Christmas

The pandemic has changed how many people are celebrating Christmas this year, but one thing remains constant, and that's the joy of Christmas music.

New England musician Dan Blakeslee has released a new album this month called "Christmas Jubilee" that has a mix of tradition and original songs. NHPR's Morning Edition Host Rick Ganley caught up with Blankslee to chat more about the album.

(Editor's note: We recommend listening to this story.)

Rick Ganley: What makes you love Christmas music so much?

For the last five years or so, NHPR’s Sean Hurley has been documenting what seems to be a growing Holiday tradition of decorating trees near his home along a favorite hiking path at Smarts Brook in Thornton.  He’s been worried that this difficult year might bring a temporary end to the tradition...until this past weekend.

With the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays overlapping this year, the past few days have been very busy ones for New Hampshire's interfaith families.

With Christmas nearly here and Hanukkah already underway, New Hampshire shoppers are rushing to the stores to get their last-minute gifts.

(Editor's note: Click the play buttons to listen to these last-minute shoppers in their own words)

Shopper Sheila Bartlet from Gilmanton says she's going to be more prepared next year:

Other shoppers, like Claire Fisher from Concord, don't mind the last-minute rush:

Shoppers Victor and Janet Morrin from Newmarket say they've made last minute shopping a holiday tradition: 

The holiday season is in full swing as we enter December, and there are lots of ways to celebrate across the Granite State. Morning Edition Host Rick Ganley spoke with NH Magazine's managing editor Erica Thoits about this month's best events.

Holiday events mentioned here:

On Christmas Day, we listen back to a seasonal favorite, our 2005 conversation with Gerald Charles Dickens, Charles Dickens's great-great-grandson and an actor. He toured America with his one-man performance of "A Christmas Carol," and we speal with him about the legacy of his namesake and the magic of "A Christmas Carol." He also performs a handful of scenes from his show.

Join NHPR's Rick Ganley and Sean Hurley for an old-timey hour of Christmas stories and memories. This special will become one of your family's favorite holiday listening traditions!

Tune in for the broadcast at 1 PM on December 24th, or listen right here:

This year, Christmas Eve and the start of Hanukkah fall on the same day, a rare aligning of the Gregorian and Lunar calendars.  And so, we'll explore the customs and origins of these holidays -- the symbols they share, how they differ, and how much they've borrowed from each other - and from more ancient, Pagan celebrations.

Some people get their trees at the supermarket, some at Christmas tree farms.  Some cut them down in the National Forest.  They take them home and get out the tinsel and the ornaments and the lights. But in some New Hampshire parts, not everyone brings a tree home.

Some people like to decorate Christmas trees in the wild.

Producer's note: As with every Sean Hurley story, we really recommend giving this a listen!

From the Hatbox’s adaptation of a Christmas Carol to a pantomime version of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse to the reasons why, after 83 years, the Peterborough Players are offering their first winter season, NHPR’s Sean Hurley has a holiday theater round-up for the month of December. 

There might not be any snow on the ground, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start getting into the holiday spirit.  Premiering tonight at the Hatbox Theater, a new adaptation of Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol”.  NHPR’s Sean Hurley went to a dress rehearsal of the show and is happy to report that Scrooge is alive and well and living in Concord – at least for the next two weeks.  

Tis the season for Christmas carols but at Something Wild one in particular captures our attention: The Twelve Days of Christmas.  There are a lot of birds featured in the song but, like so many of our carols, the lyrics are from old Europe and don’t really speak to life in 21st century New England.  So we thought maybe it’s time for an update… a rewrite… a New Hampshire Christmas carol.

We’ll skip over days twelve through eight – those all have to do with crafts people and artisans – and jump right to the important stuff – the BIRDS!

Up in Jackson around this time of year you can climb aboard a horse drawn Austrian sleigh and ride through town collecting handmade chocolates from local merchants.  NHPR's Sean Hurley went along on the Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour and sends us this.

Even though Kathleen Driscoll has to sit all day in a gazebo beside a roaring fire she says she has no trouble resisting the bowl of handmade chocolates before her.  "I don't like chocolate," she says, "I'm not a chocolate fan. If it was birthday cake I'd eat it!"

Last winter researchers set off for Norway’s northern reaches where the sun barely rises above the horizon to find out how residents cope with the cold and darkness and discovered something remarkable. On this Solstice day, we reveal the Norwegian secret to enjoying a harsh winter. Plus, how Granite Staters feel about the lack of snow this holiday season. Then, for some parents, Christmas raises a conundrum – how to navigate the magical world of Santa. 

After a contentious battle, our first ever, December Madness Holiday Song Showdown winner has been crowned: White Christmas by Bing Crosby. Poor She & Him didn't stand a chance against Bing; it was a landslide victory.

Maybe it's because the weather outside hasn't been too frightful and Jack Frost hasn't been doing much nipping at our noses here on the East Coast. Or maybe when it comes down to it, a classic song sung by a classic crooner is what we really want to hear come December. 

A big thank you to everyone who participated, and to everyone who shared their picks for the holiday song they can't live without. We've compiled a list of most of those songs below  so you can create your very own, Word of Mouth crowd sourced holiday playlist. (We left out Pump up the Jam and Stairway to Heaven because we're pretty sure we were being punked with those choices.)

A rite of passage for many kids this time of year is a visit with Santa. And that usually means a trip to the mall. But for parents with kids who have autism or other sensory disorders, a rambunctious mall is the last place they want to be.

In Merrimack, kids have another option—  a quieter visit with what’s called a “Sensitive Santa.”

From a distance, he’s your typical Santa. He wears the puffy red suit and belts out a laugh that’s as hearty as any other St. Nick.

But up close, his demeanor is more calming.

Since they were first introduced in 1847, postage stamps have become a staple of American life and taste. On today’s show,  a look at America’s most memorable stamps, and why some were beloved, while others were surprisingly contentious. Plus, what happens when a pro-wrestler abandons the ring for Santa’s sleigh?

As volunteers fan out across the state for the annual Christmas Bird Count, they’re likely to see two noteworthy species down from the north this year. Both are named "Crossbills" for unique bills that actually do cross, all the better to pry seeds from a conifer cone.

Members of the Concord Community Music School’s Scholarship Vocal Ensemble performed Christmas songs for members of the Executive Council Tuesday morning.

You can listen here to their performances of "The First Noel" and "Joy To The World."

We all have our holiday traditions – family dinners, decorating, songs, presents... or, in one particular case, doing calculations about some of the most famous parts of the holidays.

The Ferguson decision, Eric Garner protests, and immigration are all topics we avoid at the holiday table, but opinions run free on Facebook. On today’s show what do you do when your Facebook friends make racist posts?

Plus, think ice fishing is for people who like to drink and dislike their families? The fishing nerds say the times they have-a-changed…

Also today, bad taste among the British; we’ll review the UK traditions of really bad Christmas number ones.

Listen to the full show and click Read more for individual segments.

Tis the season for Christmas carols but at Something Wild one in particular captures our attention: The Twelve Days of Christmas.  There are a lot of birds featured in the song but, like so many of our carols, the lyrics are from old Europe and don’t really speak to life in 21st century New England.  So we thought maybe it’s time for an update… a rewrite… a New Hampshire Christmas carol.

We’ll skip over days twelve through eight – those all have to do with crafts people and artisans – and jump right to the important stuff – the BIRDS!

Do you recall the most famous reindeer of all? What was left out of the song was Rudolph's New Hampshire connection.