Dial-A-Carolis an annual student-run service at theUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–Champaignin which students take calls from people asking for aChristmas carol.It is run out of Snyder Hall, a residence hall in the Ikenberry Commons on campus. Students and staff volunteer to take calls around the clock for a one-week straight, every year during finals week of every Fall semester.[1]In 2022 Dial-A-Carol completed 59 years of singing on-demand holiday cheer.[2][3]The program has garnered national attention from sources such as ABC News,[4]and Jimmy Kimmel Live.[5]USA Today College wrote that Dial-A-Carol shattered previous records by receiving over 10,000 calls in 2015 for one-week span.[6]
| Dial-A-Carol | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Begins | December 7, 2023 |
| Ends | December 13, 2023 |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Champaign, Illinois, USA at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Years active | 1960-present |
| Website | housing |
| Facebook:www | |
History
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Dial-a-Carol is the longest running tradition in the university's housing department. Betty Gordon, a desk clerk at the time for Snyder Hall on campus, is commonly credited with conceiving of the Dial-a-Carol idea around 1960. She came up with the idea for students on the second floor of Snyder Hall to play holiday records over the phone. By 1962, students were already answering more than 4,000 calls. Soon, student carolers replaced records and now sing for callers from all 50 states and around the world.[citation needed]
2006 was the first year that Dial A Carol was featured on the BBCs Radio One show which resulted in hundreds of calls flooding the phone lines for days. TheScott Mills showhave regularly called the service.[7]
Critical reception
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In December 2015, Jimmy Kimmel made a spoofed televised segment of Dial-a-Carol with "Hanu-kall-the singing Hanukkah Hotline". This massive attention garnered more callers, which resulted in the all-time highest recorded year in call volume. Many local and international radio stations also featured Dial-a-Carol calls on their programs.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "Dial-A-Carol: Volunteers Serenade Callers With Holiday Tunes".ABC News.2015-12-15.Retrieved2016-02-17.
- ^"Dial-A-Carol makes its 2022 debut on December 8, complete with live singing from the residents of Snyder Hall at the University of Illinois".chambanamoms.Retrieved4 December2023.
- ^"Dial-a-Carol: Student-run holiday jingle service open 24/7".USA TODAY College.Retrieved2016-02-17.
- ^"Dial-A-Carol: Volunteers Serenade Callers With Holiday Tunes".ABC News.2015-12-15.Retrieved2016-02-17.
- ^Jimmy Kimmel Live (2015-12-16),Hanu-kall - the Singing Hanukkah Hotline,retrieved2016-02-17
- ^"Dial-a-Carol: Student-run holiday jingle service open 24/7".USA TODAY College.Retrieved2016-02-17.
- ^Veeneman, Alex (2015-12-14)."US students operate Dial-A-Carol service".Kettle Mag.Retrieved2021-12-09.