The invasion of carolers in Irshava (PHOTOS)

This year, there was, one could say, the invasion of carolers in Irshava on Christmas Eve and the first day of Christmas.

Especially on the central streets of the city, particularly in high-rise buildings on Naberezhna street.

They say that carolers would come every hour, mostly children (duos and trios). Even girls (traditionally, girls do not go caroling on Christmas Eve). Residents of Naberezhna were pleasantly surprised that some carolers performed such carols that they had not heard before. 

Meanwhile, guisers were not visiting everyone. They would come only to those who invited them to the house hearing their caroling outside. This year, there were two Grandmas among the guisers (usually, Grandpa and Grandma take part in the performance). We asked where Grandpa was. "He ran away" – they joked. In addition to money, they asked cakes and wine.

Groups from several local churches were also caroling. The group would write down the surname of the family and the amount of money donated to the church. They told that there had been cases where people, before letting them into the house, would ask which church they were from.

And on January 7, Roma people from the camp in the village of Sobatyn a few kilometers from the district center rushed to Irshava.  It is especially vociferous caroling. We were waiting for the Roma with a violin, but this year he did not come.

Some people attribute this year’s invasion of carolers to the crisis (it is a good time to make some money), and others say that caroling now is becoming fashionable on the wave of patriotism.