Every year since 1980 I have hosted a "Christmas Party" on the Sunday before Christmas during my radio program TRADITIONS that airs on WFDU-FM.   I am also hosting a holiday themed show on my other program, THE SUNDAY SESSION.

This year's event on TRADITIONS will be broacast on Sunday December 21 from 3 to 6pm Eastern Time on WFDU-FM. You can listen in on the internet at www.wfdu.fm , or if you are in the NYC metro area you can listen in on 89.1FM.

My SUNDAY SESSION program will air at 9am Eastern Time, also on Sunday December 21. Seasonal music from Ireland and Scotland will be shared.

Each year on TRADITIONS I try to focus on traditional artists singing traditional carols and songs. In a season where we are deluged by commercial pop tunes in every elevator and shopping mall, I try to offer an alternative by playing artists like Pete Seeger, Jean Ritchie, Odetta, the Watersons, Andrew Rowan Summers, Nowell Sing We Clear, The Christmas Revels, and many others.   This year, I will throw in a few "contemporary" songs from musicians like Darryl Purpose, Carol Noonan, Tom Prasada-Rao and others.    Throughout, the focus stays close to the tradition. We will have fun, talk a bit about the history of some of the songs, and enjoy the spirit of the holiday.

I hope you can join me for one or both of my shows.   I would love to share a cup of holiday cheer with all my friends on Mudcat, but since there isn't enough eggnog available, my radio show will have to be my present. Hope you can tune in!

Happy holidays,

Ron