Many years ago WXPN management came to me, hoping that I’d fill in on December 24. In those days before digital, you needed a body to oversee any programming. So, I agreed – as long as they gave me a couple hours to spin from my collection of holiday tunes. What they didn’t know was that I had already developed a fascination for Christmas songs. Not the burnt cookies anyone can hear up and down the dial in December. My collection was chock-full of unique nuggets – some not given the light of day for decades.

So, they agreed and I delivered. Those three hours went to four – which went to six and then to twelve, to celebrate twelve years of tradition! The following year management asked what I planned to do to top my 12-hour marathon. I said, how ’bout 24 hours?! After checking my pulse and temperature – just to be sure I wasn’t babbling under some illness – they agreed. Ever since, I’ve been on the air for 24-nonstop hours every Christmas Eve.

And here we are in 2023 – celebrating my 31st year taking over the XPN airwaves on Christmas Eve. In 2021 – to mark my 30th – I extended my takeover to thirty hours. The response to an earlier start time was overwhelming – so I decided that the best show to lead into The Night Before on XPN was … ME!

Join me for The Night Before The Night Before – Saturday, December 23rd starting 7pm ET as I present an upbeat mix of seasonal songs will be the perfect accompaniment for your holiday gathering on this holiday weekend.

Of course, after thirty plus years we’re bound to have traditions! At noon on Christmas Eve it’s my annual broadcast of STRIKING TWELVE – a wonderful and creative retelling of “The Little Match Girl”, a short story by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen and performed here by GrooveLily! You can own this performance here.

Later in the evening at 7pm, I broadcast It’s A Wonderful Life – the 1947 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed … a perfect way to showcase the magic of radio on this most magical of nights.

If you’re not already a member of WXPN, consider changing that today – click here for details!

Happy Holidays! – Robert Drake

The Night Before is made possible with support from XPN Members!