‘Caroling 2009’
courtesy of ‘photofarmer’

Before I say anything else, let me just say that I have nothing but love for Christmas Music, and in the general sense, for Christmas Caroling.  But is the Metro the right place to do it? Organizers of this evening’s caroling flashmob on the Metro, Melanie Spring and Jason McCool believe that it is.  We spoke with Melanie this morning to talk about the event and its goals.

The plan was hatched weeks ago: what better way to spread holiday cheer in DC the way we all used to growing up than by caroling?  Melanie said that some of her fondest Christmas season memories were caroling in her community, and that she wanted to bring some of that community-building to the general public in DC, and where better to do that than the Metro?

‘Kerst in kloosterschool’
courtesy of ‘Nationaal Archief’

Spring and her collaborators have held rehearsals recently to get everyone on key, and said that they plan to work through the Metro system tonight, stopping at various stations to sing carols as they traverse the Red Line.  They do not intend to perform a 90-minute concert at Chinatown Metro as other publications have suggested, though, and intend to sing single carols at various stations during this evening’s commute.

The organizers claim to have no overarching agenda, no businesses or causes to promote, save for spreading Christmas Cheer, according to Spring and co-organizer Jason McCool.

So, what do you say, DC, do you want Christmas Carols on your Metro platform during Rush Hour? Is this a great way to spread Christmas Cheer, or is it an unwelcome intrusion into your evening commute?  The organizers are concerned about potential violence against their singers, given the respondents in NBCWashington’s comment thread, one of whom threatened to stab carolers.  I would urge you please to let WMATA do the only killing in the Metro system. Leave the carolers be. Unless they’re standing on the left on an escalator, or at the foot of an escalator, or right where the doors of the cars are.  But they’re not going to be so gauche, right?

Tom Bridge

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.