his past month, I had the joy of hosting our church’s first-ever Family Christmas Carol Sing. When we planned it, the idea was simple: kick off the Christmas season in a relaxed, inviting way and see if people responded. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but to my delight, families showed up-young and old and everyone in between.
We kept things simple: no choir this time, just me at the piano under warm lights, and the congregation singing carols together. The atmosphere was cozy. People sat with their families in the pews, singing carols that spanned generations, from "We Three Kings" to "Angels from the Realms of Glory," We actually sang through the Christmas story from every perspective—shepherds, angels, kings, and more. There was something beautiful about hearing children’s voices join in, unexpected but truly special.
Afterwards, we invited everyone to a hot chocolate bar and Christmas cookies in the lobby. It became a great time of fellowship. Families lingered, kids held steaming cups of hot cocoa, and I got to chat with people I don’t always have the chance to catch up with. The vibe was just right—festive, yet peaceful.
What struck me most was how inter-generational this event was. People who don’t usually attend our hymn sings came out for this. That made me realize just how timeless Christmas carols are. It wasn’t flashy, but it felt meaningful. As the evening wrapped up, I heard some say they’re already looking forward to doing it again next year.
So who knows? Maybe we’ve started a new Christmas tradition.
