Mauston Sets To Break Guinness World Record for the Most People Caroling
UPDATE: Dec 6, 2019
Mauston citizens and visitors attempted to break “The Most People Caroling” Guinness World Record set by Portsmouth, OH. in 2018. Though the record set by The Friends of Portsmouth was 1,880, actual participation for the first attempt by the Greater Mauston Tourism Association (GMTA) was about 650 carolers, so did not beat the record this year. Spectrum Channel One was LIVE at the Most People Caroling Event on Wed. Their great coverage is shown in the clip here.
Original Post- Oct. 17, 2019 – Immediately following the annual CP Holiday Train Event, Mauston citizens and visitors will break into song with door-to-door Christmas Carols to break “The Most People Caroling” record
Every year, during the first week of December, the CP Holiday Train chugs into Mauston, WI on its annual journey wowing the crowds at each stop along its way, restoring food pantry shelves and raising funds for food pantries across North America. This year the railroad tracks near the corner of Division and Tremont streets in Mauston will not only fill with Holiday Train onlookers. After the onboard concert is finished and the train pulls away, visitors are asked to stay and participate in Mauston’s first effort to break the Guinness World Records’ (GWR) “Most People Caroling” record.
In 2018, Mauston’s CP Holiday Train event reached over 3,000 attendees. With this in mind, the Greater Mauston Tourism Association (GMTA) members thought “How can we leverage the gathering to make this event even more fun and inviting?” That’s when the idea of breaking a record for caroling came to mind. The current record is 1880 and is held by Portsmouth, Ohio. A previous long-standing record was set by Waukesha at 1822 in 2013. The GMTA’s goal is to reach at least 2,000 participants, though it won’t be an easy task.
Note to participants:
Get your free ‘ticket’ by registering here at Eventbrite.com
As the CP Holiday Train leaves and the caroling challenge begins, pre-registered participants will be guided to designated areas to form into 10 teams/groups of 200 carolers. Led by an official Conductor for the entire event, carolers will go door-to-door to ten homes/doors on Division, Tremont and Elm Streets. All participants, hopefully at least 1881, will sing a christmas carol at each of the 10 doors. Directed by stewards, the entire group of participants must sing at all doors and must strictly stay in their sections throughout the event.
Obtain a free ticket by simply registering. You will get QR code with your ticket that will be scanned for entry at the event. Pre-registered carolers are also asked to keep their ‘tickets’ open on their devices and/or print the corresponding ticket and songbook (printable version coming soon) shown at the right and bring those to the event. Volunteers will scan the barcodes on the tickets to meet GWR rules. Those without tickets will not be allowed to participate. Caroling should last about an hour to an hour and a half.
Tip: Charge your cell phones fully before the event and maybe have a backup flashlight to read the songs!
If for any reason you can’t make the event, please go back into your order and cancel your ticket so we can still make the record!
Thinking of staying over? A special All The Bells And Whistles Holiday Package is available for stays from Dec 4th through December 30th at participating Greater Mauston area hotels when booked from Nov 1st through Nov 30th. Packages start at $135 per room per night.
For up-to-date information, check the Greater Mauston Tourism Association’s Facebook Page, This Caroling blog at Mauston.org or contact Mary Hudack at 608-747-2042, email [email protected]
Christmas Carols
There are two printable versions to choose from.
This one will allow you to print onto four pages to have all ten songs read correctly without folding or needing to print front to back.
This version will allow you to print front to back and then fold in half for a songbook style printout.
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
A day or two ago
I thought I’d take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh yeah
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year
Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin
Good tidings for Christmas
And a happy new year
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year
And have yourself a merry little Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas night
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Troll the ancient Yule tide carol,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
See the blazing Yule before us,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Follow me in merry measure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While I tell of Yule tide treasure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fast away the old year passes,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Sing we joyous, all together,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Frosty the Snowman, was a jolly happy soul,
With a corn cob pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made of coal.
Frosty the Snowman, is a fairytale, they say.
He was made of snow, but the children know he came to life one day.
There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found,
For when they placed it on his head, he began to dance around!
Oh, Frosty, the Snowman, was alive as he could be;
and the children say he could laugh and play,
just the same as you and me.
Thumpety thump, thump, thumpety thump, thump,
look at Frosty go.
Thumpety thump, thump, thumpety thump, thump,
over the hills of snow.
Frosty the Snowman, knew the sun was hot that day,
so he said, “Let’s run, and we’ll have some fun now, before I melt away.”
Down to the village, with a broomstick in his hand,
Running here and there, all around the square,
sayin’, “Catch me if you can.”
He led them down the streets of town, right to the traffic cop;
and only paused a moment, when he heard him holler, “Stop!”
For Frosty, the Snowman, had to hurry on his way,
But he waved goodbye, sayin’ “Don’t cry, I’ll be back again some day.”
On the first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the sixth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the seventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
12 Drummers Drumming
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air.
What a bright time, it’s the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go gliding in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet
That’s the jingle bell,
That’s the jingle bell,
That’s the jingle bell rock
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list
And checking it twice
Gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town
You know Dasher, and Dancer, and
Prancer, and Vixen,
Comet, and Cupid, and
Donder and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose
and if you ever saw it
you would even say it glows.
All of the other reindeer
used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
play in any reindeer games.
Then one foggy Christmas eve
Santa came to say:
“Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Then all the reindeer loved him
as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you’ll go down in history!
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks,
Dressed in holiday style,
In the air there is a feeling,
of Christmas
Children laughing,
People passing
Meeting smile after smile,
And on every street corner you’ll hear :
Silver bells, silver bells
It’s Christmas time in the city
ring- a- ling, hear them ring,
soon it will be Christmas day.
Strings of street lights,
Even stop lights,
Blink a bright red and green
As the shoppers rush,
home with their treasures.
Hear the snow crunch,
See the kids bunch,
This is Santa’s big scene,
And above all this bustle
You’ll hear :
Silver bells, silver bells
It’s Christmas time in the city,
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring,
Soon it will be Christmas day.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.
Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.