To quote the Queen of Christmas, “It’s tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!” Mariah Carey is defrosting. We’re *thisclose* to stations flipping to all-holiday music. First, kudos to the programmers who take on that scheduling. It’s not an easy task to keep sounding fresh.
This weekend, I got reflective. I started recalling my all-time favorite holiday moments in radio. Across a 20-plus-year career, a few still stand out. Here’s why they worked and why they stuck with me.
Elf Duty at the Mall
My earliest radio Christmas memory comes from my Street Team days in Providence. Did I knock a ski rack off the top of the 92 PRO FM Ford Expedition in the Providence Place Mall parking garage? Yes. The rack held a snowboard branded with a season-long sponsor. Not my finest moment.
However, I also spent countless hours dressed as an elf. I collected mittens and gloves at the mall for Lite 105’s “Warm Hands Warm Hearts” campaign. I loved that campaign.
The concept was simple. Broadcast live from holiday hot spots. Collect mittens and gloves for a local nonprofit. Sponsor the whole thing. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most effective.
I’m laughing as I write this. I made $8 an hour while wearing a literal elf costume, and I still took it so seriously. I scouted which nearby stores had the best deals on mittens and gloves. Then I told every visitor to our booth to shop there and come back with a donation. That’s the lesson. Community-driven content works when the people behind it care about the result.
Christmas in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center
Later, my HOT 97 and WBLS days gave me one of my favorite holiday projects. In 2014, I produced a Christmas in Brooklyn concert at the Barclays Center. Run DMC and LL Cool J headlined.
The Run DMC meet and greet was one of the more awkward ones I ever had to run. At the time, the two of them did not want to be in the same room together. Still, both Run DMC and LL Cool J put on incredible performances.
Meanwhile, some staff internally pushed back on co-producing the show in advance. Even so, the two heritage stations partnered on it, and that made the night special. Hip Hop fans in New York City got a show that only happens when stations work together. Sometimes the best promotion requires a little discomfort behind the scenes.
The Toy Truck Parade in Philly
From my Philly days, 92.5 WXTU’s Toy Truck Parade stands out. It’s a holiday toy drive on wheels, and it has run for more than 25 years. Each December, listeners load their pickups and other vehicles with donated toys. Then they drive together in one big convoy.
Hundreds of Country fans from Philly and South Jersey joined in. The trucks met at the radio station along with first responders, firetrucks, and tow trucks. From there, a police escort led the parade through the city.
The parade ended at a sponsor location, where the group built a “toy mountain” from all the donations. A Country star performed, the truck owners showed off their rides, and the sponsors loved it. Most importantly, the toys and money raised supported the USO and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. A concept that simple has lasted more than 25 years. That’s the best proof it works.
The Menorah Incident at Audacy Beach Festival
Sometimes the holidays show up when you don’t plan for them. During my Audacy days, we produced the Audacy Beach Festival every year at the start of December on Fort Lauderdale Beach. It wasn’t meant to be a holiday event. One year, however, it overlapped with Hanukkah.
Why does that matter? Because a call came over the radio about an active fire deep in the crowd of roughly 20,000 fans. We all panicked. Rioters at our good-vibes beach festival? Nope. A group of friends had brought a menorah to celebrate the holiday. We respectfully asked them to put it out.
What These Moments Have in Common
Looking back, a few lessons repeat. First, simple concepts win. A mitten drive and a toy parade both gave people an easy way to take part, and the parade has lasted more than 25 years. Second, partnership pays off. The Barclays Center show worked because two stations chose the audience over the internal friction. Finally, expect the unexpected. Live events surprise you, and the holidays raise the stakes.
To the programmers and promotion teams planning this season, build something your community can join. Then give it your full attention, even if you’re wearing an elf costume.
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