There’s something timeless about gathering close, harmonizing under twinkling lights, and sharing songs that bridge generations. For families hoping to start—or strengthen—a caroling tradition, a few simple tips can turn a sweet idea into a truly heartfelt holiday outing.

We talked with Mariah Loraine and Liz Baugh from the Loveland Academy of Music to give us the expert tips.

The Loveland Academy will be caroling in Downtown Loveland on Friday, December 12 during Loveland’s Night on the Town celebration. While they will be caroling with students of the academy, they welcome the public to stop by their booth for free hot chocolate to keep those voices warm.

Tips for caroling:

  • Dress warm and make sure you are comfy and cozy. A cold voice is difficult to sing with! Add a scarf and warm clothes to keep your instrument warm.
  • Warm up your voice beforehand. Try doing lip trills by buzzing your lips and vocal slides. You want to make sure your voice is nice and warm before you get started.
  • Avoid certain songs. “O Holy Night” has a wide range, going from a very low part of your voice to a very high part of your voice, making it difficult for carolers to sing together. “Even ones like ‘Frosty the Snowman’ can be difficult,” Liz says. “You think you know the words and then there’s like 100 verses and it’s like, ‘Oh, what are all the words?'”
  • Find caroling resources online to find good caroling songs and print them out.

Worried if you don’t have a good singing voice? Liz assures everyone that caroling, and singing, is for everyone. “Everybody can sing. Depending on how cold it is, maybe don’t bring an infant out, but caroling is totally a family-friendly affair for all ages.”

She recommends beginners to just go out and carol anyway. If you’re nervous, maybe pick a larger group to go with. “Have fun spreading some Christmas cheer, and it doesn’t matter if you’re the best or the worst at it. It’s such a fun, communal experience to sing with other people.”

Mariah says that the performing in public, like caroling, can bring valuable life lessons.

“There is that kind of increasing isolation and loneliness that people are experiencing. You’re more comfortable being behind a screen and filming yourself, but the idea of being out and performing in front of people, I think it just brings some really valuable life skills.”

She says that even if a younger kid doesn’t remember the memory of caroling, it’s a core building block of communication, public speaking performance, and community engagement. 

Friendships that can be made in caroling and the bond with fellow singers, while being bundled up warm and cozy while singing, is something special that you don’t get every day, Mariah says.

“Especially with singing, there’s something so magical about people’s voices coming together and singing something that they all believe in or they’re all excited about. Christmas time is a wonderful time to do that. It’s just like a time of hope and good will and cheer and all of those things,” Liz says. 

Loveland Academy of Music provides a wide range of teachers with varying skill levels to meet a variety of needs for students ages 5 to adult. Private lessons include piano, voice, violin, guitar, drums, cello, marimba, and more. There is no semester-style commitment, but a month-to-month plan.