Holiday Specials Round-up for Radio
A list of special programming from December 24 – 27 on WITF 89.5 & 93.
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John Kinzer
Tuesday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
10am: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – Join host Jesse Sparks for a holiday edition of The Splendid Pipedreams host Michael Barone presents this live service of spoken-word and music (choral and organ) broadcast from the chapel of King’s College in Cambridge, England. The 30-voice King’s College Choir performs the legendary Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service of Biblical readings and music.
1pm: Tinsel Tales 4 – For many of us, Christmas is about family and traditions. For others it’s a stressful or even a sad time. No matter how good or bad your holiday is, it’s quite likely to include music. This year, Tinsel Tales includes stories of the season told through music with interviews from the NPR Archives. Kenny Rogers, Katie Melua, Sting, Amy Grant and Jon Batiste talk about the power of music at Christmas. Hosted by Lynn Neary.
2pm: Selected Shorts: Holiday Hitches – We love the holidays, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. This seasonal special from SELECTED SHORTS, hosted by Meg Wolitzer, offers three tales about uncommon roads travelled by the celebrants. Writers, including Andy Borowitz, mesh tradition, humor, and family dynamics for the perfect seasonal package.
3pm: A Christmas Carol – A public radio tradition hosted by NPR’s Susan Stamberg. Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens’ holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Also featuring Mimi Kennedy.
4pm: All Things Considered
6pm: Marketplace
6:30pm: The Christmas Skater – Sherwin Sleeves has retired to a small cabin on top of Marked Mountain in Lemon, New Hampshire. Every year at Christmas, he takes out his skates and goes for a ritual journey down a wilderness river…always hoping that a woman from his long ago past will finally agree to meet up with him at a certain special spot along the river.
7pm: Jazz Piano Christmas 40 – Your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! The Kennedy Center and NPR present A Jazz Piano Christmas, the annual sell-out event featuring jazz-infused renditions of the season’s most-loved tunes performed by Grammy Award–winning pianist Kris Davis, 2023 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition winner Jahari Stampley, and Cuban sensation Roberto Fonseca.
8pm: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (Encore)
9pm: Joy to the World: A Holiday in Pink – The internationally acclaimed “little orchestra” Pink Martini bedecks the airwaves with festive holiday songs from across the globe. From timeless classics to rarely heard gems, hear a multi-denominational, multi-cultural jubilee, overflowing with enough holiday spirit to warm your entire family. Hosted by All Things Considered’s Ari Shapiro.
Wednesday, December 25- Christmas Day
9am: Welcome Christmas – The perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups. An hour of traditional carols and new discoveries.
10am: St. Olaf Christmas Special 2024 – A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. Tickets to the event – which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN – are always gone months in advance. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
12pm: Tinsel Tales – A radio tradition continues – stories from the NPR archives that touch on the meaning of Christmas. David Sedaris, Bailey White, John Henry Faulk–these and other NPR voices, past and present, tell stories of the season.
1pm: Tinsel Tales 2 – Continuing with the tradition of first Tinsel Tales program, this is another collection of the best and most requested holiday stories. Joy, hope, and childhood memories overflow as NPR voices, past and present, tell stories of the season. Hosted by Lynn Neary.
2pm: A Festival on Nine Lessons and Carols (Encore)
4pm: All Things Considered
6pm: Candles Burning Brightly – A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.
7pm: Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration – Listen as host Andrea Blain explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features classical ensembles and soloists like Apollo’s Fire and Bryn Terfel, as well as traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin.
8pm: St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2024 (Encore)
10pm: Jazz Piano Christmas 40 (Encore)
Thursday, December 26
12pm (with 8pm encore): A Season’s Griot – Hosted by the late beloved storyteller, Madafo Lloyd Wilson, A Season’s Griot is an annual one-hour special that captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. The show’s poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and other members of the Season’s Griot family return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot.
Friday, December 27
12pm (with 8pm encore): Hanukkah Lights 2024 –This NPR favorite returns with some of our favorite stories from the archives. We’ll hear “Gifts of the Last Night” by Rebecca Goldstein, “Hanukkah Gelt, Hanukkah Money” by Sholem Aleichem, “Gifts of the Jewish Magi” by Allegra Goodman, How to Spell the Name of God” by Ellen Orleans and “Geek Week by Rebecca O’Connell.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
