H is for Carols
@owlwings (43897)
Cambridge, England
December 3, 2015 10:01am CST
The second letter of this mad acrostic is H and H reminds me of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "The Holly and the Ivy" and the haar that carol singer's breath make in the cold air under the street lamp.
Ever since I was quite small, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has been broadcast live from King's College Chapel in Cambridge on Christmas Eve and it has become one of those things which must be listened to with a cup of tea and a shortbread, perhaps, all presents wrapped, all decorations done.
Surprisingly, perhaps (since I live in the city), I have never been to hear the carols 'in the flesh', so to speak. The queues are long and often people start queueing very early in the morning in order to get a good seat and I have never liked spending long hours in line. Some years I have been working on Christmas Eve, too, so could not queue. I always made sure to take a radio into the shop, though!
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is based around the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus as told in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the Prophets and the Gospels. It traditionally starts with the Choir of King's College processing from the West Door to the Choir with a single. pure boy's voice singing the first verse of "Once in Royal David's City"
This video (from 1992) will give you a taste of the magic of the music and the beauty of the interior or the Chapel:
https://youtu.be/hNg6Nv1Ey8Y
The Choir of King's College Cambridge, broadcast Christmas eve 1992. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
13 people like this
12 responses
@DaddyEvil (174445)
• United States
4 Dec 15
Very interesting, Owl!
I am afraid I would not queue up to see that, either.
While I was young, I (and several of my family) would join caroling groups and walk to the nursing homes and to some of the residential care facilities in our city, singing carols for the residents at each place.
I haven't seen or heard of this happening since I was in my twenties. I doubt strongly that it is happening here.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
4 Dec 15
deff some good songs mentioned there, some of my favorites
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@purplealabaster (22085)
• United States
3 Dec 15
When I was in our church youth group, we used to do the "Hanging of the Greens" in the early afternoon, which was followed by caroling from afternoon usually into the night. We went around to as many of the elderly, sick and "shut-ins" that we could in one night, and we sang at least one Christmas carol to them all. We walked to as many places as we could, and then we would all pile into vans to be driven to the places farther away once it started to get dark. It is sad that I do not think many places still follow this tradition.
@allknowing (153530)
• India
4 Dec 15
Jim Reeves was a little better organised than you C H R I S T M A S was seen differently by him
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
3 Dec 15
I only live 15 miles from Cambridge and I've never been either. I too have an aversion to queues, which is why I've never been to the Tower of London etc. The rendering of 'Once in Royal...' by a young boy always brings a lump to my throat.
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