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Door County Carolers Spread Christmas Cheer

Singing in choirs and caroling around the holidays, Carra Augustine always thought she’d be a singer when she grew up. 

Life had different plans. A long-time visitor to Door County, Augustine is now a Sturgeon Bay resident, working as a visual artist and stay-at-home mom. But she still finds time to sing. At first, to her infant daughter, lulling her to sleep with a favorite Christmas carol, “Silent Night.” Her daughter is now eight-years-old, and “done with my singing,” but that hasn’t stopped Augustine.

“It’s sort of a hobby, or rather a passion, I’ve always had,” Augustine said.

That’s why Augustine joined Door County Carolers, a group of local volunteers that formed over Facebook. Her first time caroling with them — and her first time singing in public in 25 years — was last year at Fish Creek’s Alexander Noble House Museum. 

“I showed up and only found one other person up on that porch, and I just sang,” Augustine said. 

Armed with songbooks, the two women led a crowd of around 30 people in singing familiar Christmas songs.

Door County Carolers in action. Photo courtesy of Lisa Woodman.

A New Iteration of an Old Tradition

Lisa Woodman, another long-time Sturgeon Bay singer, started the group in 2021, when most local choirs were still out of commission.

“No one was singing because of COVID,” Woodman said. “I thought, well, caroling actually is generally outside, and that might be a little bit of a better way to ease into it.” 

In addition to leading songs at the Noble House, the Door County Carolers have sung along the streets in downtown Sturgeon Bay and while collecting donations for the Salvation Army at Walmart. Some don Santa hats or festive costumes, while others bring their dogs to join in the festivities.

Though it’s a singing group, you don’t have to be a good singer to join, said member and Jacksonport resident Frank Christensen. The group doesn’t practice much beforehand — instead, they just show up and sing. 

“It’s a low-key group,” Christensen said. “We throw it open to anybody.”

Augustine, Woodman and Christensen were all drawn to the group because they enjoy singing, but after going out and caroling a few times, the singing itself wasn’t their favorite part. Instead, they all enjoyed the happiness they could bring to strangers through music.

“People will walk into a store where we’re singing and they’ll light up when they hear the music,” Christensen said. “Some of them will stand and join in.”

And for Augustine, it’s a way to spread joy to people who might not enjoy the holidays — stressed Christmas shoppers, for example, or those who have lost loved ones. Caroling, she said, is a way to return to a simpler, happier version of Christmas 

While she and several other members of the group grew up caroling, that’s not as common for younger generations. 

“It’s kind of an old-timey tradition,” Christensen said. “It’s been lost, and we just like bringing that back.” To join the Door County Carolers, visit their Facebook page.