Weekly Program Highlights
Friday 12/19
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Hidden Brain… This week on Hidden Brain, hear the second part of a conversation on the perils of too much pleasure. Psychiatrist Anna Lembke explains the neuroscience behind compulsive consumption. She also shares techniques she’s learned from her patients to overcome the lure of addictive substances and behaviors.
3:00 – 4:00 PM
Fresh Air… This week on Fresh Air, hear from Nick Harkaway, son of author John le Carré, about reintroducing his late father’s spymaster character into his latest novel, Karla’s Choice.
6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie… Humorous Notes, part III: Hear the final installment for this mini-series of anecdotes about why humor is an absolute necessity if you’re in the profession of making music.
Saturday 12/20
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!… This week on Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, the panelists are Paula Poundstone, Josh Gondelman, and Hari Kondabolu. And, Rhea Seehorn, actor from Pluribus and Better Call Saul, talks about working on the most watched series on Apple+ and plays Not My Job.
11:00 – NOON
Radiolab… Hear a round-up of seemingly silly questions and surprising answers, all relating to our weird and wonderful bodies. Go down throats and get under the skin, take on evolution and anatomy and molecular cosmetics, and discover some very not-stupid answers to seemingly stupid questions.
3:00 – 4:00 PM
American Routes… This week on American Routes, visit with two Southern crafters of music and song. Kentucky native and guitarist Joan Shelley takes her ethereal songwriting and voicing of life’s emotional flow from observations on the banks of the Ohio River near Louisville. Then, the virtuosic Blue Ridge pianist Jeff Little shares his stories of growing up playing alongside the legendary flat-pick guitarist Doc Watson at the family’s music store in Boone, North Carolina. It led to a singular career of playing high-speed fiddle tunes on the piano. Also, music of love, loss, and fast trains with Bill Frisell, Johnny Cash, James Brown, Tom Waits and Elizabeth Cotton.
Sunday 12/21
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Reveal… This week on Reveal, how two well-respected New York art galleries sold more than $80 million in fake art – and why almost no one ever was punished.
11:00 – NOON
This American Life… This week on This American Life, how one block in Portland became a movie-like war zone… that lots of people think is a real war zone.
NOON – 3:00 PM
Sunday Baroque… This weekend Sunday Baroque is featuring a variety of sparkling music to celebrate the season. You’ll hear beloved Christmas carols dating back to the Renaissance and Baroque eras, joyful Baroque Christmas concertos, and music celebrating the arrival of the Winter Solstice. Join Suzanne Bona for warm and meaningful music that captures the heart of the holiday
3:00 – 4:00 PM
SPECIAL: Chanukah Memories and Melodies…Six prominent artists share memories of Chanukah, and the music the holiday brings to mind. From soothing to surprising, from reverent to rowdy, their stories and musical choices will inspire and delight you. With Broadway actress Tovah Feldshuh, social entrepreneur Aaron Dworkin, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, Sephardic music virtuoso Daphna Mor, conductor Eric Jacobsen, and Yiddish music maven Henry Sapoznik.
4:00 – 5:00 PM
SPECIAL: A Paul Winter Solstice…This year, Solstice Live! warms up the longest night of the year with a taste of the tropics. This one-hour Winter Solstice special brings a starry array of Brazilian guests, including Ivan Lins, Renato Braz, and Luciana Souza, with the Paul Winter Consort at the annual solstice concerts in New York’s Cathedral of St John the Divine.
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Moth Radio Hour…n a special holiday edition of The Moth Radio Hour: Simon Doonan encounters challenges when called on to decorate the White House for Christmas, a man is hesitant to work with a ‘Hollywood’ style church in his neighborhood, a Jewish girl meets Santa, and a boy thinks his dreams have finally come true when he gets an exotic pet.
Monday 12/22
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Climate One… This week on Climate One, join the hosts in looking back on the year’s climate progress. Hear how 2025 was one of the warmest years on record according to the World Meteorological Organization and the harm that’s brought communities worldwide. But this year, according to Bill McKibben, also brought renewable energy that surpassed coal for the first time and climate action continues to spread.
2:00 – 3:00 PM
The Splendid Table… This week on The Splendid Table, it's all about holiday eating and celebrating this week with beloved food writer Hetty Lui McKinnon. Her newest book is Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor. Then we dive into the Persian winter solstice celebration, Shab-e Yalda. It’s a night to stay up late, eat red foods and recite poetry. Our guide is Yasmin Khan, author of Sabzi: Vibrant Vegetarian Recipes.
Tuesday 12/23
1:00 – 2:00 PM
TED Radio Hour… This week on Ted Radio Hour, Host Manoush Zomorodi makes sense of this moment in tech… and whether the AI arms race between the U.S. and China is about global dominance or just a narrative being pushed by American tech entrepreneurs. .
2:00 – 3:00 PM
SPECIAL: No Small Endeavor – Practices of Hope… When the headlines numb and the culture wars grind us down, what if hope isn’t a mood at all—but a practice you can do with your body, your friends, and your city? In this holiday special, hear four conversations about finding practices of hope — with a meditation teacher, a songwriter, a marine biologist, and an educator on everyday civic action.
Wednesday 12/24
9:00 – NOON
SPECIAL: A Morning Cup Christmas Spectacular with Jerome Taylor… Jerome Taylor continues our tradition of sharing his vast collection of Christmas music from across genres and around the world. Tune in to hear new, traditional, and unique takes on songs for the season — and even some that thumb their noses at the holiday.
1:00 – 1:30 PM
Bioneers… This week on Bioneers, there’s a renaissance of independent journalism dedicated to holding power accountable. Political pressures are mounting to break up media monopolies and provide access to more voices. Independent and investigative media outlets are proliferating, often as nonprofits funded from the bottom up. In this program, we hear from two veteran journalists who lead two of the most courageous and successful independent media outlets in the United States: Monika Bauerlein, the CEO of Mother Jones magazine, and Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of Democracy Now!
1:30 – 2:00 PM
California Report Magazine… This week on California Report Magazine, head to a restaurant that’s lasted 55 years in Silicon Valley. It still takes no online orders and makes its customers feel like family when they sit down.
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Freakonomics Radio…
6:30 – 8:00 PM
A Holiday KCBX in Concert… This Christmas Eve, join host Lisa Nauful to celebrate the season with music that spans centuries and styles. The program opens with an intimate, choral world of Chanticleer, John Jacob Niles’ “I Wonder as I Wander,” the Renaissance rhythms of “Ríu, Ríu, Chíu,” and Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria.” You’ll hear Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, and scenes from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Christmas Eve. The show closes with holiday favorites from Leroy Anderson, Vaughan Williams, and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah.
8:00 – 10:00 PM
SPECIAL: St. Olaf Christmas Festival… A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
10:00 – 10:00 PM
SPECIAL: A Swinging Holiday Jazz Party with Wynton Marsalis… Wynton Marsalis hosts an hour of holiday jazz favorites by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, René Marie, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
11:00 – MIDNIGHT
SPECIAL: Holiday Jazz with Dee Alexander… Reminisce about holidays past and unwrap the holiday present with Chicago’s first lady of Jazz song, Dee Alexander as she and her combo play Christmas favorites and spirituals for the season.
Thursday 12/25
9:00 – 10:00 AM
SPECIAL: A World Café Holiday… World Café host Raina Douris revisits some special holiday performances from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Los Lobos, Andrew Bird, The Bird and The Bee, Pink Martini, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more. It’s a musical gift of hip holiday cheer.
10:00 – 11:00 AM
SPECIAL: Jazz Piano Christmas 2025… NPR’s Felix Contreras presents a special “Best of Jazz Piano Christmas” program featuring some of his favorite performances from the Kennedy Center through the last 25 years. You’ll hear jazzy Christmas songs played by Hank Jones, Hiromi, Alfredo Rodriguez, Geri Allen, and many other stellar jazz pianists.
11:00 AM – NOON
SPECIAL: Festivo Alt Latino with Gaby Moreno and Friends… NPR Music’s Alt Latino presents an encore production featuring singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno and her band performing songs from her holiday album “Posada” — recorded live in Austin, Texas. She was joined by special guests — singer-songwriter Gina Chavez and bandleader and record producer Michael Ramos.
NOON – 1:00 PM
SPECIAL: Selected Shorts — What You Wish For… Host Meg Wolitzer presents three Christmas stories in different moods—satirical, fantastical, and nostalgic: “A Visit from Saint Nicholas (In the Ernest Hemingway Manner),” by James Thurber, performed by James Naughton; “O’Brien’s First Christmas,” by Jeanette Winterson, performed by Jayne Atkinson; and “One Christmas,” by Truman Capote, performed by John Shea.
1:00 – 2:00 PM
SPECIAL: Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol… An updated version of a public radio tradition hosted by the late Susan Stamberg. Hear master comedian Jonathan Winters’ distinctive reading of Dicken’s holiday classic, featuring a special edition of the story prepared by Dickens for his own live presentations.
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Latino USA… Host Maria Hinojosa speaks with NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas. They talk about his new job, how his Cuban roots inform his journalism, and the clamping down of journalists in the U.S.
6:30 – 7:00 PM
The Road Home for Christmas… Marisa Waddell shares some of her favorite Christmas songs from Americana, blues, bluegrass, folk, country music and more. Tune in for new songs and classic tracks to bring you holiday cheer.
7:00 – 8:00 PM
SPECIAL: Mark O’Connor’s Appalachian Christmas… Famous bluegrass fiddler and American composer Mark O’Connor leads the O’Connor Family Band in an Appalachian Christmas concert recorded live in Portland, Oregon. Hear holiday favorites including “The Cherry Tree Carol,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Carol of the Bells,” and more!
8:00 – 10:00 PM
Christmas Across the Tracks… Brad Kyle serves up two hours of Christmas and seasonal music rooted in country, rockabilly, honky-tonk, bluegrass and more for your holiday.
10:00 – 11:00 PM
SPECIAL: Vince Guaraldi’s Christmas Gift to Jazz… Hear an hour filled with warm-hearted sounds to bring together everyone in the family. Vince Guaraldi‘s music to A Charlie Brown Christmas is a favorite across generations. Songs like “Linus and Lucy,” “Skating” and “Christmas Time Is Here” have become holiday classics and have inspired many jazz players. Hear interpretations of Vince Guaraldi’s tunes by Cyrus Chestnut, Dianne Reeves, David Benoit and others. And of course we’ll hear from Vince Guaraldi himself.
11:00 PM – MIDNIGHT
SPECIAL: An Afro Blue Christmas… Michele Norris hosts a special holiday concert with Howard University’s premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue and jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut. This musical celebration includes one-of-a-kind arrangements of traditional holiday songs along with new compositions — all perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas.
Friday 12/26
6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie…
Tuesday, 12/30
2:00-3:00 PM
SPECIAL: Humankind – Faith and Social Justice in Distressing Times… Progressive voices of conscience have long arisen in faith communities. They include historical figures such as Martin Luther King, and the Dalai Lama, and contemporary activists like Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde [“buddy”] and Reverend Raphael Warnock, the senator from Georgia. This Humankind documentary explores the spiritual impulse for social change.
Wednesday, 12/31
8:00-9:00 PM
SPECIAL: The Sound of Cinnamon… The Danish word hygge is about coziness. It could mean friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special, Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up.
9:00-10:00 PM
SPECIAL: In Winter’s Glow…Join us for a winter solstice program, with modern classical sounds for the longest nights of the year, chosen especially to complement the chilly, starry nights of the season.
10:00 PM-Midnight
SPECIAL: Toast of the Nation… Join host Christian McBride for an NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s. Toast of the Nation is the perfect musical complement for the occasion. It's festive jazz you can party to, all night long.
Thursday, 1/1
1:00-2:00 PM
SPECIAL: A Season’s Griot… A Season's Griot is an annual one-hour special for Kwanzaa that captures the tales and traditions of African American people. Host Madafo Lloyd Wilson, the show’s poet laureate Beverly Fields Burnette, and other members of the Season’s Griot family return with familiar and favorite stories.