CAROL SINGING HITS NEW HEIGHTS, IN WORLD FIRST EXTREME ‘COASTER CONCERT
Chessington World of Adventures and The Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury turn carol singing on its head (literally!) in adrenaline-fuelled carol concert
- Chessington World of Adventures hosts the world’s most extreme carol concert, as choristers put their talents to the test at 45mph on Mandrill Mayhem
- New research reveals that nearly a third of Brits say Christmas carols are one of their favourite things about Christmas
- Over a quarter of Brits think November is the earliest month that it’s acceptable to start hearing Christmas carols
- The Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury will be performing at the launch of Chessington’s Winter’s Tail event on 23rd November
A group of 24 angelic carol singers hit the high notes – literally! – at 45 mph on Chessington’s thrilling rollercoaster, Mandrill Mayhem, in a world-first extreme carol concert.
The renowned Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury has partnered with Chessington World of Adventures Resort to turn traditional carolling on its head, with an adrenaline-fuelled rendition of Ding Dong! Merrily on High, 66ft up in the air – kicking off the resort’s Christmas event, Winter’s Tail.
It comes as a study of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Chessington World of Adventures, found that nearly a third of Brits (30 per cent) who celebrate Christmas say that carols are one of their favourite things about the festive period.
‘Silent Night’ tops the carols list for Brits, followed by ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ and ‘Jingle Bells’. But not all carols are universally loved, with ‘The Holly and The Ivy’, ‘Deck The Halls’ and ‘Little Donkey’ among Brits’ least favourite festive tunes.
Despite the appeal of Christmas pop hits, almost half (45 per cent) of Brits still prefer timeless traditional carols, with 21 per cent confessing to listening to festive songs almost daily.
Over two-thirds say carols are crucial in creating the perfect holiday atmosphere, while over a third (39 per cent) say it helps them remember fond memories with their friends and family.
Gen Z claim to be the biggest fans of Christmas carols (90 per cent), with 29 per cent of this age group saying the music reminds them of their time at school. They are also more likely to know the words to classic carols including ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ than their older Millennial, Gen X and Boomer counterparts.
More than half of this demographic (52 per cent) consider November to be an acceptable time for Christmas carols to be played, with only 16 per cent of Boomers feeling the same way. 40 per cent of 18-24-year-olds say it’s never too early to start up the Christmas music.
Over a quarter of Brits listen to Christmas carols a few times a week during the festive season, with Brits saying their favourite place to listen to carols is at home (25 per cent), closely followed by shopping centres and stores (18 per cent), and church (17 per cent).
While 14 per cent find listening to Christmas music comforting at any time of year, over a quarter (28 per cent) warn that listening to Christmas music too early can lead to festive burnout.
Howard Ebison, Divisional Director of Chessington World of Adventures said: “Many of us love carols – particularly the younger generation judging by these findings. We love bringing a little extra excitement to the festive season, and what better way than combining the joy of Christmas carols with the thrills of our rides? We’re excited to have partnered with the incredible Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury for this one-of-a-kind performance, and we look forward to welcoming them back to launch our magical Winter’s Tail event.”
The research by Chessington World of Adventures also shows that younger adults are more likely to be attending a carol concert this year – while 31 per cent of all adults hope to go to one, this rises to 38 per cent of Gen Z and 47 per cent of millennials.
The Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury will launch Chessington World of Adventures’ Winter’s Tail event with an exclusive carol concert for guests on 23rd November. The event features a magical Christmas Village and Santa’s Grotto, with live shows, entertainment and carols all around the resort.
Will Bersey, Director of Music at The King’s School Canterbury said: “Such extreme carol singing was an experience our choristers won’t forget any time soon! Singing traditional carols while riding a rollercoaster was a challenge, but one we embraced with great enthusiasm. We’re looking forward to our festive performance at Chessington’s Winter’s Tail event, though perhaps from a more stationary position!”
THE UK’S TOP 20 CHRISTMAS CAROLS
1. Silent Night
2. O Come, All Ye Faithful
3. Jingle Bells
4. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
6. O Holy Night
7. Away in a Manger
8. Joy to the World
9. O Little Town of Bethlehem
10. Once in Royal David’s City
11. The Twelve Days of Christmas
12. In the Bleak Midwinter
13. Little Donkey
14. Ding Dong! Merrily on High
15. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
16. The Little Drummer Boy
17. Deck the Halls
18. We Three Kings
19. Good King Wenceslas
20. The Holly and the Ivy