Caroling for Brandy Yields Booze and Good Cheer

Last night I and 10 other merry-makers caroled our way from door to door, bringing joy to the Rose Park area of Long Beach. Since I am the one who began this tradition some 25 years ago in Wisconsin and finally, finally, finally, others are catching on that this is tremendous fun, I got to ring the doorbells and direct the singers. Except for Lisa, one of son Aaron's coworkers, who has a degree in vocal music, none of us have trained voices. But that really didn't matter. We made up for our lack of talent with great bursts of enthusiasm.

At households where I deemed the occupants were partyers, I'd give a little signal to my fellow carolers and we'd close with a second verse of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," which goes like this: "Now bring us a cup of brandy/Now bring us a cup of brandy/Now bring us a cup of brandy/And a shot and a beer." This goes back to the first caroling venture on a cold winter night in Wisconsin with my then-husband, my brother and his wife.

I gave the signal at Ali's house, but his dog ran off and he had to fetch him. By that time we were across the street at the home of a woman who brought out her tambourine to accompany our "Jingle Bells." As we finished there, Ali ran across the street, beckoning us back to his place. He had gotten a bottle of brandy from his liquor cabinet and poured a dozen shot glasses for us. As I no longer drink--doesn't appeal to me anymore and it doesn't do my health any good--a few of my fellows got two shots.

We stopped at the drive-through lane at Golden Burger. These folk were thrilled with "Feliz Navidad" and offered us money--which we refused--and sodas. Next up was Portfolio Coffeehouse, which like last year was populated with bored hipsters and PC-entranced yuppies. Both sets were too cool to give us any mind. What dullards!

A few other houses, one with two guys, one holding a beer, but not offering us one. Another with two women, new homeowners who were so happy we'd stopped by. A house with a couple and a young child, who gave us his leftover Halloween candy. A house we had visited last year at which the family sat on the porch after supper, apparently waiting for random magic--like a group of carolers. And then there was Suzanne, who asked to join in, so Othman shared his song sheet and she belted out "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."


Then it was on to O'Connell's, a neighborhood bar complete with pool tables. Music was blaring from the jukebox, so I asked the bar tender to turn it down because we were going to sing. He obliged. We hit them with the first chorus of "Here We Come A-Wassailing." I then turned to our audience and asked, "Any requests?" A burly guy quipped, "Let's see your tits." I didn't miss a beat: "No! A song!" Since no requests were made, I gave the signal to close with our special version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." At first the bartender said something about no money, no booze. Then Othman countered with, "We know you've got brandy here." The bartender gave in when I said that we come here all the time and pay for our drinks. He gave us three pitchers of beer on the house!






Wishing to be on our way, back to the business of caroling, I ordered my fellows to down their drinks. Shouting a merry Christmas to all, we were out the door. We stopped in front of the cafe next door. It was closed, but we sang anyway. The owner unlocked the door, and we sang our hearts out for the amused table of four that was finishing their late supper. Most of my group was pretty smashed, so the carol was off-key with different singers finishing at different times. Othman explained: "Some of us are a little drunk." I asked if the diners had any requests. They laughed and one of the them said, "Oh, no, I don't know how you could top that!" We wished them a merry Christmas and headed home, stopping only to serenade a lone walker.

The evening ended around the Christmas tree with me passing out gifts to my fellow carolers. Blueberry juice for Othman as he had not known that such a thing existed. A vintage scarf and vintage earrings for Christina, who dresses in '50s attire. Balls of yarn, pipe cleaners, and glitter pom-poms for her boyfriend, Mike, who I said was creative enough to know how to use these in the bedroom. A Batman mask and a bottle of champagne for Bryant. Funny magnets for Dennis. The U.S. Constitution and "1001 Places to See Before You Die" for Othman. And what was best of all--a Lonely Planet guidebook to Southeast Asia and a map of the same for Tyler, who said that was the next place he wanted to go. He was so thrilled that I had known this. "Of course I knew, Tyler," I told him. I also gave him a huge tome of natural remedies, of the right foods for hundreds of ailments--a book he had been looking at in Spanish while traveling in Peru, but he said having the English version would be so much easier.

What a grand evening of fun and merriment for us and of holiday magic for those we regaled.