had to do a quick check that each kid was dressed warmly enough before we left. You know, so they wouldn’t freeze to death while we were singing and all. And how was it?

Not too bad, actually.

At the time, it felt like maybe the most irritating thing I’d ever done in my whole life, but now it’s magically transformed itself into a happy memory, the kids shouting "We’re caroling! It’s for a charity!" at every house, and then there high young voices raised in Silent Night or Deck the Halls or the version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer where you shout out vulgar things ("Then one foggy Christmas Eve/Santa came to say in his underwear!"), which is the song they sang before I could stop them at our minister’s house. Yep. True story.

And they also raised nearly $100 for the local food bank, with enough left over to buy a new Webkinz – oh, this is making me cry to write, geez – for the first cousin of one of the girl’s in the group who lost every single thing in a house fire a few weeks ago.

Here’s the punchline: this was all The Girl’s work. Every bit of it. She heard about the house fire, heard about the food bank running low and planned this party with her best friend at school, designed the invitations ("Dress warmeley", they read.), bought all of the treats (cookie mix, candy for party favours, hot chocolate that kept itself festively warm in the slow cooker while we were out) with her saved-up allowance, decorated the living room, phoned her grandparents and arranged to borrow folding chairs – all her work. So my stress the week before was that all of her hope and her kindness would come to nothing, that no one would show up, that people would be stingy and unreceptive when they opened their doors to little girls standing in the freezing darkness.

TONS of little girls showed up, more than we’d counted on. And at house after house, people would open the door with puzzled looks, quickly replaced by instant delight when they realized that the children on their doorsteps were going to sing to them.

"I’m proud of you," I said to The Girl that night, as I came into her bedroom to tuck her in and turn off her light.

"I’m proud of me too," she said, yawning and closing her eyes.

White Hot Chocolate for The Slow Cooker

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups half and half

3 cups milk

1 1/2 cups white baking chips

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low-heat settings for 4-5 hours, stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Makes 8 servings.

Comments

  5. Lori says

    Carolers make Christmas really feel like Christmas to me – especially on Christmas Eve. When I was a kid that is when the local youth group would come to my parents’ house and sing. To me it was magic and I couldn’t wait to join them. Trouble is by the time I was the youth group age there weren’t enough other local kids to keep the caroling going. So next year how about sending the Girl and her friends to my door!

  6. Holly says

    What a sweetheart. It’s impressive that she not only came up with the idea but followed through and spent her own money and got everybody organized. That’s a rare trait, even in adults.

  10. Jennifer says

    Oh, that Girl. It’s just all so shocking when they start getting RESPONSIBLE.
    The webkinz idea is utter sweetness. The whole thing was, actually.
    It IS funny, isn’t it, how things that seem difficult at the time often end up in a rosy glow afterwards – with good memories that last a lifetime. I feel that way every year with stuff like VBS and birthday parties and Christmas baking days that go on for 12 hours. “What was I thinking?” turns into “that was so much fun, really. And now I think I’ll go to bed with clothes and shoes on and not come out til noon.” 🙂
    Merry Christmas, Beck! Y’all don’t freeze, now!
    Love,
    Jen

  12. Susanne says

    Oh, I’m proud of her too! What a compassionate heart she has and the chutzpa to do something about it. Us adults could learn a lesson here!

  18. Minnesotamom says

    I wish I could have gone. I used to organize a caroling trip to nursing homes every year when we lived in Fargo, and here no one is interested in joining us…so sad.

  19. Carol says

    Awww… Nicely done! I am a 100% big-time, all-out fan of caroling. Haven’t done it in a few years, but I love that y’all did it for charity!
    Merry Christmas from She Lives!

  21. Beth - Total Mom Haircut says

    Oh my. I’m quite teary, as I would be if many little girls came to my door to sing. What a wonderful story. And I’m so, so glad that she still has the sense to be proud of herself too. Good mama.

  22. Omaha Mama says

    It’s surprising me a little that you’ve just made me sob. It started at borrowing her grandparents’ folding chairs and ended with her proudly nodding off to sleep. Sniff.
    Oh I hope my girl is so giving as a pre-teen. It is such a beautiful thing!

  23. Beka says

    That is such a wonderful, heartwarming story! No wonder you are proud. You are doing a fine job raising that fine Girl!

  28. Subspace.beacon says

    Dear, Beck. You are winning at parenting! She’s a great kid! Now I’m wondering if I have any cash in my house in case some kids drop by caroling. Better check. Don’t want to be a scrooge.

  29. bren j. says

    That is one special Girl you’ve got there! She is a friend to count on it sounds like and hey, maybe SHE should plan next years Christmas dinner. 😉
    As an added bonus, if she keeps this up, she’ll be so riddled with scholarships when it comes time for college, you probably won’t even have to send her quarters for laundry!

  31. becky says

    You should be proud indeed!
    She should be proud too!
    I’m proud of her and I don’t even know her … and I am crying real tears DARN IT!!
    What a lovely story and what a great idea for a neat charity-driven Christmas activity. Good job GIRL!!

  39. Bon says

    kids learn that they can make a difference because they have people in their lives who support them in doing so. the Girl is wonderful, and lucky to have a mom like you, Beck. 🙂
    merry merry to all of you.

  40. Bon says

    kids learn that they can make a difference because they have people in their lives who support them in doing so. the Girl is wonderful, and lucky to have a mom like you, Beck. 🙂
    merry merry to all of you.

  41. Bon says

    kids learn that they can make a difference because they have people in their lives who support them in doing so. the Girl is wonderful, and lucky to have a mom like you, Beck. 🙂
    merry merry to all of you.

  42. Gina Conroy says

    How proud you must be! Love The Girl’s initiative. We go caroling every year, but this is caroling with a purpose. Our church is taking part in the Advent Conspiracy and their just might be time to pull something like this off to raise money to build a well in Africa.
    Merry Christmas and rest up for Christmas!!! 😉

  44. soulfusion says

    what an amazing thing she did! You should be an extremely proud mama. And these temperatures make me feel less sorry for myself after walking to work in the 14 feels like zero temps (farrenheit) we are having in NYC. I do not know how you Candians do it. And now I am writing down your slow cooker hot chocolate recipe because I am intrigued.