caroling

you're invited to bundle up and meet a group going caroling at the plaza, singing "normal" carols as well as a handful of creative anti-consumerism ones. Singing voices, protest signs, dressing up, bringing cookies or cider are OPTIONAL, while a willingness to be seriously silly and receive a variety of responses (most were pretty positive last year. . .) is required. Our sub-par singing (and dancing) is done with a playful humility - knowing that we are complicit and the target of our protest as much as the shoppers passing us by. . .

Buy and Sell (Silver Bells)
City Sidewalks busy sidewalks
lined with advertising
It's the big retail season of Christmas
Children begging for each new thing
toys for mile after mile
and the mood of the season is clear

Buy and sell (buy and sell)
Buy and sell (buy and sell)
It's Christmas time for consumers
Ching-a-ching (ching-a-ching)
Cash tills ring (cash tills ring)
Must we spend Christmas this way?

Maxing credit, running debits
buying things we don't need
with the money we don't really have
Children crying, parents sighing
there's no time for our friends
and the reason behind it is clear

Adapted from www.buynothingchristmas.org/resources/carols.html