Thursday, October 20, 2011

ROBBLOG # 330 W E E K E N D Edition



I don’t know why I did it! 

Please Don’t judge me!
As if I don’t have enough on my plate right now. 

If you listened to The Chuck Show (Tuesday night at 9PM ET) on Swisssh Radio- www.swisssh.ca- or to The Morning Show at Night (Thursday 7PM ET Encore Presentation Friday at 9PM ET) on Swisssh Radio, you’ll know that there’s another Swisssh Radio on the internet airwaves. 

Yes, from the Swisssh Radio Complex, high above the skyline of the City of Orillia, another new Radio Station is born-

Swisssh Holiday Radio. 
Swisssh Holiday Radio

Swisssh Holiday Radio took to the airwaves Saturday October 15 at 1915- 7:15 for those not familiar with 24 hour clock. The station- a sister station as we say in the Radio Biz, is playing all Holiday Music, all the time. Why, this very minute you might hear Celine Dion singing The Christmas Song. You might start Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree with Brenda Lee or maybe one of my favourites- Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea.
Too early you say?
Poppycock!
People are listening to the new station already. 

I must confess, I got the idea from another Canadian Net Radio Station. They also have an “offspring” that started playing Holiday Fare back in the summer. Imagine people tuning in during the hot summer months- but they did! These days, many stations that change formats mid-stream, play Christmas Music to catch the ears of potential listener. 

It’s not really that early.

Some stores- albeit mostly the dollar stores, have had Christmas product on the shelves for a month. Even the Bay at Yonge and Queen in Downtown Toronto was all set for the Christmas Season starting on the Thanksgiving weekend. That’s at least two weeks earlier than other years! 

C’mon fess up. Like me, maybe you’ve bought a Christmas Bobble in July while on Vacation. For Christmas sake, holiday decorations line the aisles of Costco in August and if you snooze you lose. Stuff flies off Costco shelves very  early! 
This music on Swisssh Holiday Radio is usually only heard for a very few weeks every year when we’re usually just too darn busy shopping and baking and decorating to really listen closely to these special songs. Most radio stations stop playing it at midnight Christmas Day- stores at 6PM Christmas Eve. Someone said to me the other day that they miss not hearing Holiday Music right over the holidays. If you work right up until Christmas Eve, you only have the opportunity to get in the Christmas Spirit after work on Christmas Eve. Then, one can only hear Christmas Music for a few hours-  unless you’ve indulged while driving in your vehicle or at work in the weeks prior to Christmas Day. 

I know it’s not for everyone. 

I remember a decade or two ago, I would only hang a wreath on my door on December First. Then, I’d decorate outside the house first and save the indoor tree decorating for Dec 15. That’s all in the distant past now. 

These days, I usually start to decorate at least 5 weeks before Christmas because after Christmas Day I look at the trees as a make-work project. I blame that on shopping trends. Boxing Day brings the Spirit of the Season to a crashing halt. Instead of shoppers enjoying the season with family and friends, they’re all counting the “dollars” Santa left them, searching through Boxing Day flyers, trying to figure out what can be purchased at up to 50% off! 

It’s a shame that the holiday spirit doesn’t fly right through until New Year’s Day. It dfid once back in the 50’s and 60’s when shops were closed up tight and banks shut their doors for most of the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s. It was however, in the days before Debit Cards. I remember my Mum planning how much money she would take out of the bank prior to Christmas Day to see our family through until the new year.

So, whatever the reason, I hope you’ll take some time to enjoy Swisssh Holiday Radio- even if you have to sneak a listen. I mean, you don’t want someone walking into the room as you’re listening and catch you tapping your foot to “Let it Snow! Let it Show! Let it Snow!” before the end of November.
It would be like someone catching you viewing porn on your computer! 

So, sneak around if you have to. The Spirit of Christmas will start to glow in your heart a little earlier this season- and it won’t cost you a cent! 

Listen to Swisssh Holiday Radio through the website www.swisssh.ca
Look for us on www.tunein.com (search Swisssh Holiday Radio). On iTunes (look for Swisssh Holiday Radio under the “eclectic” heading under “radio”. Or Audio Realm at www.audiorealm.com (search Swisssh). 

Have a Happy One!