Saunders: White House harks to local carolers' request

With a name like the Victorian Carolers, it's a cinch that my favorite Christmas carols, "Backdoor Santa" or "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin,' " aren't a part of their repertoire. Oh, darn.

The songs they do sing, though - "traditional carols," founding member Paula Walters calls them - do well enough to get them paid.

"My husband, a couple of his siblings and I began singing as a hobby in 2005. We started getting more and more bookings after the second year, so we incorporated and turned it into a business," Walters said.

Since the first rule of business is "Never give away anything you can sell," how come the Victorian Carolers' biggest gig yet will be a freebie?

Because it's at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., that's why.

Yep, the Carolers, who are residents from Wake Forest, Raleigh, Zebulon and Louisburg, will perform Dec. 6 at the White House Holiday Open House Tour.

That's cool, but how does a local group that's only been performing seven years snag an invitation to the White House?

You call 'em up and ask. Really.

"This summer, I decided to give the White House a call to see what I had to do to be in the running, to get on their radar," Walters said.

Not only did they get on the radar, but in November, they found out they'd be Christmas caroling in Casa Blanca. Or at least Walters found out.

See, she hadn't told her eight fellow carolers what she was up to.

"I didn't tell them because I didn't want them to get their hopes up and be disappointed," she said, if they weren't selected from among the hundreds that applied from across the country and internationally. "When I found out, I called an emergency rehearsal, and that's when I told them. They were shocked."

Walters said they've been in contact with the WhiteHouse's social office, making arrangements for their big night, because one doesn't just drive up to the most famous crib in America and start singing "Jingle Bells," does one?

"We had to pass a security clearance," she said. "I'm assuming we passed, because I just got an email welcoming us. We were told that someone's going to drop us off at a particular gate and we're to dial a phone number. It's all kind of clandestine, which I guess it has to be."

She doesn't think the president and the first family will attend their performance, and she's not sweating the fact that the group is not getting paid.

"It's something fun to do," Walters said. "We're just honored."

In case your invitation from Barack and Michelle got lost in the mail, you can catch the Victorian Carolers performing what Walters called "a cappella, upbeat and contemporary versions" of Christmas standards at the Streets at Southpoint mall each Friday evening until Christmas.

Maybe you can even persuade them to do "Backdoor Santa."