December 2025 Holiday Specials on KWBU
December 23rd
7pm - Golden Age Holiday Hour
8pm - Sharing Traditions and Carols of Christmas
9pm - A Crosby Christmas
Host and producer Jim Raposa has created a loving tribute to the man whose voice remains the quintessential soundtrack of the Christmas season. A long-time nationwide listener favorite, "A Crosby Christmas" celebrates 15 years in Holiday syndication with rare interviews and performances by Bing and guests Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Maxene Andrews of The Andrews Sisters and David Bowie. Plus rare recordings, previously unreleased, from two of Bing's classic holiday films: Holiday Inn and White Christmas. This special celebrates the voice of Christmas like no other. It's Bing Crosby in a collection of studio recordings and performances from film, television and radio. This is a one of a kind tribute to a one of a kind performer.
DECEMBER 24th
9am - Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols presents your audience with an opportunity to share in a live, worldwide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music.
This special will be presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England.
11am - Welcome Christmas
Welcome Christmas is a perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host John Birge for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including compositions and arrangements by Mack Wilberg, Glenn Rudolph and John Rutter.
6pm - KWBU'S Adaptation of A Christmas Carol
(also airs 12pm on Christmas Day)
A Christmas Classic produced for radio by KWBU’s Beth Richards with the cast featuring voices you know from KWBU – both staff and volunteers. See if you recognize David Smith, Robert Darden, Ross Burns and others in the holiday special.
7pm - Vince Guaraldi’s Christmas Gift to Jazz with Jana Lee Ross
Host Jana Lee Ross presents a special filled with warm-hearted sounds to bring together everyone in the family. Vince Guaraldi‘s music to A Charlie Brown Christmas ushers in the sound of the holidays for jazz fans as well as Charlie Brown fans. Songs like “Linus and Lucy,” “Skating” and “Christmas Time Is Here” have become holiday classics and have inspired many a jazz player. Jana Lee Ross will explore interpretations of Vince Guaraldi’s tunes by Cyrus Chestnut, Dianne Reeves, David Benoit and others. And of course we’ll hear from Vince Guaraldi himself.
8pm - Jazz to the World – Swinging the Season
Haul out the holly and deck the halls – it’s the holiday season. No other season has inspired more music than Christmas, and as far as the 20th century goes, no other music genre has captured the joy quite like jazz. As we focus mostly on recordings from the 1940s through the 90s – a half-century of seasonal swing, we’ll hear classics from many singers from that era including Carmen McRae, Nat King Cole, Julie Christy, and Frank Sinatra.
9pm - Holiday Jazz with Dee Alexander!
Coming to you from the WFMT Radio Network - one-hour special, Holiday Jazz with Dee Alexander! With support from emcee and Chicago radio luminary Richard Steele and longtime collaborators pianist Miguel de la Cerna, bassist Junius Paul, and drummer Yussef Ernie Adams, the beloved Chicago vocalist and WFMT Radio Network Jazz Network host Dee Alexander entertains and enchants with songs and reminiscences of holidays past.
Classical Christmas 10pm - 9am
DECEMBER 25th
12am - Classical Christmas
9am - Carols, Christmas and Candlelight
10am - A Chanticleer Christmas
11am - Sharing Traditions and Carols of Christmas
This year marks the tenth anniversary of this local holiday favorite on Waco Public Radio.
Join us for Sharing Traditions and Carols of Christmas – featuring music of the season along with delightful conversation between award winning songwriter of contemporary Christian Music, the late Kurt Kaiser – and his daughter Kris.
12pm - KWBU'S Adaptation of A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Classic produced for radio by KWBU’s Beth Richards with the cast featuring voices you know from KWBU – both staff and volunteers. See if you recognize David Smith, Robert Darden, Ross Burns and others in this holiday special.
1pm - Malcom Foster's Yuletide Jamboree!
Tired of the same old Christmas music, year in, year out? Looking for something...different? Then join Malcolm Foster for his Yuletide Jamboree! An hour of British Christmas quirks and a selection of festive songs that you're not likely to encounter in the wild.
2pm - Golden Age Holiday Hour
Locally produced by KWBU's Beth Richards, this new one hour program features beloved holiday classics with some interesting and fun facts tossed in. Joining Beth on the program are KWBU's Brodie Bashaw and David and Art host, David Smith.
3pm - I Hear America Singing Holiday Edition
From the KWBU archives we feature a holiday program with Ross Burn and a playlist of traditional and not-so-traditional seasonal songs.
4pm - Broadway on the Brazos Christmas Special
Celebrate the season with Broadway on the Brazos! The holiday episode, hosted by KWBU's Beth Richards, brings the magic of Broadway to your festivities with a collection of songs that capture the spirit of Christmas. From timeless classics to unexpected gems, discover how Broadway has embraced the holidays with heartwarming melodies, playful tunes, and unforgettable stories. Perfect for adding a theatrical touch to your holiday celebrations!
5pm - David and Art Holiday Jazz (revisted 2023)
Jazz is one of the most distinctive of all American art forms, and when jazz players turn loose on Christmas tunes, the result can be a new classic.
Whether the music is religious or secular, trumpeters, sax players, guitarists, pianists, and cooking rhythm sections make Christmas the coolest of the holidays. Even in Texas.
6pm - SHOUT! A Black Gospel Christmas with Robert Darden
Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments host Robert Darden hosts this holiday program highlighting some of the best in black gospel Christmas music.
7pm - Swingin’ in a Winter Wonderland
“Swing into the holidays!” Warm up your winter with an hour of jazzy Christmas magic. From timeless classics to smooth holiday grooves, Swingin’ in a Winter Wonderland is your soundtrack for a festive season with soul.
8pm - Holiday Jazz with Dee Alexander!
9pm - Vince Guaraldi’s Christmas Gift to Jazz with Jana Lee Ross
10pm - Jazz to the World
11pm - A Crosby Christmas