Radio Specials: Christmas and Kwanzaa 2023

• Christina Zeiders
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  Christina Zeiders is the Communications Specialist at WITF. She helps get the word out about all of WITF's programs, events and community conversations.

WITF 89.5 & 93.3 will feature Christmas and Kwanzaa specials beginning December 23 through December 26. Listen to WITF 89.5 & 93.3 on your radio, or stream it through the WITF app, NPR app or online.

Saturday, December 23

11:00am – Noon – The One Recipe Holiday Special: Join host Jesse Sparks for a holiday edition of The Splendid Table’s newest “podbaby,” The One Recipe. Jesse talks to culinary superstars about their “One,” the recipe that signals the holiday has begun! They’ll get into traditions and food with influences from all over the world and leave you with recipes that could jumpstart your own festivities!

Noon – 1:00pm – A Jazz Piano Christmas: Your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! The Kennedy Center and NPR present A Jazz Piano Christmas, hosted by Felix Contreras and featuring jazz-infused renditions of the season’s most-loved music. This year, we spotlight remarkable pianist, vocalist, and actress Melvis Santa — whose eclectic Afro-Cuban style has made her one of the most electrifying artists on the scene — and internationally acclaimed Cuban composer and jazz pianist Alfredo Rodriguez.

1:00 – 2:00pm – Jazz Night in America: Holiday Celebration: Jazz Night in America brings you Big Band Holidays, a concert featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Together, they perform holiday classics from the band’s past five seasons, featuring fresh arrangements and entertaining storytelling, recorded live from Rose Theater in New York.

2:00 – 3:00 pm – A World Café Holiday: World Cafe celebrates 30 years by revisiting special holiday performances from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Los Lobos, Andrew Bird, The Bird and The Bee, Pink Martini, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more. Hosted by Raina Douris, this musical gift will provide a full hour of hip holiday cheer.

3:00 – 4:00pm – All Songs Considered for the Holiday: Through a series of unexpected events, Bob and Robin found themselves hurtling through outer space, on an urgent musical mission. They took a rocket ride to the stars and found comfort from a few special guests and friends, including Angel Olsen, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, our favorite spaceman — Dan Deacon, of course — and others.

4:00 – 5:00pm – Christmas at Home with Hanif Abdurraqib: Join host Hanif Abdurraqib for a special episode of Object of Sound, from PRX and Sonos, taking a deep dive into the world of Christmas music. Whether you’re flooded with excitement and warm nostalgia at the first beat of ‘Jingle Bells,’ or desperately counting down the days until January, Christmas music is everywhere. From the tackiest tracks to the most moving melodies, join us to explore the soundtrack of the season.

6:00pm – 10:00pm – Tinsel Tales: A radio tradition continues with 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.

Sunday, December 24

10:00am – Noon – A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols: 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.

1:00 – 2:00pm – Selected Shorts: Unwrapping the Holidays: Host Meg Wolitzer presents three unexpected stories that let us see the holidays’ associations — family, friends, food, gifts, and goodwill — in different ways. Selections from Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Sherrie Flick, and John Cheever will be read by Jayne Atkinson, James Naughton, Adina Verson and Teagle F. Bougere.

2:00 – 3:00pm – The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays: Enjoy this special devoted to holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to beloved standards (“White Christmas” from “Holiday Inn” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from “Meet Me in St. Louis”), Michael shares an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, ranging from “It Happened in Sun Valley” (from “Sun Valley Serenade”) to Alexandre Desplat’s folk-inspired score for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” to Bernard Herrmann’s bracing sleigh ride accompaniment composed for the Orson Welles drama “The Magnificent Ambersons.” Bundle up and enjoy The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays!

3:00 – 5:00pm – St. Olaf Christmas Festival: A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival — which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN — 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.

6:00 – 8:00pm – A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols: 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.

8:00 – 9:00pm – An Afro Blue Xmas: This special holiday concert, hosted by Michele Norris, features Howard University’s premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The a cappela group performs a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The celebration includes one-of-a-kind arrangements of traditional holiday songs plus new compositions… music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas.

9:00 – 10:00pm – A Mountain Stage Holiday: Featuring seasonal songs, old and new, all recorded live over the years on the Mountain Stage, we’ll hear performances from Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Odetta, Loudon Wainwright III, Holly Cole, The Roches, Kathy Mattea, Michael Martin Murphey and others.

10:00 – 11:00pm – Christmas at Home with Hanif Abdurraqib: Join host Hanif Abdurraqib for a special episode of Object of Sound, from PRX and Sonos, taking a deep dive into the world of Christmas music. Whether you’re flooded with excitement and warm nostalgia at the first beat of ‘Jingle Bells,’ or desperately counting down the days until January, Christmas music is everywhere. From the tackiest tracks to the most moving melodies, join us to explore the soundtrack of the season.

Monday, December 25

9:00 – 10:00am – Carols as Home with the Imani Winds: Hosted by Imani Winds founding oboist, Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Carols as Home features a modern take on classic Christmas carols. Toyin coaxes intimate stories of Christmas memories from the members of the ensemble, and why these classic carols are still essential today.

10:00 – Noon – A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols: 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.

Noon – 1:00pm – Welcome Christmas: The perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups. An hour of traditional carols and new discoveries.

1:00 – 2:00pm – All Is Bright: Hosted by Lynne Warfel, This special features an hour of gorgeous, contemplative music related to the Christmas season and its symbolism.

2:00 – 3:00pm –Selected Shorts: Unwrapping the Holidays: Host Meg Wolitzer presents three unexpected stories that let us see the holidays’ associations — family, friends, food, gifts, and goodwill — in different ways. Selections from Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Sherrie Flick, and John Cheever will be read by Jayne Atkinson, James Naughton, Adina Verson and Teagle F. Bougere.

3:00 – 4:00pm – A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico: Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul’s Church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group’s luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd.

6:30 – 7:00pm – 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.

7:00 – 8:00pm – Selected Shorts: Unwrapping the Holidays: Host Meg Wolitzer presents three unexpected stories that let us see the holidays’ associations — family, friends, food, gifts, and goodwill — in different ways. Selections from Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Sherrie Flick, and John Cheever will be read by Jayne Atkinson, James Naughton, Adina Verson and Teagle F. Bougere.

8:00 – 10:00pm – St. Olaf Christmas Festival: A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival — which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN — 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.

10:00 – 11:00pm – A Christmas Carol: Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens’ holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Hosted by NPR’s Susan Stamberg, also featuring Mimi Kennedy.

11:00 – Midnight – Jazz Piano Christmas: Your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! The Kennedy Center and NPR present A Jazz Piano Christmas, hosted by Felix Contreras and featuring jazz-infused renditions of the season’s most-loved music. This year, we spotlight remarkable pianist, vocalist, and actress Melvis Santa — whose eclectic Afro-Cuban style has made her one of the most electrifying artists on the scene — and internationally acclaimed Cuban composer and jazz pianist Alfredo Rodriguez.

Tuesday, December 26

Noon – 1:00pm – The Sounds of Kwanzaa: During the aftermath of the Watts Uprisings in the 1960s, Dr. Maulana Karenga decided to create a special December holiday designed for Black people to celebrate themselves, their culture, and their future liberation. Host Garrett McQueen offers a background on the history of Kwanzaa and its guiding principles, alongside musical selections that highlight the spirit of the celebration. The show features the compositions of Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Sean O’Loughlin, and special performances by Imani Winds.