Playlist: Holiday and New Year's Spoken Word 2023
Compiled By: PRX Editors

Holiday and New Year's Spoken Word 2023. We will continue to add specials as they become available!
More to come!
New or Updated for 2023
No Small Endeavor’s Holiday Toolkit: Gratitude and Conversation
From No Small Endeavor | Part of the No Small Endeavor Specials series | 54:01
This Holiday, No Small Endeavor brings you four conversations to tee you up for a successful and meaningful time with family and friends. We hear from 4 guests—Amy Grant on gratitude after a bike accident, CNN hero Diane Latiker on the gratefulness that comes from serving her community, Heather Holleman with practical tips on how to have a meaningful conversation, and Oliver Burkeman on contemplating life's finitude to be more present.
How can one be grateful during difficult times? How do we talk to one another in a polarized world? This holiday, No Small Endeavor brings you four conversations to tee you up for a successful and meaningful time with family and friends. We hear from 6-time Grammy-award-winning musician Amy Grant. She shares her newfound gratitude in the wake of a traumatic bike accident. Heather Holleman gives us all practical tips on having great bonding conversations that make people feel seen and heard, transcending politics. Community activist, Diane Latiker, shares how she opened up her home and changed the trajectory of a neighborhood through hospitality. Lastly, author Oliver Burkeman reveals how quantifying your life to 4,000 weeks can help you live in the moment and transform even the most mundane of moments. A perfect toolkit for getting in the right frame of mind and heading into the holidays with gratitude and conversation.
On Gifting and Regifting with Anna Quindlen
From Kelly Corrigan Wonders | Part of the Best of "Holidays For Regular People" series | 59:02
Time to think about giving and what lasts. Classic episode (2021).
For anyone with gift anxiety, for anyone who feels like you can’t win for losing, this is the conversation for you. Full of reminders and insights as we gear up for the season, Anna and Kelly ask all the right questions.
On Showing Up with Anna Quindlen
From Kelly Corrigan Wonders | Part of the Best of "Holidays For Regular People" series | 59:02
Readings, stories and insights on the art of holidaying - regular people style. Classic episode (2021).
- Playing
- On Showing Up with Anna Quindlen
- From
- Kelly Corrigan Wonders
Anna Quindlen and Kelly share readings, stories and insights on the art of holidaying, regular-people style. Special drop in by Kelly’s brother, Booker with some thoughts on showing up.
Specials from 2022
THE 2022 MUSICIANS MEMORIAL SPECIAL - HOUR 1 (with an optional HOUR 2)
From Paul Ingles | 59:00
Some of the top names in music who passed away in 2022 are noted and celebrated in this hour long special hosted by music historian and documentarian Paul Ingles. Among those featured Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie, Rock drummer Taylor Hawkins, Country music's Loretta Lynn and Naomi Judd, Rappers Coolio and Takeoff, Motown writer Lamont Dozier, Jazz great Ramsey Lewis, Olivia Newton-John, pioneering rocker Jerry Lee Lewis and many more. 35 songs from these late great artists are sampled.
Some of the top names in music who passed away in 2022 are noted and celebrated in this hour long special hosted by music historian and documentarian Paul Ingles. Among those featured Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie, Ronnie Spector, Country music's Loretta Lynn and Naomi Judd, Rappers Coolio and Takeoff, Motown writer Lamont Dozier, Jazz great Ramsey Lewis, Olivia Newton-John, pioneering rocker Jerry Lee Lewis and many more. 20 artists are mentioned and 35 songs from these late great musicians are sampled.
PLAYLIST
Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac (excerpt) [CHRISTINE McVIE]
Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac (excerpt) [CHRISTINE McVIE]
Over My Head - Fleetwood Mac (excerpt( [CHRISTINE McVIE]
Come A Little Bit Closer - Fleetwood Mac [CHRISTINE McVIE]
Be My Baby - The Ronettes [RONNIE SPECTOR]
This Flight Tonight - Nazereth [DAN McCAFFERTY / MANNY CHARLTON]
All Revved Up And No Place To Go - Meat Loaf
Who Do You Love - Ronnie Hawkins with The Band
Feed The Cruel - NHC [drummer TAYLOR HAWKINS]
Instant Karma - John Lennon [drummer ALAN WHITE]
Love Is Like A (Heatwave) - Lamont Dozier
Didn't I Blow You Mind This Time - Delfonics (WILLIAM HART / THOM BELL)
Your Good Thing Is About To End - Mabel John
Coal Miner's' Daughter - (excerpt) Loretta Lynn
Honky Talk Girl - (excerpt) Loretta Lynn
The Pill - (excerpt) Loretta Lynn
Lookin' At Country - (excerpt) Loretta Lynn
Whispering Sea - Loretta Lynn
Love Can Build A Bridge - The Judds [NAOMI JUDD]
I'm The One Mama Warned You About - Mickey Gilley
Mountain Music - (excerpt) - Alabma [JEFF COOK]
Lovin' Man - Alabama [JEFF COOK]
If Not For You - (excerpt) Olivia Newton John
I Honestly Love You - (excerpt) Olivia Newton John
Physical - (excerpt) Olivia Newton John
Gimme Some Lovin' (excerpt) Olivia Newton John
Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
Versace - Migos [TAKEOFF]
The Creator Has A Master Plan - (excerpt) Pharoah Sanders
You Don't Know What Love Is - (excerpt) Pharoah Sanders
Promises - (excerpt) Pharoah Sanders
The In Crowd - Ramsey Lewis Trio
Great Balls of Fire - (excerpt) - Jerry Lee Lewis
Whole Lotts Shakin' Going On - (excerpt) - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hang Up My Rock 'n' Roll Shoes - (excerpt) - Jerry Lee Lewis
A Shortcut Through 2022
From Peter Bochan | Part of the Shortcuts series | 59:58
A retrospective featuring the major events of each passing year, Shortcuts features no narration, it's message evolves from the careful juxtaposition of the various elements, including the sounds of hope & turmoil from home & abroad, tributes, music and memories blended into an emotional hour of programming
- Playing
- A Shortcut Through 2022
- From
- Peter Bochan
The Imagine Neighborhood Holiday Spectacular!
From CFC Holiday 2022 | 59:00
In this special holiday episode: Huzzah, hooray! It’s Cardboard Boxing Day! The day when everyone in The Imagine Neighborhood uses the empty boxes from their Kwanzaa, Christmas, Yalda, and Hannukah gifts to make fabulous cardboard creations to share with all their friends! With rhymes and good times, the Cardboard Boxing Day Holiday Spectacular is all about generosity, friendship, and giving the greatest gift of all— kindness!
The Imagine Neighborhood is an award-winning kind and kooky story-based podcast for kids aged 4-10 and their families. With engaging characters, exciting adventures, and witty writing that’s as entertaining to children as it is to adults, The Imagine Neighborhood helps families talk about the things that matter with the people that matter most.
Every winter, The Imagine Neighborhood celebrates "Cardboard Boxing Day," an all-inclusive secular holiday where everyone in the Neighborhood uses the empty boxes from their Kwanzaa, Christmas, Yalda, and Hannukah gifts to make fabulous cardboard creations to share with all their friends. Our annual (rhyming!) Cardboard Boxing Day specials are narrated by our host's alter-ego, Cardboard Scotty, and explore themes of kindness, generosity, and empathy wrapped up in goofy gags, plenty of puns, and enough fart jokes to please the most discerning grade-school listener.
The Imagine Neighborhood is an award-winning kind and kooky story-based podcast for kids aged 4-10 and their families. Backed by expert research from the Committee for Children, the show is designed for parents and kids to listen to together—providing social-emotional tools to help families identify and manage big emotions, develop empathy, and solve problems. With engaging characters, exciting adventures, and witty writing that’s entertaining to both children and adults, The Imagine Neighborhood helps families talk about the things that matter with the people that matter most.
The Christmas Revels: In Celebration Of The Winter Solstice 2022 (Series)
Produced by HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA RADIO PRODUCTIONS
“THE CHRISTMAS REVELS: IN CELEBRATION OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE 2022” is a brand-new, 119-minute or 59-minute musical celebration of the Winter holidays -- Christmas, the Solstice, Jonkonnu, New Year’s and Twelfth Night/Epiphany -- featuring traditional carols, wassails, hymns, spirituals, children’s game-songs, and folk dance-tunes excerpted from live Christmas Revels stage productions presented around the country.
Most recent piece in this series:
Toasty winter treats with Earth Eats
From WFIU | Part of the Earth Eats: Specials series | 54:00
A winter holiday special with chestnuts roasting, cookies baking and coffee outside.
- Playing
- Toasty winter treats with Earth Eats
- From
- WFIU
“I love cookies. They’re hands-on,there’s a lot of technique involved in them, they’re really fun and easy to do with kids, they bake quickly,they’re perfect for gift giving any time of year, and they’re great. A winter holiday Earth Eats special with Kayte Young. We drop in on a cookie baking workshop with kids at a food pantry, we enjoy a hot cup of coffee on a chilly bike ride, and we toast up a batch of maple granola for holiday gift giving. All that, plus CHESTNUTS, on this special episode of Earth Eats.
Ford's Theatre Presents: A Christmas Carol
From WAMU | Part of the Ford's Theatre Presents: A Christmas Carol series | 59:02
WAMU and Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. present a contemporary radio play of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Features acclaimed Washington actor Craig Wallace as Ebenezer Scrooge and public radio broadcaster Murray Horwitz as the narrator. (Encore from 2020)
- Playing
- Ford's Theatre Presents: A Christmas Carol
- From
- WAMU
In time for the holiday season, WAMU and Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. present a contemporary radio play of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, featuring acclaimed Washington actor Craig Wallace as Ebenezer Scrooge and public radio broadcaster Murray Horwitz as the narrator.
This adaptation of the popular Ford's Theatre holiday tradition captures the magic of Dickens' Yuletide classic. Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption.
This performance of A Christmas Carol is adapted and directed by Michael Wilson, with sound design, original music and audio production by John Gromada. It is presented by Ford's Theatre of Washington, D.C. in partnership with WAMU.
More information about the radio play is available on the Ford's Theatre website. A souvenir program is also available for download.
Ford's Theatre 2023 sponsors (credited at the top of the program): Chevron, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Charter Communications, The Home Depot, National Retail Federation, and Siemens Corporation.
Two versions of the program are available - a 59-minute version presented in a single segment, and a 58-minute version allowing for a 1-minute break midway through the program.
This radio play was originally produced and broadcast in 2020. WAMU is pleased to make this program freely available to stations for broadcast during the 2023 holiday season. If you have any questions, please contact Douglas Bell, WAMU's Program Director, at dbell@wamu.org.