Ringing in Christmas at Hudsonville Library

December 11 at 1:00 pm 2:00 pm EST

Ringing in Christmas! Enjoy the traditional sounds of Christmas handbells at Hudsonville Library! Michigan handbell duo Larry and Carla will be back for the seventh time with a program of handbell duets!

Hudsonville Library - Christmas handbell event

More about Larry and Carla

Larry and Carla started playing handbells when Carla lived in England and Larry lived in California. Their shared love of these unusual musical instruments led to a chance meeting online! Larry and Carla spent nearly three years in a long-distance relationship, and eventually they were able to go through the US visa process before getting married in California in 2012. They moved from California to Holland, Michigan in the summer of 2016, and became West Michigan’s Smallest Handbell Choir! They play duets using just eight handbells, and love to show how much music can be played using such a small number of bells.

This will be Larry and Carla’s seventh time at this popular Hudsonville Library holiday event. They’ll demonstrate the art of playing handbells by holding two bells in each hand. Their program will include some well-known carols, as well as some less-familiar holiday tunes from around the world. You’ll also hear music played on a set of of handchimes, and perhaps even have a chance to try playing them! There will be plenty of opportunity to ask all your burning questions about handbells, and coffee and snacks will be provided.;

Not sure what to expect? Here’s a recording of Larry and Carla playing handbells in their home last Christmas:

We look forward to welcoming you to Ringing in Christmas, presented by the Friends of the Gary Byker Memorial Library.

Ringing in Christmas - a handbell concert at Hudsonville Library, by Larry and Carla, on December 11th 2025 at 1pm.

Ringing in Christmas – a note about winter weather!

NOTE: If the weather’s bad on the day, please check with the library (or on our Facebook page) before venturing out. If the library’s open, we’ll plan to be there, but your safety is always a priority. Here’s a photo from last December, when the snow was falling heavily but the event still happened as planned. Now that we’ve lived in Michigan for a few years, we’re used to all the fun of the winter snowstorms!

Hudsonville Library in the snow
Free to attend; a donation to the Friends of the Library is appreciated

Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville

3338 Van Buren St
Hudsonville, MI 49426 United States
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Friends of the Gary Byker Memorial Library

View Organizer Website

Christmas Handbells in Grand Rapids (Private Event)

December 7 at 1:00 pm 1:30 pm EST

Larry and Carla will be presenting a program of Christmas Handbells in Grand Rapids, at a lunchtime event for a local group.

We’ll share some traditional Advent and Christmas music from around the world, and demonstrate how we play our handbell duets in the 4-in-hand style. We’ll be using Malmark handbells and handchimes for this performance. What better way to ring in the Christmas season than by listening to carols played with bells?

This is a private event.

Christmas handbells

If you’d like to book Larry and Carla to play Christmas handbells in Grand Rapids or anywhere else, you can find lots more information on our website. The traditional sound of handbell music is perfect for creating a festive atmosphere at a Christmas or holiday event. We can also play beautiful music for worship services during Advent and Christmas, and for winter wedding ceremonies. As a handbell duo, we take up less room than a traditional handbell choir, which makes our performances ideal for venues where space is limited. We always recommend early booking for the Christmas and holiday season, but can sometimes accommodate last-minute requests too. If you need more information, or have any questions about our availability, please get in touch!

Free Private event

Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville

3338 Van Buren St
Hudsonville, MI 49426 United States
+ Google Map

Ring in the Season with Christmas Handbells!

December 6 at 1:00 pm 2:00 pm EST

Ring in the season with Holland-based handbell duo Larry and Carla!

We’ll be returning to the Georgetown Connections Senior Center in Jenison, to play a selection of Christmas handbell duets to welcome the holiday season. We’ll talk about the history of our instruments, and how we play them, and will share traditional music from around the world. Audience members will also have the chance to ask all their burning questions about handbells!

What better way to ring in the Christmas season than by listening to carols played with bells? This is a private event for patrons of this senior community.

Ring in the season - handbells in Jenison, MI

If you’d like to book Larry and Carla to play handbell duets for your event, you can find lots more information on our website. The traditional sound of handbell music is perfect for creating a festive atmosphere at a Christmas or holiday event. We can also play beautiful music for worship services during Advent and Christmas, and for winter wedding ceremonies. As a handbell duo, we take up less room than a traditional handbell choir, which makes our performances ideal for venues where space is limited. We always recommend early booking for the Christmas and holiday season, but can sometimes accommodate last-minute requests too. If you need more information, or have any questions about our availability, please get in touch!

Free Private event

Larry and Carla

View Organizer Website

Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville

3338 Van Buren St
Hudsonville, MI 49426 United States
+ Google Map