Seasons caroling tradition returns on Nov. 25

The Hudson tradition of Caroling on the Green will be held on Friday, Nov. 25, at 5 p.m., at the Gazebo on the Green. Everyone is invited. Hudson League for Service members will be passing out song books. Caroling will take place regardless of the weather.

Those interested in caroling their way to the Gazebo Green should meet Hudson Community Choruses adult and youth members at Heinen’s parking lot at 4:30 p.m., and carol through town prior to ending up at the gazebo for the community sing-a-long.

The lights on the massive pine trees on the Village Green will magically come on during the caroling, led by the Hudson Community Choruses.

According to the Hudson League for Service, the Hudson tradition was initiated by Merrill Bolton Wilcox around 1945. Barney Kemter shared his memories on the Facebook page “I Grew Up in Hudson Ohio,” recalling how he, his brother and father made lanterns out of large bean cans from Saywell’s.

“I spent hours learning to use a hammer and learning how to use various sized nails from Gott’s Hardware to punch holes in the can. The idea was to make a design through which the candlelight would pass and project a pattern of light onto the snow,” he wrote. “The next lesson I learned was how to convert a Knight Cleaner’s clothes hanger into a handle for a lantern.”

“On the night of caroling, carolers would stop at houses along the route adding more carolers. … We waited eagerly and looked up the street from the windows. Excitement grew when we saw the first flickers of lanterns coming down Aurora Street,” Kemter recalled. “When we turned off of Aurora Street by the [former] library, [the] green was alive with flickering candle lanterns, all handmade and carried by the village youngsters.”

Visit the Hudson League for Service website, hudsonleagueforservice.org, for information about making your own candle lantern or bring a flashlight or cell phone and join in the Hudson tradition. ∞

Featured Photo: The adult and youth Hudson Community Choruses will lead the annual “Caroling on the Green” event, held at the Gazebo Green at 5 p.m., on Nov. 25.