Local stations feature festive music

"I couldn't stand to listen to Christmas music for an entire month. I never go out of my way to just listen to that kind of music, except for maybe on Dec. 24 and 25," said UW freshman Melissa Aar.

Aar doesn't have to drown in holiday tunes from Thanksgiving to New Year's. While some local radio stations switch to Christmas central, most maintain normal play lists, with only a few seasonal songs occasionally added to the mix.

But, for those who own every Christmas album by all their favorite artists, bought a tree before Thanksgiving or cut out snowflakes back around Halloween, the radio's dial has several spots right up that holly-lined alley.

WARM 106.9 transitions from playing only "continuous soft favorites" to "continuous Christmas favorites." Though this is only a one-word alteration in the slogan, it has the potential to radically change the station's business and listeners for more than an entire month.

"I typically listen to the holiday stations," said UW freshman Whitney Biaggi. Listeners like Biaggi, who permanently set the dial on a holiday station for the majority of December, are part of the demographic radio stations are marketing to at this time of year.

"Everything kind of slows down during the holidays," said Mark Jones, marketing and promotion director of KISS 106.1. With the break from average daily routines, including drive-time, work and school, not as many people as usual listen to the radio, he said.

With that in mind, radio stations do not solely focus on drawing in more listeners with holiday-themed music. They update their Web sites, sponsor concerts with huge line-ups and promote charitable events during the holiday season. In some way or form, they try to draw people into the spirit of the season to keep business up.

While KISS 106.1 already had its two major seasonal events, Thanksgiving on the Mayflower (collecting enough food to feed 30,000 families) and Jingle Bell Bash (the concert included eight artists and took place Dec. 5) it is now sponsoring Winterfest at Seattle Center, which happens now through Jan. 2.

KISS also spins the playlist a bit by throwing in a little bit of Christmas music, said Jones. Many Top 40 artists have Christmas singles or albums, which the station plays fairly frequently.

With its use of the word "continuous," WARM 106.9 takes Christmas to the next level.

It does not just sport the continuous Christmas favorites title on air; its Web site is now labeled "everything Christmas." After some exploration of this jolly site, one's eyes will be dancing with red and green for hours afterward.

Those looking for good deeds to get on Santa's nice list can pick a "daily holiday random act of kindness" from any day in December. This could come in handy, because an additional WARM Web site feature is checking the naughty and nice list.

Naughty marks are given for skipping baths, hiding junk food in bedrooms and staying up too late. However, saying "please" and "thank you" gains one point for the nice list.

If you're bored studying for finals, give the brain a break with an "interesting holiday fact." Did you know author Robert May first considered the names Reginald and Rollo before coming up with Rudolph for our favorite red-nosed reindeer? Imagine how different our childhoods would have been, singing about a Rollo.

Somewhere in between Judy Garland's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," WARM listeners can hear about the holiday contests going on, including winning a four pack of Zoolight tickets for the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

WARM's Grant Your Christmas Wish program aims to "spread some good old-fashioned holiday cheer to our friends and neighbors," by granting a maximum of 50 wishes for people in need during the holiday season. Listeners can nominate friends or family members to receive a Christmas wish.

KISS has its own contest, entitled "Mystery Bender'mas." Morning show hosts Jackie and Bender have been giving away a variety of free gifts, including iPods, since Dec. 8.

While merry listeners can get Christmas cheer through music, contests or charity over the radio, it can be just as easily avoided. Many stations toss in a rare Christmas song that fits with the individual station's taste.

"I really like 'Jingle Bell Rock,' because it's different from that traditional holiday-sounding style," said Aar, who listens to 107.7, 96.5 and 102.5. Though she only seeks Christmas music on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, she has a favorite Christmas song, too.