The official Christmas FM thread

Couldn't care less to be honest. Fantastic song wrote with the best of intentions and has done so much for the people of Ethiopia through the raising of money and awareness. If some people are offended these days then....f*** em.

Well said. Agree 100%.

I can't understand the popularity of Taylor Swift. Time magazine really taking the piss choosing her as their person of the year.

I've noticed as I drive across the country the channel isn't automatically changing to alternative frequency's, the signal is staying at 105.2 (Dublin frequency) for the whole journey so I lose it altogether, even driving through Longford which has its own frequency it doesnt track & change. Last year it changed as I drove. The other channels (newstalk etc) still change but for some reason Christmas FM doesnt.

I've noticed no song information or suchlike is displaying this year either, vaguely remember it did last year.

I've noticed the song information doesn't appear on FM either but it does through Tuneinn

Also heard Marty Miller from Nova broadcasting earlier today!

Haven’t heard Annie Lennon Winter Wonderland yet

Tuned in the past hour it can’t not but you in a good humour mood

@DvB I’m not getting to listen as much as I usually do I will have to do better 😀

with increasing use of spotify for christmas playlists, smart speakers and devices with more choice etc, is Christmas "FM" as popular as it used to be ?

It was mentioned in a previous post that Keith Shanley is not on the official schedule. Every year, one or two not on the schedule turn up on the station anyway, e.g. Marty Miller this year. Keith was on Christmas FM every year from its start in 2008 until last year. Has there been any sighting (hearing?) of Keith this year?

There are only a small number of people still with Christmas FM who have been involved since its very beginning in 2008. They would include of course the four principals Garvin Rigby, Paul Shepherd (aka Ray Jackson), Walter Hegarty and Daragh O'Sullivan. It also includes Noel Shannon, who I heard over the weekend and is on the schedule. Bernie Jameson shows up on Our Team but not on the schedule. She was involved from the start and was certainly involved up to last year. Did anyone hear her presenting? Is there anyone else still with Christmas FM going back to 2008. Declan Ralph is a case of "close, but no cigar" as he has been with Christmas FM since 2009!

I assume this is a rhetorical question? Doubt there's many on here with your extensive knowledge of radio, let alone be able to answer the bits you may not know.

I think I've heard Dee a few times. I like her and Marty

Caught Dee Woods in the car on the drive home from the office, great stuff, She has a brilliant radio patter.

Hope she does a few more slots now.

Think it is Dee's first year, definitely don't remember hearing her previously. She's a brilliant addition though.

Noticed her plugging herself & Nova too... fair play to her I say. Though I suspect she's pretty well known at this stage anyway given Nova's listenership & her prominence on the station.

I found another name that has been there since the start - Fergal Mitchell. He does the 5am to 7am shift some weekdays and I don't recall ever hearing him on the station throughout its years!

The one I'm definitely hearing most is that Ed Sheeran/Elton John one, easily in the lead for this years most frequently heard. Second to that would be The Christmas song by Nat King Cole, but thats one I dont mind hearing regularly being the cast iron classic it is.

There's always a few I.listen out for to be played at least once each tear and one of those got ticked off yesterday with Queens 'thank god its Christmas'

Still haven't heard any of Robbie Williams ones though.

Another frequently heard one is Greg Lakes, 'I belive in Father Christmas' have heard it ALOT in the last few days. Still havent heard Jona Lewie yet either with Stop the cavalry, have heard a crap cover once or twice but not the original.

@DvB yeah stop the Calvary by The Riptide Movement I heard that too