We bring you special broadcasts on "Connections with Evan Dawson" today.
12:00: Special broadcast — "Selected Shorts: Holiday Hitches"
1:00: Special broadcast —"Tinsel Tales 3: Even More NPR Christmas Favorites"
We love the holidays, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. This seasonal special from "Selected Shorts" hosted by Meg Wolitzer offers tales about uncommon roads travelled by the celebrants. Humorist Andy Borowitz tells of a young man embracing tradition—but with an ulterior motive. Michael Tucker reads “The First Hanukkah.” Our second work may or may not answer the question “Where Do Good Trees Go When They Die?” but it certainly tells us a lot about a mother/daughter relationship. Pascale Armand’s reads this Laurie Notaro work. And in Stuart McLean’s “Christmas Presents,” a family that had a tepid response to gift giving decides to go all out, with unpredictable results. Spoiler alert: the holiday season is not the best time to learn new skills, and reader Jill Eikenberry tells you why.
Then in our second hour, in keeping with a well-loved NPR holiday tradition, hear the third collection of extraordinary "Tinsel Tales" 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. This broadcast is hosted by Lynn Neary. Featured stories:
- "December's Soundtrack" (Amy Dickinson)
- "Christmas with UPS" (Loree Gold)
- "Merry Stressmas: It's that Time of the Year" (Kevin Kling)
- "Appreciating the Ugliness of the Christmas Tree" (Ken Harbaugh)
- "Stealing Hemlock" (Bailey White)
- "Christmas Lights Tour" (Bill Harley)
- "Christmas With the Totenbergs" (Nina Totenberg)
- "The Gift of the Magi" (O. Henry, read by NPR's Audie Cornish)
- "Christmas for Cows" (Baxter Black)
- "Christmas Pudding" (Marialisa Calta)
- "Caroling in the Cold" (Julie Zickefoose)
- "Christmas Magic" (Joseph C. Phillips)
- "Grinch's True End" (John Moe)
Then, for our evening broadcasts:
9:00: Special broadcast —"Tinsel Tales 4: NPR Christmas Stories Told through Song"
10:00: Special broadcast —"Tinsel Tales 2: 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. This broadcast is hosted by Lynn Neary.
Then in our second hour, NPR fills millions of homes each holiday with humor, warmth, and a host of festive voices. Continuing with the tradition of the 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. This broadcast is hosted by Lynn Neary. Featured stories:
- "Santa Claus, Private Eye" (Duck's Breath Mystery Theatre of San Francisco)
- "Pass the Fois Gras: Christmas Menu Hard to Digest" (Firoozeh Dumas)
- "A 'Silent Night' that Brought Healing" (Steve Banko)
- "The Christmas Club" (Bill Harley)
- "All I Wanted For Christmas" (NPR staffers)
- "Christmas Gift Records" (The Ban-Smo Label)
- "The Night Before Christmas, Latin Style" (Read by NPR's Claudio Sanchez)
- "The Designated Celebrator" (Melinda Shoaf)
- "Christmas Truce" (Historian Douglas Brinkley)
- "Wolf Christmas" (Daniel Pinkwater)
