Cub Scout Caroling

Last night was Mark's Cub Scout pack meeting, where I am proud to say, Mark earned his very first Scout badge--the Bobcat badge!! He's now officially a Cub Scout, and can recite, on command, the Cub Scout promise and the Law of the Pack.

It was a pretty cool ceremony. Twenty-eight boys earned the badge (all first-year Scouts like Mark). They climbed onstage, circling around a fake campfire and logs. After reciting the Boy Scout promise, the pack master (leader of the pack? I'm still learning the lingo) invited the parents onstage, too. We congratulated our boys, pinning their new Bobcat pins onto their hats. Then we handed over their badges, and badge cards, and hugged them. I was so proud of my little Scout!

Then it was time to go Christmas caroling. You know those old-fashioned postcards that show Christmas carolers in the snow, all decked out in warm clothes and scarves, singing from songbooks in hand? Well, we didn't look anything like that. This was definitely not a Currier & Ives moment.

To begin with, the only snowflakes in sight rained down from a giant inflatable Santa snow globe on someone's lawn. The closest we got to winter weather was the light dew on the grass. Secondly, most carolers in our group were only about four feet tall, wearing shorts, Cub scout shirts and maybe, occasionally, a sweatshirt. (Mark sported a new white one a size too small that he'd found earlier on the playground.)

Our group consisted of parents, who sang the carols by heart, and Cub Scouts, who did not. They had a song sheet with the words to help them (but no lights to see them), and one mom accurately noted that kids only know the songs by heart if they've watched the animated Christmas shows starring Rudolph and Santa. I begged to differ, saying the kids did know Christmas carols, they just know the honked-up, offensive versions about killing Barney the dinosaur, or jingle bells, Batman smells. (I warned Mark beforehand I didn't want to hear those or any other versions on our walk!)

The first house we came to was aptly decorated for the holiday. They owned the aforementioned inflatable snow globe, and the house was trimmed in festive lights. The porch light was on, and it seemed an inviting choice for our first song.

Which is when we learned the next difference between postcard depictions and real-life caroling. In the postcards, the singers always had an appreciative audience. In real life--not so much. The occupants never even came outside! It didn't deter us, though, as the boys sang their hearts out, and a couple ended with a flourish, sliding across the lawn on their knees, waving jazz hands.

Then it was on to the next house. The door was open, and through the screen, we could see two yappy dogs. The kids started singing, the dogs started howling, and once again, the homeowners refused to acknowledge us. The good thing is, I don't think the kids noticed!

We had better luck at the third house. They heard us down the street, and the two occupants came outside. They looked nervously at the mob, at the boys jumping over the hedges and on the lawn. But they were encouraging, clapping and waving at us. The singers basked in the adulation, then readily moved on to the next house.

And so it went, Scouts serenading empty houses. Finally, someone suggested moving across the street, which had more porch lights on. So we herded the boys to the other side.

Where we were infinitely more successful! This time, we picked only houses with Christmas lights, figuring since they celebrated Christmas, they would appreciate our yuletide spirit. Most doors had glass panes in them, and we could see who was home by the flickering blue TV lights. We sang carols at five or six different houses, to elderly couples, a young family, even a woman whose husband scooted down the hall when she answered the door to the mass of Scouts. People were surprised, a little unsure what to do during the song, but I think overall, they appreciated the effort. (Have I mentioned there are few things cuter than little boys in Cub Scout uniforms? They just look so darn sweet, although Mark would die if he heard me say that!)

We were on a roll, and thought we were gonna end on a high note. However, at the last house, the homeowners not only refused to come to the door, they actually turned the porch light out on us! (Bah humbug!)

But it didn't bother the boys. It just meant they could return to the school--to hot chocolate and cookies!--that much faster.

It was a really fun night. It was great to celebrate Mark's first big Scout achievement, and to connect with all the other Scouts and their parents. It was also fun to celebrate with the neighborhood, even if they weren't as into it as we were. But mostly, it was just fun to be together as a family, and celebrate our third Christmas together.

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!