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On KPBS TV
Jim Brickman's A Christmas Celebration
Airs Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 9:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
This holiday season, two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum selling artist, Jim Brickman, is creating a musical celebration for audiences seeking an escape from the hectic demands of the holiday season. In a spectacular concert, Jim and his very special guests present an evening of dazzling solo piano and vibrant vocals, plus plenty of warmth and humor.
Celtic Thunder Christmas
Airs Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV
This heart-warming new Celtic Thunder show features holiday standards such as "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," "Let It Snow," "Winter Wonderland" and "Silent Night" as well as a few specially-written originals, "Going Home For Christmas", "Christmas Morning Donegal" and "Our First Christmas Together."
National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011
Airs Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 6 p.m. on KPBS TV
Presented by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation, the ceremony is a time-honored holiday tradition which includes the illumination of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse just south of the White House. The event features Carson Daly, with performances by Marsha Ambrosius, OneRepublic, Big Time Rush, Rodney Atkins, Ellie Goulding, Kermit the Frog and more.
Straight No Chaser: Songs Of The Decades: Holiday Edition
Airs Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. & Saturday, Dec. 24 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV
Filmed live at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, this holiday special is a journey through the decades of the pop songbook, including everything from doo-wop to contemporary pop done with the unforgettable Straight No Chaser twist. From “The Boys Are Back in Town” to “Joy to the World,” from “Billie Jean” to “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” Straight No Chaser is the captivating sound of 10 unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music.
Live From Lincoln Center: George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
Airs Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV
Live from Lincoln Center returns to the New York City Ballet for "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker." This is the production that is the heart of New York City's year-end holiday season. From the moment the lights dim, you will be transported to a magical place filled with adorable children, marching toy soldiers, a glowing one-ton Christmas tree that seemingly grows forever, mischievous mice, crystalline waltzing snowflakes, the Land of Sweets and some of the most glorious dancing on earth.
Shalom Sesame - Chanukah: The Missing Menorah
Airs Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 6:30 a.m. on KPBS TV
It’s time to celebrate Chanukah in Israel with the gang from Sesame Street. Grover’s bringing the latkes and all is well until Anneliese gets caught in a game of tag with a chicken and loses her special menorah – right before sunset! Can her friends find the missing menorah in time? Explore holiday foods, stories and traditions with familiar faces, including Grover, Telly and The Count.
Lidia Celebrates America: Holiday Tables And Traditions
Airs Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 at 8 p.m. & Thursday, Dec. 22 at 2 a.m. on KPBS TV
Celebrity chef, author and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich celebrates culture through food. Join her for an Italian Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes with actors Mo Rocca and Stanley Tucci; a Mexican-American Christmas Day with four generations of the Cortez family in San Antonio, Texas; a Chinese New Year feast and celebration with the Fong-Torres family; and a Jewish-American Passover seder with the Russ family of the famed specialty shop Russ and Daughters and food author Ruth Reichl.
Frontline: From Jesus To Christ: The First Christians
Airs Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV
FRONTLINE presents the epic story of the rise of Christianity. Drawing upon new and sometimes controversial historical evidence, the series transports viewers back two thousand years to the time and place where Jesus of Nazareth once lived and preached and challenges familiar assumptions and conventional notions about the origins of Christianity.
Nature: Christmas In Yellowstone
Airs Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011 at 8 p.m. & Sunday, Dec. 25 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV
As snow falls and Christmas lights glow in Jackson Hole, a holiday season of a different sort settles in just beyond the town, in the great winter world of Yellowstone. Breathtaking landscapes frame intimate scenes of wolves and coyotes, elk and bison, bears and otters as they make their way through their most challenging season of the year.
California's Gold: Holiday Classic: Poinsettias
Airs Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
Albert Ecke immigrated from Germany to Southern California in 1902 and opened a roadside stall selling fruits and vegetables. By the 1920s his son Paul started selling some of the wild poinsettia plants that grew in the hills above their stall. From these small beginnings, it is now estimated that over 90% of all flowering poinsettias get their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch.
European Christmas Markets
Airs Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011 at 9 p.m. & Saturday, Dec. 24 at 5 p.m. on KPBS TV
Join us in our discovery of Europe's Christmas Markets, where the town center, market square, or just the sides of narrow, cobblestone streets come alive in the dark of winter with festively decorated wooden stalls offering hot wine, regional food, Christmas decorations, sweet confections, toys, regional crafts and local entertainment.
Travelscope: Christmas In Switzerland
Airs Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011 at 9:30 p.m. & Saturday, Dec. 24 at 4:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
Host Joseph Rosendo journeys to Lausanne, Montreux and Basel to bask in the glow of a Swiss-style Christmas at some of the country's holiday markets, where food stalls feature some of the best regional fare. He samples locally produced wine, venison sausage fresh from the hunt and even chestnuts roasted on an open fire. Rosendo also enjoys a scenic train ride to Rocher-de-Naye, where he meets Father Christmas and his trusty companion, the Schmutzli, at Santa's Village.
Christmas At Belmont 2011
Airs Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011 at 10 p.m. & Sunday, Dec. 25 at 4 a.m.
Taped at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee, nearly 700 student musicians join host Laura Bell Bundy, the Belmont School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children’s Choir, to present this annual production of traditional carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites.
A Christmas Concert From Norway 2011
Airs Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV
This festive concert of glorious holiday and traditional classical music, from an historic church in the small town of Hamar, Norway, has become an international Christmas tradition. Again this year, the program is co-hosted by Her Royal Highness Princess Martha Louise of Norway. Joining her this year is American film and theater actor John C. Reilly who has appeared in more than 50 motion pictures.
L.A. Holiday Celebration 2011
Airs Friday, Dec. 23, 2011 at 9 p.m. & Sunday, Dec. 25 at 12:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
This holiday-themed show, attended by nearly 7,000 people annually and featuring 1,000 performers, represents the diverse cultures and holiday traditions found in Los Angeles' myriad neighborhoods. This edition of the Emmy-nominated music and dance extravaganza yields distinctive interpretations of holiday classics and a glimpse into how world cultures mark the season.
On KPBS Radio
Hanukkah Lights
Airs December 19, 2011 from 9 p.m. – 10 p.m.
On this perennial NPR favorite, Hanukkah stories and memoirs, written by acclaimed authors expressly for "Hanukkah Lights," are read by NPR's Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz. "Hanukkah Lights" celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, with four brand new works: "Finding Golda" by Margot Singer, "Legacy" by Lev Raphael," "Geek Week" by Rebecca O'Connell, and "Moon Landing," by Shira Nayman.
Jonathan Winters' A Christmas Carol
Airs Dec. 24, 2011 from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. & Dec. 25 from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
An updated version of a public radio tradition hosted by NPR's Susan Stamberg. Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Also featuring Mimi Kennedy. From NPR and KCRW.
All Songs Considered For The Holidays
Airs Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 from 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. & Sunday, Dec. 25 from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Third time's a charm, or maybe not. It's the third edition of the not so new, wonky holiday tradition from NPR Music. Host Bob Boilen and friends trade holiday cheer and snarky barbs while bringing you the best holiday songs from new and emerging breakout bands. This show is filled with fun and fresh renditions of great holiday music.
A Chanticleer Christmas
Airs Saturday, December 24, 2011 from 9 p.m. – 10 p.m.
"A Chanticleer Christmas" is American Public Media's one-hour celebration of the season as told through the glorious voices of Chanticleer, the 12-voice San Francisco-based men's choir. The program spans the globe and the centuries — from England in the 1300s to new arrangements of classic and contemporary carols.
San Diego Symphony Handel’s Messiah
Airs Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 from 4 a.m. – 7 a.m. & from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Copley Symphony Hall comes alive to the joyous strains of Handel's "Messiah" when the San Diego Symphony and San Diego Master Chorale take the stage for this holiday treat!
Tinsel Tales: NPR Christmas Stories
Airs Sunday, December 25, 2011 from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
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.
Tinsel Tales 2011
Airs Sunday, December 25, 2011 from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
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. Hosted by Lynn Neary.
The Capital Steps: New Year’s Eve Special
Airs Saturday, December 31, 2011 from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Help us ring-in 2012 by making fun of 2011 with "The Capitol Steps" and their annual year-in-review awards ceremony called "Politics Takes a Holiday!" This year will feature all new awards, such as: "Biggest Clueless Middle Eastern Dictator Who Thought 'Arab Spring' Was Just a Trending Fashion," "Best Not Just Any Committee But a SUPER Committee," "Most GOP Debates Ever Held Ever," and "Worst Place to Hide Your Mistress While Serving as Governor of California."
A Prairie Home Companion's Hawaiian New Year's Eve, With Garrison Keillor
Airs Saturday, December 31, 2011 from 7 p.m. - midnight
Garrison Keillor hosts from Hawaii, with actors - Sue Scott, Tim Russell, Fred Newman - and Erica Rhodes; Rich Dworsky and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band; Heather Masse, plus special guest performers, including slack key guitar and ukulele master, Led Kaapana. The broadcast will include - Guy Noir, Lives of the Cowboys and The News from Lake Wobegon.
