The official Christmas FM thread

Ok - stupid Alexa just won’t listen! Have tried all combinations of asking her, but all I’m getting is classic Christmas fm, which is fine as I enjoy it but sometimes I’d like the choice 🙄

I was in a shop the other day and I heard a fast pop type version of O Holy night. Not sure if it was Christmas fm but I'd love to find it to scandalise my family who's favourite song it is.

Loughc wrote: »

Ask Alexa to “Start Christmas Fm” that worked for me.

Tried that, she just hates me

Agree, there's something about the live presenters that really makes it, I never usually bother listening before the launch as the online version without the presenters seems a tad functional (for want of a better description) but having the presenters in place online before the FM launch has made a huge difference, hence listening in regularly now.

I was listening a while ago to Christmas FM. The presenter was Aine (presumably Aine O'Neill - had not heard her before). She played another of my favourites - The Little Drummer Boy by David Bowie and Bing Crosby. This was followed by a quite pleasant blue-tinged song: Merry Christmas Baby by Dion.

Here's another list!

There are Christmas FM presenters, past and present, who have had links to different parts of RTE - that would include Cork Local Radio, Millennium Radio and Raidio na Gaeltachta.

Stevie Bolger
Mike Moloney
Hugh O'Brien
Gerry Wilson
Electric Eddie
Paul Scanlon
Simon Young
Noel McCaul (rip)
Robbie Irwin
Mark Byrne
Lisa Gernon
Niamh Ní Chróinín
Keane Harley
Gareth O'Connor
Karl Tsignidos
Gerry Healy

Here's yet another list! These are Christmas FM presenters, past and present, involved with Irish online only stations.
Ollie Clarke
Keith Shanley
Mike Moloney
*Dave Lyons
Robbie Irwin
Lisa Gernon
Chris Barry
Lynsey Dolan


*Dave Lyons is another former presenter with '80s superpirate Sunshine Radio. See my previous list!

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I'm driven demented with alexa playing christmas fm classical instead of the main one. I've got the skill enabled and i know I should be able to play it on tuned in too on alexa but no success. Any ideas?

I have a Google Home, and when playing Christmas FM, it says "Now playing Christmas FM Ireland". I'm not sure if Alexa streams from TuneIn too, but maybe try asking Alexa to play Christmas FM Ireland?

I fixed Alexa!!! For those getting frustrated, go into Alexa app and select Christmas FM ireland from tunein

Funnily enough my opinion of that song has changed over the years, I never really liked her stuff and was indifferent to it when it came out first and for a few years after. It then changed to actually disliking it to the extent id skip it on cd's and change channel if it came on the radio/tv. But I've mellowed to it over the last few years where I don't really mind it anymore. It will never make my Christmas top 10 but I can listen to it now and not be bothered by it.

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

Here is yet another radio anorak angle!

These are Christmas FM presenters, past and present, with connections to the largely music-based Irish commercial independent stations, i.e Century Radio or Radio Ireland/Today FM.

Hugh O'Brien
Robbie Irwin
Jon Troy
Marty Miller
Mark Byrne
Enda Caldwell
Karl Tsignidos
Bernie Jameson

Noel Shannon can be added to that list!

Edit: as can Stephen Keogh!

They're doing a full test of the breakfast show this morning with the retunr of the nicknames - Gifting Garvan and Lapland Laura are back! Great way to kick off a Monday morning

JohnGreenFan wrote: »

They're doing a full test of the breakfast show this morning with the retunr of the nicknames - Gifting Garvan and Lapland Laura are back! Great way to kick off a Monday morning

It would be an interesting experiment if the powers that be tried to get every member of staff have an nickname using the letter of their first name!

They might have difficulties with some letters! For example, what appropriate word starting with the letter "K" would you put before Keith (Shanley)?

pigtail33 wrote: »

My sister lives in the UK and when she tries to stream Christmas FM, it says it is not available in her area. Does anyone know, is this block lifted when it goes fully live on Saturday? She has definitely listened to it previous years.

I am in Continental Europe and listening right now (Holly Jolly Christmas is playing now) from here



https://live.mystreamplayer.com/christmasfm?autoplay=1


Check here for all info https://christmasfm.com/listenin/

pigtail33 wrote: »

My sister lives in the UK and when she tries to stream Christmas FM, it says it is not available in her area. Does anyone know, is this block lifted when it goes fully live on Saturday? She has definitely listened to it previous years.

The same happened for Halloween FM this year. They blocked people outside of Ireland from listening.

Might be a rights issue? Some UK radio stations have blocked Irish Alexas/Google Homes from streaming them.

Loughc wrote: »

ChristmasFM is available online across the world so there's no rights issue there.

Looks like there's proper live shows all this week according to their Instagram stories, they're testing the remote access all week. Weird to know ChristmasFM will be remote this year and not in studio, I hope it doesnt lose any of it's magic cause of that.

"....Bringing you the magic of Christmas"!

Why is that every time I go into the website and "Listen" to Christmas FM, it is preceded by an ad for Disney Plus?

Also, while I think of it, it would be useful if they actually displayed the presenter (when live) on the screen along with the song. I appreciate that it might not be feasible or practical.

I never knew Chubby Checker did a version of Jingle Bell Rock until a few minutes ago! I like his version. There is another one I like that I have a seen on Christmas video shows by Daryl Hall and John Oates. I wonder would Christmas FM ever play that particular rendition. Please spare us the version by Mel Smith and Kim Wilde!

I like The Temptations' soul-tinged version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer that's just been played. I have heard that particular arrangement a few times on Christmas FM. It's one of those gems that I have not heard anywhere else.

Have to turn it off now! Nathan Carter's Christmas Stuff? No thanks!

Loughc wrote: »

Launch day creeping up on us. While I completely understand why they launched so early this year (it was completely needed) and I enjoyed tuning in on my night-time walks, I think next year I'll wait to tune in until Launch day, I feel like Launch day is way more magical.

I think a bit appeal of launch day is listening in while being at work, so I think that's why this years launch lost a bit of appeal with me, I tend to be out and about on Saturdays and I will surely miss it.

Looks like 2021's launch day will be a Sunday, I don't tend to be AS busy those days.

Said the same a while back re: launch day, I totally associate it with work and ideally being in the car on my way to or from a site (amazing how often that happens on Nov.28th every year) so a lunch time on a saturday means theres a 99% chance I'll miss it this year.

Still hope it officially starts with 'Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas' though, its tradition now!