[Bruce Taylor, a tuba player in the New Canaan Town Band who says he “lives in New Canaan, sleeps in Wilton,” is planning to attend his 39th Christmas caroling at God’s Acre on Dec. 24. This Op-Ed drew inspiration from two New York Times pieces, cited below.]
There must be someone – somewhere – with the responsibility to pinpoint events that reflect important milestones in American life; the person that notates – in some great book – the precise moment when an era begins, when a second chance is lost, or the minute love is born.
Caroling at God’s Acre. December 30, 1976. John Bukovick photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society
If there is such a person, he or she knows beyond a doubt, that Christmas in New Canaan, Connecticut starts each December 24th: amid snow-covered hills where images of picture book Christmas stories so often take place (with an ample amount of snow, of course).
To be there at the exact moment when it happens, and to take part in one of the most unique Christmas celebrations in the New York metropolitan region, one need only ride the 5:07 PM train from Grand Central Terminal to New Canaan – or arrange to be there beforehand. Two blocks up a steep hill on Park Street and clustered around an old burying ground called God’s Acre will be thousands of people waiting for the last commuter to join family, friends, and neighbors. The combined effect captures a small town in a Currier and Ives like-lithograph complete with wreaths in the windows, and thousands of well‐dressed, well‐scrubbed, bustling, cheerful, and red-cheeked residents gathered in front of the white‐steepled New England churches.
Caroling at God’s Acre. December 28, 1972. Syd Greenberg photo, courtesy of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society
And then, as it has without fail or change for more than 100 years (1916), a mass outdoor celebration of Christmas begins. Mitten-wearing families and friends huddle together to form an al fresco chorus to sing Christmas carols (as best they can) with, and to, each other – using candles, flashlights, and cell phones to read the lyrics printed on song sheets distributed by local Boy Scout troops. A crowd ranging from 3,000 to 15,000 (weather dependent) gathers after 6 p.m., some exiting from Christmas Eve services at the churches adjoining God’s Acre, joining together, many stamping their feet in the snow to stay warm, all to repeat the sounding joy.
The actual Carol Sing, led by the brass instrumentalists from the New Canaan Town Band (1833), begins at 6:30 p.m. and lasts almost one-half hour. Fortunately, the specific carols, the number of verses of each, and even the sequence, has remained unchanged for as long as anyone can remember. [The only known variation was in 2001 when the Town Band surprised the post 9-11 crowd with a stirring arrangement of God Bless America.]
Caroling at God’s Acre. December 30, 1958. Photo courtesy of the New Canaan Historical Society
The fun concludes with several raucous verses of Jingle Bells, when the crowd accents the chorus with sleigh bells, cow bells, school bells, and any other kind of bell excised from their purses and pockets.
The crowd lingers before slowly dispersing amid holiday greetings – carrying the music of Christmas back to their homes.
Christmas in New Canaan has officially begun – once again.
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Excerpts from The New York Times:
- New Canaan Becomes a Christmas Eve Picture Book, December 25, 1975 and
- New Canaan’s Picture Book Christmas, December 24, 1976.