One of those traditions that makes Christmas time fun, and memorable is getting together and raising your voice in song, whether it be "Oh Holy Night" or "Jingle Bells." This season two communities are welcoming the public to take part in Christmas caroling for the fun of it.
At 5 p.m. Sunday in Angelica carolers will be assembling in Park Circle where the park will be lined with luminaries. They will sing a few carols around the lighted Christmas tree before walking from church to church around the circle to sing. There will also be a live nativity. Following the caroling refreshments will be offered to the joyful music makers.
At 6 p.m. on Dec. 22, in Belmont, Christmas carolers will meet in the Park Circle on Schuyler Street where among the lighted and decorated Christmas trees they will share cups of hot chocolate and cookies while they sing traditional carols.
The tradition of Christmas caroling is centuries old. Historians write that in the 13th century, in France, Germany, and Italy, under the influence of Francis of Assisi a strong tradition of popular Christmas songs in regional native languages developed. Christmas carols in English first appeared in a 1426 work of John Awdlay a Shropshire chaplain, who listed a group of 25 "Caroles of Cristemas" sung by groups of wassailers who went from house to house singing the inhabitants.
The publication of Christmas music books in the 19th century helped to widen the popular appeal of carols with songs like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "The First Noel" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" which first appeared in print in "Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern" in 1833 by William Sandys.
Today carols are regularly sung at Christian religious services. Some compositions have words that are clearly not of a religious theme, but are still referred to as "carols". For example, in 1950 Jay Livingston and Ray Evans came up with a tune for a Bob Hope movie, "The Lemon Drop Kid".
The song known as "Silver Bells" was at first going to be called Tinkle Bells until Ray Evans who hailed from Salamanca, NY, was reminded by his wife that tinkle is something you urge a small child to do. The song was renamed "Silver Bells" and gained popularity in the '50s after it was recorded by Bing Crosby, who also made that other song, "White Christmas" famous.
Each year Salamanca recognizes its native son with its Silver Bells Festival during the Christmas season. The local theater is also named the Ray Evans Theater.
The public is welcome to join the good folk of Angelica and Belmont to take part in their traditional Christmas events. Just show up with your vocal chords and dressed appropriately for the weather.
