It's usually some fleeting comment made by a radio talk show host while you're on our way back from the shopping mall where you scored two new TVs, an xBox, and a Garden Weasel on Black Friday.
That's when exasperated critics try to remind us about the reason for the season: it's not about that new bike. It's about that baby born in the manger 2,000 years ago. So, what could be more appropriate than to contrast that simple, secular event by blasting Christmas music from space back to earth?
Indeed: A Very Merry Geosynchronous Satellite Christmas to all - commercial free - thanks to SIRIUS XM Radio.
Expanded Offerings
SIRIUS XM will offer seven commercial-free holiday channels this year featuring a wide spectrum of music from traditional songs and carols, holiday soul, Latin seasonal, and Hanukkah music.
Five of the channels are returning from last year: Holiday Traditions, Holly, Holiday Pops, Country Christmas, and Radio Hanukkah. The two new channels that have been added this year are Navidad and Holiday Soul.
Plus, for the first time since SIRIUS and XM merged, the service has finally gotten to the point in its consolidation where each channel - no matter which service - is assigned the same number. Last year, each holiday channel had separate and different channel designations.
The Basics
Holiday Traditions (147) will feature traditional holiday recordings from the ‘40s through the ‘60s by artists such as Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Ray Conniff and Nat “King” Cole. It will air Monday, November 14 through Sunday, January 1
Holly (channel 17) plays contemporary holiday music as well as traditional favorites, including songs by Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Richard Marx, Gloria Estefan, Colbie Caillat, Josh Groban and Michael Buble. The channel will be live from Monday, November 14 through Sunday, January 1
Holiday Pops (channel 75) will offer classical Christmas carols and holiday favorites performed by the noted classical musicians including: the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Luciano Pavarotti, New York Philharmonic, King’s College Choir, Boston Pops and Thomas Hampson. Hear it Friday, December 2 through Sunday, December 25
Country Christmas (channel 58) will feature an assortment of country Christmas music, from Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood to Lady Antebellum. Listen Friday, December 2 through Sunday, December 25
Radio Hanukkah (channel 68) Hanukkah music from various sources and in different genres including contemporary, traditional, and special children's songs. Radio Hanukkah runs from 12/20/11 3 a.m. until 12/29/11 at 3 a.m.
New This Season
Navidad (channel 501) will feature contemporary Latin holiday music and traditional sounds, including Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, Aventura, Marco Antonio Solís and Christina Aguilera. Tune in Friday, December 2 through Friday, January 6
Holiday Soul (channel 49) will offer classic soul and Motown holiday music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. That includes artists like Aretha Franklin, Temptations, James Brown, Lou Rawls, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Dionne Warwick, The Jackson 5, The Four Tops, The Supremes, The O’Jays and Gladys Knight. Holiday Soul will be heard from Friday, December 16 through Sunday, December 25
On-Air, Online, On-Phone
Sirius XM’s commercial-free holiday music channels will also be available online through Sirius XM Internet Radio and through the Sirius XM Internet Radio App for the Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and several BlackBerry and Android-powered smartphones and mobile devices.
Get more information about additional holiday programming by going to www.siriusxm.com/holiday.
