Maine Public Holiday Programming Schedule
Maine Public has curated a delightful schedule of new and traditional holiday programming across all of our platforms offering our listeners and viewers a wide array of programs to enjoy from Thanksgiving through the New Year.
Looking for music to accompany your holidays and gatherings? We have just the thing. The Maine Public Classical Holiday Stream is available online, 24 hours a day, for your listening pleasure!
Maine Public’s 2025 Holiday Programming is made possible through the generous support of Good Shepherd Food Bank, Maine State Music Theatre, Rising Tide Co-op, Richard Parks Furniture, OceanView at Falmouth, and Maine Public's viewers and listeners:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MAINE PUBLIC TV
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS ON MAINE PUBLIC TELEVISION
| AIR DATE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION | |
| November 28 at 10:30 pm | Rick Steves' European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| November 30 at 10:00 pm | All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales | Celebrate the heartwarming MASTERPIECE series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season. | |
| December 1 at 3:00 am | All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales | Celebrate the heartwarming MASTERPIECE series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season. | |
| December 2 at 5:30 am | Rick Steves Festive Europe | Experience the pleasures of Andalucia, venture into the reveler-filled Parisian streets on Bastille Day, take in the royal pageantry in London, wander through a Venetian palace, run with the bulls in Pamplona, dine at an exclusive men's club in Basque country, embrace high culture in Vienna, enjoy the lovable chaos of Naples, and walk the final stretch of the Camino di Santiago in Spain. | |
| December 2 at 9:30 pm | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| December 4 at 12:30 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| December 4 at 5:30 am | Rick Steves Festive Europe | Experience the pleasures of Andalucia, venture into the reveler-filled Parisian streets on Bastille Day, take in the royal pageantry in London, wander through a Venetian palace, run with the bulls in Pamplona, dine at an exclusive men's club in Basque country, embrace high culture in Vienna, enjoy the lovable chaos of Naples, and walk the final stretch of the Camino di Santiago in Spain. | |
| December 4 at 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| December 5 at 11:30 am | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| December 7 at 11:00 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| December 8 at 12:30 am | All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales | Celebrate the heartwarming MASTERPIECE series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season. | |
| December 9 at 8:00 pm | Family Recipe: Jewish American Style | Enjoy a feast for the soul on a culinary journey through the diaspora in homes across America. More than bagels and blintzes, every delicious dish is a story of resilience and resistance with a side of laughter and a generous slice of life. | |
| December 10 at 5:30 am | Rick Steves Festive Europe | Experience the pleasures of Andalucia, venture into the reveler-filled Parisian streets on Bastille Day, take in the royal pageantry in London, wander through a Venetian palace, run with the bulls in Pamplona, dine at an exclusive men's club in Basque country, embrace high culture in Vienna, enjoy the lovable chaos of Naples, and walk the final stretch of the Camino di Santiago in Spain. | |
| December 12 at 4:30 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| December 12 at 7:00 am | Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas | It's Christmas time and the Wild Kratts are taking a break from creature adventuring to celebrate. But when the Wild Kratts receive an alert that their favorite creatures are suddenly disappearing around the globe, their holiday party quickly turns into a rescue mission. Our heroes must race against time to thwart their greedy archrivals' most miserly scheme yet! Will they be able to travel to the ends of the earth and return their baby animal friends to their homes in time for the holidays? | |
| December 14 at 7:30 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| December 14 at 11:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 15 at 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| December 15 at 12:00 pm | Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas | The Cat in the Hat and his guests partied hard. When the party was over and the guests all departed, one poor baby reindeer was left broken-hearted. | |
| December 15 at 2:00 pm | A Celebration Of Hanukkah | Host Geoffrey Baer takes viewers on a fun exploration of the time-honored traditions of this joyous Jewish holiday, sharing how Hanukkah came to be, the significance of the season's cherished dishes, and the ways families continue to celebrate together across generations. | |
| December 15 at 9:00 pm | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| December 15 at 10:30 pm | From Nevada: The Journey Of Our Nation's Christmas Tree | The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is coming from Nevada for the first time in history. See and celebrate Silver Belle as it travels across the country. | |
| December 16 at 1:30 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| December 16 at 9:00 pm | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| December 17 at 2:00 am | A Celebration Of Hanukkah | Host Geoffrey Baer takes viewers on a fun exploration of the time-honored traditions of this joyous Jewish holiday, sharing how Hanukkah came to be, the significance of the season's cherished dishes, and the ways families continue to celebrate together across generations. | |
| December 17 at 3:00 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| December 17 at 8:00 pm | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| December 18 at 1:00 am | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| December 18 at 1:30 am | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| December 18 at 4:00 am | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| December 18 at 11:00 am | Peg+Cat+Holidays | This is a special holiday episode of Peg + Cat featuring "The Christmas Problem," "The Hanukkah Problem," and "The Penguin Problem. "This series is designed to engage preschool children and teach them how to solve math-based problems with Peg, a chatty and tenacious five year-old, her feline pal, Cat, and her smart, handsome, cool friend Ramone. | |
| December 18 at 8:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 18 at 10:00 pm | The St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Our Hope For Years To Come | St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota presents music for the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Season. | |
| December 19 at 2:00 am | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 19 at 3:00 am | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| December 19 at 11:30 am | Pinkalicious & Peterrific | Follows the adventures of Pinkalicious and her brother Peter as they imagine how the world looks through her artful eye. | |
| December 19 at 2:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 20 at 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| December 20 at 4:00 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 20 at 4:30 pm | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| December 20 at 5:00 pm | The United States Army Field Band: Sound The Bells | The U.S. Army Field Band — the "musical ambassadors of the Army" — showcase the musical talents of active-duty soldiers and celebrating the magic of the holidays. | |
| December 21 at 2:00 am | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| December 21 at 8:00 am | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| December 21 at 2:00 pm | The St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Our Hope For Years To Come | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 21 at 3:00 pm | Come and See! A Concordia Christmas | Concordia University Irvine's fifth annual made-for-TV Christmas special includes vocal and instrumental performances of contemporary and classic holiday songs, and features original works to celebrate the Christmas season. | |
| December 21 at 5:00 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 21 at 11:30 pm | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| December 22 at 3:00 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| December 22 at 1:00 pm | Peg+Cat+Holidays | This is a special holiday episode of Peg + Cat featuring "The Christmas Problem," "The Hanukkah Problem," and "The Penguin Problem. "This series is designed to engage preschool children and teach them how to solve math-based problems with Peg, a chatty and tenacious five year-old, her feline pal, Cat, and her smart, handsome, cool friend Ramone. | |
| December 23 at 1:30 am | Christmas On The Danube | TTravel the majestic Danube river as it passes through the stunning European landscape wile learning about history and culture, which are particularly spectacular at Christmas. | |
| December 23 at 2:00 am | Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas | Much-loved British home cook Mary Berry is joined by some famous friends for her ultimate Christmas feast, packed with tips to plan and get ahead for the big day. | |
| December 23 at 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| December 23 at 8:00 pm | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| December 23 at 10:30 pm | Come and See! A Concordia Christmas | Concordia University Irvine's fifth annual made-for-TV Christmas special includes vocal and instrumental performances of contemporary and classic holiday songs, and features original works to celebrate the Christmas season. | |
| December 24 at 3:00 am | Mary Berry's Highland Christmas | Dame Mary Berry travels to her mother's homeland, Scotland, for a magical winter break. Inspired by her own family holidays, she cooks up an array of sumptuous dishes. She's joined by friends Andy Murray, Iain Stirling and Emeli Sandé to cook indulgent Christmas dishes that can be enjoyed anytime over the holidays. | |
| December 24 at 4:00 am | Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas | Much-loved British home cook Mary Berry is joined by some famous friends for her ultimate Christmas feast, packed with tips to plan and get ahead for the big day. | |
| December 24 at 12:00 pm | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| December 24 at 1:00 pm | Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas | It's Christmas time and the Wild Kratts are taking a break from creature adventuring to celebrate. But when the Wild Kratts receive an alert that their favorite creatures are suddenly disappearing around the globe, their holiday party quickly turns into a rescue mission. Our heroes must race against time to thwart their greedy archrivals' most miserly scheme yet! | |
| December 24 at 8:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | A memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children's Chorus, and special guests, it's no wonder this has been one of Maine's favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years. | |
| December 24 at 10:00 pm | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| December 25 at 12:30 am | Maine Yule Log | Enjoy a film loop of a yule log burning in a fireplace, with a traditional soundtrack of classic Christmas music playing in the background. | |
| December 25 at 12:30 pm | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| December 25 at 2:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | A memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children's Chorus, and special guests, it's no wonder this has been one of Maine's favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years. | |
| December 25 at 4:00 pm | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| December 25 at 4:30 pm | A St. Thomas Christmas: Love Divine | Now in its 39th year, the St. Thomas Christmas concert is a winter tradition featuring familiar traditional carols and innovative contemporary selections. The celebration features nearly 270 musicians from four choirs, the string orchestra and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. | |
| December 25 at 5:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| December 25 at 6:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | A memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children's Chorus, and special guests, it's no wonder this has been one of Maine's favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years. | |
| December 25 at 8:00 pm | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | The Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2025 will premiere over the 2025 holiday season. | |
| December 25 at 10:00 pm | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| December 25 at 11:00 pm | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | The Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2025 will premiere over the 2025 holiday season. | |
| December 26 at 2:00 am | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| December 26 at 3:00 am | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | The Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2025 will premiere over the 2025 holiday season. | When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. |
| December 26 at 1:00 pm | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| December 26 at 2:00 pm | Real Rail Adventures: Swiss Winter Magic | Train buff Jeff Wilson showcases the construction marvels and visual splendors of the Swiss rail system. | |
| December 26 at 10:00 pm | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| December 27 at 2:00 am | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| December 27 at 3:00 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| December 27 at 2:00 pm | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| December 27 at 4:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | This beloved Maine holiday classic brings a delightful combination of nostalgic traditions and unexpected surprises. | |
| December 28 at 1:00 am | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| December 28 at 4:00 am | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | The Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2025 will premiere over the 2025 holiday season. | When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. |
| December 28 at 4:00 pm | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| December 28 at 5:00 pm | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. | |
| December 28 at 11:30 pm | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. | |
| December 29 at 4:00 am | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| December 29 at 8:00 am | Lyla In The Loop: Happy New Year Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year’s Eve party. | |
| December 31 at 1:30 am | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. | |
| December 31 at 8:00 am | Lyla In The Loop: Happy New Year Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year’s Eve party. | |
| December 31 at 11:30 pm | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. |
MAINE PUBLIC RADIO
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS ON MAINE PUBLIC RADIO
| AIR DATE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION |
| November 27 at 10:00 am | Splendid Table's Turkey Confidential | Turkey Confidential is The Splendid Table's annual Thanksgiving show. Francis Lam takes calls and comes to the rescue of Thanksgiving cooks, kitchen helpers, and dinner guests during the biggest cooking day of the year. |
| November 27 at 2:00 pm | Massasoit's Peace Pact with the Pilgrims: Peace Talks Radio | Massasoit was the leader of the Wampanoag Confederacy who negotiated a truce with British settlers of Plymouth Colony that lasted for 40 years in the 1600's, starting shortly after the first Thanksgiving. In this edition of Peace Talks Radio, we hear a conversation with American Indian scholars and a filmmaker who fill in the details of Massasoit's attempt to make peace for his people and with the new strangers. |
| November 27 at 7:00 pm | Songs of Thanks | An innovative new production by Cantus, presented exclusively by Minnesota Public Radio. Through their signature narrative programming, the acclaimed octet will weave together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community. Don't miss this special broadcast, designed to uplift the human spirit and honor the season. |
| November 27 at 8:00 pm | Horn of Plenty: A Feast of Music for Thanksgiving | Paul Winter and friends celebrate the family of life and our planet home in this NPR Music seasonal special. Winter's sax and Consort offer a song of gratitude for the land, the sea, and the air -- from Grand Canyon to Ukraine, with some works recorded on location. Audience favorites like "Sun Singer" and "Icarus" herald the grand musical embrace of "And the Earth Spins". John Schaefer of WNYC hosts, with senior producer Steve Rathe of MurrayStreet -- both from NPR's Winter Solstice broadcasts. |
| November 28 at 8:00 pm | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| November 29 at 10:00 pm | An Echoes Acoustic Thanksgiving | An array of acoustic sounds to set the mood for this time of coming together. It features music from the first posthumous release by pianist George Winston, Eastern Montana and the dream pop of the husband and wife duo, AESEAES. Hear new music by guitarist Jim "Kimo" West & Kora player Joss Jaffe, and the acoustic guitar trio Tripliciti with Andy McKee, Trevor Gordon Hall and Calum Graham. |
| December 14 at 8:00 pm | Chanukkah in Story and Song | The acclaimed vocal sextet The Western Wind Chamber Choir and the renowned actor Leonard Nimoy present 25 eclectic selections. From the Ladino songs of the Spanish Jews and Yiddish melodies of Eastern Europe to modern Israeli tunes and their original version of "I Have a Little Dreydle." The singers sing a cappella and are also joined by instruments including violin, accordion, bass and guitar. The narration written by Rabbi Gerald Skolnik sheds light on the holiday customs and rituals. |
| December 16 at 8:00 pm | 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. |
| December 18 at 8:00 pm | Hanukkah Lights 2025 | This NPR favorite returns with new stories plus gems from the archive. Hosted by Murray Horwitz with a special tribute to the beloved Susan Stamberg. |
| December 20 at 8:00 pm | A Special Thistle and Shamrock Christmas | Join Fiona Ritchie for a winter walk along the banks of the River Tay in Scotland, accompanied by music from the Celtic Christmas repertoire. Among restored riverside woodlands, Fiona finds her favorite bench, and sits there to reflect upon the scenes of midwinter. The location inspires seasonal tales, joyful songs, and tunes of rare beauty, with guitarist Tim Edey, singer Emily Smith, and more. |
| December 20 at 9:00 pm | 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, and co-produced by OPB and Murray Street Productions. |
| December 20 at 10:00 pm | An Echoes Winter Solstice | Get ready for the big chill on an Echoes Winter Solstice. Echoes' John Diliberto creates a soundscape of snow-shrouded trees, silent saguaro cacti and white-out conditions. It's a winter fantasy with no Christmas carols, but a sleigh full of music taking you into the celestial and chilled side of the season. |
| December 21 at 1:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 21 at 7:00 pm | A Paul Winter Solstice | Celebrate the return of the sun with an encore performance recorded in the world's largest Gothic cathedral. Musicians include Noel Paul Stookey, also known as Paul from the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. The Paul Winter Consort Winter Solstice Celebration (its official full title) also featured old friends like gospel singer Theresa Thomason and the Forces of Nature dance and drumming troupe from Harlem. WNYC's John Schaefer hosts. |
| December 21 at 8:00 pm | Selected Shorts: What You Wish For | Host Meg Wolitzer presents three Christmas stories in different moods—satirical, fantastical, and nostalgic: "A Visit from Saint Nicholas (In the Ernest Hemingway Manner)," by James Thurber, performed by James Naughton; "O'Brien's First Christmas," by Jeanette Winterson, performed by Jayne Atkinson; and "One Christmas," by Truman Capote, performed by John Shea. |
| December 22 at 7:00 pm | Tinsel Tales: NPR Christmas Favorites | This program features 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. Hosted by Lynn Neary. |
| December 22 at 8:00 pm | 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. |
| December 23 at 7:00 pm | Tinsel Tales 2: More NPR Christmas Favorites | NPR fills millions of homes each holiday with humor, warmth, and a host of festive voices. 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. |
| December 23 at 8:00 pm | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| December 24 at 9:00 am | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 24 at 10:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| December 24 at 1:00 pm | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. 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. |
| December 24 at 3:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| December 24 at 7:00 pm | Jonathan Winters' A Christmas Carol | The late comedian Jonathan Winters presented a distinctive reading of this holiday classic, using a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. He re-creates Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley's spirit and the three Christmas ghosts: Past, Present and Future. Mimi Kennedy also performs. |
| December 24 at 8:00 pm | Vince Guaraldi's Christmas Gift to Jazz with Jana Lee Ross | Vince Guaraldi's music to A Charlie Brown Christmas ushers in the sound of the holidays for jazz fans as well as Charlie Brown fans. Songs like "Linus and Lucy," "Skating" and "Christmas Time Is Here" have become holiday classics and have inspired many a jazz player. Jana Lee Ross will explore interpretations of Vince Guaraldi's tunes by Cyrus Chestnut, Dianne Reeves, David Benoit and others, and of course we'll hear from Vince Guaraldi himself. |
| December 24 at 9:00 pm | Jazz Tonight Celebrates the Holidays | Long time Maine Public radio host Rich Tozier spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| December 24 at 11:00 pm | Jazz Piano Christmas 2025 | A very special "Best Of" program, featuring some favorite jazz-infused piano renditions of the season's most-loved music. Veteran host and jazz critic Felix Contreras will hand pick his favorite performances from the rich catalog of cherished Jazz Piano Christmas concerts. |
| December 25 at 12:00 am | Welcome Christmas | A perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries. |
| December 25 at 1:00 am | An Echoes Night Before Christmas | Get the sugar plums dancing and hearken back to a time when life seems suspended between the Christmas build-up and the explosion of Christmas morning. These are not your shopping mall Christmas carols. Hear music from A Dark Noël album, Jeff Johnson's Winterfold and Smoke Fairies' Wild Winter, and David Arkenstone's Winterlude. John Diliberto decorates your ears with seasonal music that's cool and chilled. |
| December 25 at 5:00 am | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 25 at 9:00 am | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. 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. |
| December 25 at 11:00 am | Tinsel Tales 3: Even More NPR Christmas Favorites | In keeping with a well-loved NPR holiday tradition, hear the third collection of extraordinary Christmas stories that will transport you to unexpected places. Audie Cornish, Ken Harbaugh, Nina Totenberg and other voices from NPR's past and present tell stories of the season in this hour-long special. Some tales are funny; some are touching; some are insightful or irreverent or nostalgic or surprising. You might recognize them from our broadcast archives — or you might fall in love with them for the first time. Hosted by Lynn Neary. |
| December 25 at 1:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with 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 joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| December 25 at 2:00 pm | Tinsel Tales 4: So Much More NPR Christmas Favorites | NPR revisits interviews with musicians about their Christmas albums. Some, like Katie Melua and Sting, celebrate tradition and winter mystery in their Christmas songs. Others, like Kenny Rogers and Amy Grant, find spirituality and stability in holiday music. Jon Batiste and Anthony Hamilton bring new energy to old favorites on their Christmas albums. Hosted by Lynn Neary. |
| December 25 at 3:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 25 at 7:00 pm | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| December 25 at 8:00 pm | Mark O'Connor's An Appalachian Christmas | Mark O'Connor, famous bluegrass fiddler and respected American composer, leads the O'Connor Band and special guest Nancy Ives, principal cellist of the Oregon Symphony. |
| December 25 at 9:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| December 25 at 10:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| December 25 at 11:00 pm | 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. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| December 26 at 8:00 pm | A Season's Griot 2023 | This is public radio's only nationally syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. The show's poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and others return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot. |
| December 27 at 10:00 pm | An Echoes Seasonal Soundscape | An all-instrumental soundscape for the season. Hear music inspired by the season in all its quiet majesty and interior warmth. Original songs mix with carols from artists like David Arkenstone, George Winston, Ólafur Arnalds, Erik Wøllo and many more. |
| December 28 at 1:00 pm | No Small Endeavor Holiday Special 2025: Practices of Hope | When the headlines numb and the culture wars grind us down, what if hope isn't a mood at all—but a practice you can do with your body, your friends, and your city? In this holiday special, Lee revisits four conversations to find practices of hope with Tara Brach, Tom Paxton, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, and Sharon McMahon. |
| December 31 at 8:00 pm | Toast of the Nation | An NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s, it's the perfect audio complement for the occasion featuring festive jazz you can party to, all night long. Hosted by Christian McBride. |
| January 1 at 12:00 am | An Echoes Ambient New Year | Dance in 2025 with an Echoes Ambient New Year's Eve. All systems are plugged in, and the chill is turned up to 11, as we swing in on electronic sounds old, new and beyond time and space. John Diliberto dials up the best of chilled, downtempo and ambient music from 2024 to kick off the new year. |
| January 1 at 11:00 am | New Year's Day From Vienna | The Vienna Philharmonic and conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguim present its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. Hosted by WBUR's Lisa Mullins. |
MAINE PUBLIC CLASSICAL
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS ON MAINE PUBLIC CLASSICAL
| AIR DATE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION |
| November 27 at 10:00 am | Songs of Thanks | An innovative new production by Cantus, presented exclusively by Minnesota Public Radio. Through their signature narrative programming, the acclaimed octet will weave together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community. Don't miss this special broadcast, designed to uplift the human spirit and honor the season. |
| November 27 at 11:00 am | Shadowglow: Thanksgiving with the American Sound | This Thanksgiving enjoy an hour of music celebrating the special radiance of autumn and the richness of the holiday—music inspired by the uncanny fire of starlight, the hopeful warmth of luminaria, the lamps of gratitude we light within ourselves, even the golden glow of beloved Thanksgiving treats fresh from the oven. Michael Torke's Appalachian-inspired "Spoonbread" is a scrumptious soundtrack for puttering in the kitchen, and Peter Boyer's "Radiance," the incandescent "Choose Something Like a Star" from Randall Thompson's Frostiana, Michael Whalen's nostalgic "Shadows of October," Kenji Bunch's contemplative "Luminaria" and Craig Hella Johnson's affirming "The Song That I Came to Sing" fill the holiday with shimmering nuances of gratitude and hope. |
| November 27 at 11:00 am | Every Good Thing | This Thanksgiving, host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from all around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. It's Every Good Thing — an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving. |
| November 27 at 1:00 pm | Horn of Plenty, a Feast of Music for Thanksgiving | Paul Winter and friends celebrate the family of life and our planet home in this NPR Music seasonal special. Winter's sax and Consort offer a song of gratitude for the land, the sea, and the air -- from Grand Canyon to Ukraine, with some works recorded on location. Audience favorites like "Sun Singer" and "Icarus" herald the grand musical embrace of "And the Earth Spins." John Schaefer of WNYC hosts, with senior producer Steve Rathe of MurrayStreet -- both from NPR's Winter Solstice broadcasts. |
| November 28 at 5:00 pm | Afterglow: Food Glorious Food | Enjoy these songs about food – and songs about food as a euphemism for something else. You'll be grateful to hear songs by Leonard Bernstein, Annie Ross, Harry Warren and more sung by Louis Jordan, Sarah Vaughan, June Christy, and more. |
| December 14 at 6:00 pm | Chanukkah in Story and Song | The acclaimed vocal sextet The Western Wind Chamber Choir and the renowned actor Leonard Nimoy present 25 eclectic selections. From the Ladino songs of the Spanish Jews and Yiddish melodies of Eastern Europe to modern Israeli tunes and their original version of "I Have a Little Dreydle." The singers sing a cappella and are also joined by instruments including violin, accordion, bass and guitar. The narration written by Rabbi Gerald Skolnik sheds light on the holiday customs and rituals. |
| December 15 at 6:00 pm | 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. |
| December 16 at 6:00 pm | A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago a cappella | Join Jonathan Miller, artistic director of Chicago a cappella and longtime champion of Jewish choral music, for an inspiring and informative show featuring choral music set to Chanukah texts. Familiar tunes include “I Have a Little Dreidel” (both in its original Yiddish form and in a neo-funk Hebrew/English setting), a swing version of “S’vivon” by Steve Barnett, and a lively setting of the traditional melody for “Al-Hanissim (“For the Miracles”)” by Elliot Levine. Heartfelt original compositions by American and British composers provide added depth of expression to celebrating the holiday. |
| December 17 at 6:00 pm | Chanukah Memories and Melodies | In this special from WQXR, six prominent artists share memories of Chanukah, and the music the holiday brings to mind. From soothing to surprising, from reverent to rowdy, their musical choices will inspire and delight you. |
| December 17 at 8:00 pm | Maine Stage: Bach by Candlelight | With the Bach Virtuosi Festival |
| December 18 at 6:00 pm | Hanukkah Lights 2025 | This NPR favorite returns with new stories plus gems from the archive. Hosted by Murray Horwitz with a special tribute to the beloved Susan Stamberg. |
| December 19 at 5:00 pm | Afterglow: Jazz to the World – Swingin' the Season | Celebrate the holidays with music from the latter half of the 20th century with an emphasis on the 1960s when it seemed anyone who had a recording contract was obliged to release at least one Christmas album. Also hear favorite American Songbook vocalists from Bing Crosby in the 1940s, to Ella Fitzgerald and Andy Williams in the 60s to Kurt Elling in the 90s, and many more. |
| December 19 at 6:00 pm | The Jazz Flower Holiday | Maine Public radio host Sufiyah Asia Yasmine spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| December 19 at 8:00 pm | Jazz Tonight Celebrates the Holidays | Long time Maine Public radio host Rich Tozier spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| December 19 at 10:00 pm | Jazz Piano Christmas 2025 | A very special "Best Of" program, featuring some favorite jazz-infused piano renditions of the season's most-loved music. Veteran host and jazz critic Felix Contreras will hand pick his favorite performances from the rich catalog of cherished Jazz Piano Christmas concerts. |
| December 19 at 11:00 pm | A Swinging Holiday Jazz Party with Wynton Marsalis | Wynton Marsalis hosts an hour of holiday jazz favorites by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, René Marie, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. |
| December 20 at 11:00 am | Songbook - Nowell and Alleluya: Songs of Merriment and Festivity in Early Music | Songs for the Christmas season - from the days before we decorated trees, hung stockings, and baked cookies! Featuring a wide variety of vocal works mostly from the Renaissance and Mediaeval eras, you'll hear Gothic Voices, the Oxford Camerata, and others offering the sounds of the season. A Renaissance mass from the Flemish Low Countries, folk melodies from France, Ireland, and Spain, and a few familiar favorites are all a part of this special Songbook episode. Grab a mug of wassail, get cozy, and tune in. |
| December 21 at 6:00 pm | In Winter's Glow | A winter solstice program, with modern classical sounds for the longest night of the year, chosen especially to compliment the chilly, starry nights of the season. |
| December 21 at 7:00 pm | A Paul Winter Solstice | Celebrate the return of the sun with an encore performance recorded in the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. Musicians include Noel Paul Stookey, also known as Paul from the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. The Paul Winter Consort Winter Solstice Celebration (its official full title) also featured old friends like gospel singer Theresa Thomason and the Forces of Nature dance and drumming troupe from Harlem. WNYC's John Schaefer hosts. |
| December 23 at 6:00 am | Welcome Christmas | Aperennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including including the world premiere of three beloved Latvian carols by composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. |
| December 23 at 7:00 am | 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. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| December 23 at 8:00 am | The Film Score Music for the Winter Holidays | Renowned film critic Michael Phillips hosts celebration of holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to beloved standards "White Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Michael shares an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, ranging from "It Happened in Sun Valley" 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. |
| December 23 at 9:00 am | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| December 23 at 10:00 am | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 23 at 1:00 pm | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| December 24 at 6:00 am | Gaudete! Early Music for the Christmas Season | Sara Schneider, producer and host of Early Music Now, presents a mixture of joyful and contemplative sounds of the season. Hear a Byzantine chant by Kassiani, and selections from Missa Puer natus est nobis by Thomas Tallis, plus hymns and motets from Spain, Germany, and France. Performers include The Cardinall's Musick, Theatre of Voices, Cappella Romana, and Oltremontano. |
| December 24 at 7:00 am | 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. |
| December 24 at 8:00 am | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| December 24 at 9:00 am | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| December 24 at 9:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| December 24 at 12:00 pm | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. 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. |
| December 24 at 2:00 pm | Welcome Christmas | A perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries. |
| December 24 at 3:00 pm | A Handel and Haydn Society Christmas | Celebrate the season with Christmas choral music from America's oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston's Handel & Haydn Society. |
| December 24 at 4:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| December 24 at 5:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 24 at 8:00 pm | Maine Stage: ChoralART Christmas at the Cathedral | With the Bach Virtuosi Festival |
| December 24 at 10:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| December 24 at 11:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with 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 joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| December 25 at 6:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| December 25 at 8:00 am | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. 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. |
| December 25 at 10:00 am | A Handel and Haydn Society Christmas | Celebrate the season with Christmas choral music from America's oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston's Handel & Haydn Society. |
| December 25 at 11:00 am | 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. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| December 25 at 12:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 25 at 3:00 pm | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| December 25 at 4:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with 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 joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| December 25 at 5:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| December 25 at 6:00 pm | 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. |
| December 25 at 7:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| December 25 at 8:00 pm | New York Philharmonic presents Handel's Messiah | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| December 27 at 6:00 pm | 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. Today, Kwanzaa is still celebrated by not only Afro-Americans, but Black people around the globe!
In this broadcast, 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. |
| December 27 at 7:00 pm | A Season's Griot 2023 | This is public radio's only nationally syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. The show's poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and others return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot. |
| January 1 at 11:00 am | New Year's Day From Vienna | The Vienna Philharmonic and conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguim present its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. Hosted by WBUR's Lisa Mullins. |