The official Christmas FM thread

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541118#Comment_121541118

There was much discussion about it being out of favour a few years ago and not getting played, but it seems to have been less of an issue last year and this year and is back on the playlist.

Cork Lass

i wish they would uncancel “Baby it’s cold outside”, it’s one of my all time favourites but was a victim of the cancel culture of a few years ago.

Heroditas

It's been a weird playlist this year in my opinion. FTONY and Last Christmas were absolutely played to death and they're in my top 5.

I'll scream if I hear Ed and Elton again. Good God. Also Sam Ryder was played far too much. Such a dreadfully untalented "singer" and a crap song.

I don't think I heard Gwen Stefani at all this year with "You make it feel like Christmas".

Barely any Bing and Bowie, Greg Lake or I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.

I know it's been said the last few years that the playlist hasn't seemed as varied but I definitely felt it this year. Still, I absolutely love the station and always feel a twinge inside me when it disappears from FM frequency 🥹

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541318#Comment_121541318

I heard FTONY a number of times, but Last Christmas even more so. I also heard Ed and Elton quite a lot, and the novelty has definitely worn off! I only heard Sam Ryder's song a few times and I don't mind it so far. I don't think I heard Gwen's song this year - it is one I barely know so far! Likewise for me, I have barely heard Bing and Bowie, and I don't think I heard I'm Dreaming etc. at all. However, I have actually heard Greg Lake's song a lot this year, but I don't mind that! I am fed up of hearing Feliz Navidad at this stage.

Posy

Ah, that is it for another year. 🙁

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541421#Comment_121541421

I was listening online and there seemed to be very little farewells! I assume FTONY was the last song on FM?

The 30 days of Christmas FM are by far the quickest 30 days of the year. I don't tend to find in much between now and New Year, so I probably won't be listening in again until November next year 😥

Posy

I am not sure, they played FONY as the no. 1 in the countdown, the DJ said a brief thanks to everyone, there were ads, then Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody. Then they played Same Old Lang Syne, and another DJ came on and she said that had just been the first online song.

Edit: It's still going strong on my radio which is set to FM. 🤷‍♀️

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541492#Comment_121541492

I think that happened last year too, an 80s station takes over the FM slot so it's like the Christmas FM one doesn't seem to get turned off.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541528#Comment_121541528

Yep same thing happened last year. In my heart FONY is the last FM song each year. And it’s fitting especially this year.

Posy

I'm leaving the frequency on because that 80's station is great! 😁

Declan A Walsh

The 80s station is Classic Hits 80s, a sister station of Classic Hits Ireland and Radio Nova. Roger Lane (or Roger Latham) and Declan Ralph, both of Christmas FM, are in the line up for Classic Hits 80s.

Smell the glove

The frequency phases being switched off depending on what part of the country you are in I think. So for some seven o clock it will be gone, for others it could be 8 or whatever.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542118#Comment_121542118

That makes sense!

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541538#Comment_121541538

Thatll do me for the stats!

I tend to ignore the clear FM overrun.

Coupon King

12:04am here and still getting Darlene Love on Fm Broadcast in W.Meath

DvB

Just realised when I get in my car later we'll be met by static on the radio... always a downer of a moment that one.

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542833#Comment_121542833

Just as much as there are little things to tick off in your own mind to know that Christmas is on the way, there are ones to tick off to know it's ending. But I always feel that when it's truly over on Jan 6th I don't mind. But it is a little bit of sadness every time something like Christmas fm going static or the music channels going back to normal.

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542833#Comment_121542833

Already happend to me buddy, the radio was already set to Christmas FM and nothing but static as soon as I turned the key at about 7:45 this morning. 😕

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542994#Comment_121542994

I have that ahead of me too next time I get into the car.

I noticed last night all the Christmas music TV channels are gone back to normal already. I thought they used to keep going until January.

Heroditas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121543088#Comment_121543088

The TV channels are notoriousy bad for swapping back. Some change back at midnight on Christmas night.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121543195#Comment_121543195

This is true. So annoying!

DvB

Like most here hate the rush to move on from Christmas from the stroke of midnight Christmas day, drives me mad and makes me sad equally.

Was nice to be in a bar in Athlone this afternoon with Christmas decorations still up, Christmas music still being played and a sense of Christmas still in the air.

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544170#Comment_121544170

My local will keep the decorations up until the new year which is great. As you said , when I go there you still get the atmosphere of Christmas.

SarahLil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544473#Comment_121544473

Definitely Christmas meet ups don’t just happen before the big day, I love Christmas decor anywhere 😀

Coupon King

I feel the same I hate the rush to move on after Christmas day, the mothers like "thats it now for another year" lol feck off theres still LOADS of Christmas left to enjoy, does my head in.. I heard Fairy Tale Of New York on that new 80's station that replaced xmas fm last night, although not my favourite song was still nice to hear on the radio the early hours of this morning. 👍🎄

Smell the glove

My father will always say without fail once we get up from the dinner table "that's it now for another year". He does it to wind me up but Jesus you'd be thinking come on man give it a rest 🤣.

BK5

Well I am up for work for the third morning in a row now and even though I only go in for a few hours when I get back to the house before lunchtime I will be on Christmas holidays part 2 as I'm not back in till Jan 4th.

So looking forward to breaking up for Christmas in about 4 hours ha ha.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121545277#Comment_121545277

Not exactly new: Classic Hits 80s. This is its second temporary license run, the first being just after last year’s Christmas FM run on FM! It has been available online as well.

Loughc

Listened to last night for a bit when I got home sorting bits around the house and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I really notice the online playlist has a lot more variety and freedom over the FM one.

Loughc

Also for anyone stuck for any music on NYE stick on lar Flynns ChristmasFM show. He’s done the closing shift on online for years now and always does and impeccable job. Really enjoyable.

Heroditas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121546633#Comment_121546633

Yeah out in the car today and listening to it. A lot more of the older songs are being played and others you'd rarely hear.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121546633#Comment_121546633

In saying that I still managed to hear Christmas shoes again today. It’s an instant channel switcher for me or even it’s online and instant app switcher. And the problem is I forget to switch back to ChristmasFM.

DvB

It'll just be NYE for me now, I do struggle to get the same level of enjoyment once the FM broadcast ends, then it'll be back to the classical stream online when I get a Christmas hankering in the new year.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121548540#Comment_121548540

I’m still enjoying having it keeping me company on the way in and from the hospital.

i feel like my Christmas was interrupted for the best reasons obviously so I’m still clinging onto every last minute of Christmas even more this year.

DvB

I'll talk about at another time but Christmas wasn't the same for me at all this year either, but for entirely different reasons (& less life changing) than yours @Loughc

Was expecting to be in Christmas overload after missing last year but it just never materialised. Will enjoy our NYE party tomorrow night but am already looking forward to getting stuck into 2024.

Loughc

The online element is definitely more playlisty than DJ chats like the FM broadcast is.

Loughc

Last day 😭😭

Loughc

Did anyone catch the last song last night?

DvB

We'd turned it off by 1am so missed the sign off at the end.

Jude13

I listened twice this season (via the app), a combination of work and having received many Christmas vinyl albums.

DvB

Last official FM broadcast song was FONY as per the playlist above with a formal 7.00pm closing.

& Last official song online with a 1pm closing was FONY also. Though some may say it should be Auld Lang Syne.

& with that I remember we did have it on until 1am as I remember them both & the DJ signing off too.

DvB

Updating my stats for Christmas FM and noticed that for the 16 years of broadcasting there's only ever been 6 songs used for the FM launch, & only 4 to close the FM broadcast.

I wonder could many on here guess them?

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121561406#Comment_121561406

Andy Williams - Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Bing Crosby (and possibly Buble's version) - It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Loughc

We need a little Christmas now - Johnny Mathis

pigtail33

They have definitely ended, and I think also started with Fairy Tale of New York?

DvB

I'll pop the answers up here tomorrow when back at my desk in work.

All excellent answers so far btw!

DvB

Break in the darts so will stick the answers up now.

FTR I have no first/last songs for 2009 & 2010 so can only go with the ones used for the other 14 years.

The 6 used launch songs are:

and the 4 songs used to officially close are:

Loughc

We need a little Christmas was a strange one to end on. Covid year I imagine?

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121563763#Comment_121563763

Yep, 2020. There was a series of bookend songs, it was an inspired launch song and they kept with the bookend trend and closed with.it also.

Loughc

Last call for donations. I wonder will they hit their target of €333k for the year. I think they fell short last year as well so a lot of pressure on 2024 to hit the €1m in 3 years mark.