Christmas Day Programs of the Twentieth Century

One of the best things about Christmas is that it is a chance to take a day off to spend with your closest family and friends. The most important Christmas traditions enforce the importance of these gatherings, from the great feast to listening to Bing sing "Adeste Fideles" to Uncle Frank's hand-painted Santa Claus necktie.

Most businesses and employers are aware of the importance of these traditions and make special allowances to ensure that their people can enjoy them. The shop will be manned by a skeleton staff as the holiday approaches so that people have time to travel and of course, the doors will be closed early on Christmas Eve and will not even open on Christmas Day.

Sadly, some jobs simply cannot close shop for the Holiday. Most obvious are public safety and infrastructure workers. Especially on a Holiday, it is important to "keep the lights on and the trains running". In many cases, members of a grateful public will take time to express their gratitude for a job well done. Police stations are well stocked with Christmas cookies and fraternal organizations have been known to compete for the opportunity to serve a Holiday Feast to firefighters and servicemen.

Modern radio stations sometimes use the tactic of playing pre-recorded Christmas music on a continuous loop so that the studio can be manned by a couple technicians and perhaps a stand-by announcer. This was not an option during the Golden Age when everything went out live. Many shows and their stars made a Christmas Day broadcast a chance to give a special gift to their listeners.

One of the biggest radio Christmas presents was from Lux Radio Theatre and Walt Disney in 1939 when the cast of Disney's second animated feature, Pinocchio (1940) came into the studio and presented an adaptation of their film nearly two months before its general release. The movie would not have been the same without the animation, but it is easy to imagine the delight of the kids, old and young, gathered around the Christmas Evening Radio.

Speaking of Christmas presents, Fibber McGee and Molly are filled with Christmas morning rapture in 1945 as they admire the gift sent by Doc Gamble, but they have no idea what it is or what it's for. "I'll be doggoned if I know whether to listen to this or cook with it!" exclaims Fibber. The real surprise comes when we find out where Doc got the present so that he could give it to the McGee's, but it leads to heartfelt wishes for everyone on the first peacetime Christmas in some time.

On what will be the last Christmas of the War, Cavalcade of America presents "America for Christmas", the story of a USO troupe and the servicemen they are serving on an isolated island in the South Pacific. Although there is a good deal of melancholy from being so far from home at this special time, the well-wishes are heartfelt. The same can be said in 1949 when Jack Benny shows up at the home of his band leader to play Santa Claus for the daughters on the Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show.

See also: Christmas Eve in Old Time Radio