Christmas Traditions

I know some people are anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival, but what I’m most excited about is getting to listen to the Vinyl Cafe Christmas special. I’ve mentioned my love of the popular show in the past, but if you aren’t familiar with this Canadian treasure, you’re in for a treat! While the Vinyl Cafe stories itself used to air year round, it’s the Christmas specials I love the most. The shows are made up of wonderful holiday music, as well as a touching and hilarious story featuring the couple we can all relate to: Dave and Morley. It’s like listening to the old radio programs of days gone by.

The Christmas episodes always aired on the weekends leading up to the holidays, and were the perfect thing to listen to while doing a little last-minute Christmas baking, planning holidays menus, or sitting around the fire. Sadly, Stuart McLean, the creator of the series, passed away this year, so our family is waiting to savour this final Dave and Morley story, along with some of our old favourites, together.

Is anyone else out there a fan of the show? Have you listened to the last one yet? I took a sneaky listen to the first minute or so, and I’m not sure I’m going to make it through in one piece.

If you don’t get CBC Radio and are interested, you can find collections of the stories on iTunes, and there’s the odd one on YouTube (Polly Anderson’s Christmas party is one), but you can listen to the final episode here.

This is one Christmas tradition you don’t want to miss out on – it’s become almost as much a part of our holidays as the tree.??