The official Christmas FM thread

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121543195#Comment_121543195

This is true. So annoying!

DvB

Like most here hate the rush to move on from Christmas from the stroke of midnight Christmas day, drives me mad and makes me sad equally.

Was nice to be in a bar in Athlone this afternoon with Christmas decorations still up, Christmas music still being played and a sense of Christmas still in the air.

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544170#Comment_121544170

My local will keep the decorations up until the new year which is great. As you said , when I go there you still get the atmosphere of Christmas.

SarahLil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544473#Comment_121544473

Definitely Christmas meet ups don’t just happen before the big day, I love Christmas decor anywhere 😀

Coupon King

I feel the same I hate the rush to move on after Christmas day, the mothers like "thats it now for another year" lol feck off theres still LOADS of Christmas left to enjoy, does my head in.. I heard Fairy Tale Of New York on that new 80's station that replaced xmas fm last night, although not my favourite song was still nice to hear on the radio the early hours of this morning. 👍🎄

Smell the glove

My father will always say without fail once we get up from the dinner table "that's it now for another year". He does it to wind me up but Jesus you'd be thinking come on man give it a rest 🤣.

BK5

Well I am up for work for the third morning in a row now and even though I only go in for a few hours when I get back to the house before lunchtime I will be on Christmas holidays part 2 as I'm not back in till Jan 4th.

So looking forward to breaking up for Christmas in about 4 hours ha ha.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121545277#Comment_121545277

Not exactly new: Classic Hits 80s. This is its second temporary license run, the first being just after last year’s Christmas FM run on FM! It has been available online as well.

Loughc

Listened to last night for a bit when I got home sorting bits around the house and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I really notice the online playlist has a lot more variety and freedom over the FM one.

Loughc

Also for anyone stuck for any music on NYE stick on lar Flynns ChristmasFM show. He’s done the closing shift on online for years now and always does and impeccable job. Really enjoyable.

Heroditas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121546633#Comment_121546633

Yeah out in the car today and listening to it. A lot more of the older songs are being played and others you'd rarely hear.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121546633#Comment_121546633

In saying that I still managed to hear Christmas shoes again today. It’s an instant channel switcher for me or even it’s online and instant app switcher. And the problem is I forget to switch back to ChristmasFM.

DvB

It'll just be NYE for me now, I do struggle to get the same level of enjoyment once the FM broadcast ends, then it'll be back to the classical stream online when I get a Christmas hankering in the new year.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121548540#Comment_121548540

I’m still enjoying having it keeping me company on the way in and from the hospital.

i feel like my Christmas was interrupted for the best reasons obviously so I’m still clinging onto every last minute of Christmas even more this year.

DvB

I'll talk about at another time but Christmas wasn't the same for me at all this year either, but for entirely different reasons (& less life changing) than yours @Loughc

Was expecting to be in Christmas overload after missing last year but it just never materialised. Will enjoy our NYE party tomorrow night but am already looking forward to getting stuck into 2024.

Loughc

The online element is definitely more playlisty than DJ chats like the FM broadcast is.

Loughc

Last day 😭😭

Loughc

Did anyone catch the last song last night?

DvB

We'd turned it off by 1am so missed the sign off at the end.

Jude13

I listened twice this season (via the app), a combination of work and having received many Christmas vinyl albums.

DvB

Last official FM broadcast song was FONY as per the playlist above with a formal 7.00pm closing.

& Last official song online with a 1pm closing was FONY also. Though some may say it should be Auld Lang Syne.

& with that I remember we did have it on until 1am as I remember them both & the DJ signing off too.

DvB

Updating my stats for Christmas FM and noticed that for the 16 years of broadcasting there's only ever been 6 songs used for the FM launch, & only 4 to close the FM broadcast.

I wonder could many on here guess them?

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121561406#Comment_121561406

Andy Williams - Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Bing Crosby (and possibly Buble's version) - It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Loughc

We need a little Christmas now - Johnny Mathis

pigtail33

They have definitely ended, and I think also started with Fairy Tale of New York?

DvB

I'll pop the answers up here tomorrow when back at my desk in work.

All excellent answers so far btw!

DvB

Break in the darts so will stick the answers up now.

FTR I have no first/last songs for 2009 & 2010 so can only go with the ones used for the other 14 years.

The 6 used launch songs are:

and the 4 songs used to officially close are:

Loughc

We need a little Christmas was a strange one to end on. Covid year I imagine?

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121563763#Comment_121563763

Yep, 2020. There was a series of bookend songs, it was an inspired launch song and they kept with the bookend trend and closed with.it also.

Loughc

Last call for donations. I wonder will they hit their target of €333k for the year. I think they fell short last year as well so a lot of pressure on 2024 to hit the €1m in 3 years mark.