MPR captures the sounds a Minnesota Christmas. Some stories have song; some have shopping; some have snow…but all have some form of the holiday spirit.
December 25, 2006 - Stage Sessions, with Minnesota poet and author Bill Holm and host Heather, bring together an eclectic Christmas show featuring an unexpected mix of literature, music and more.
December 25, 2007 - Stage Session's "The Traditions of Christmas: Those You Want and Those That Are Foisted Upon You," with Heather McElhatton and guest poet Bill Holm, who present an eclectic Christmas show featuring an unexpected mix of literature, music and more.
December 22, 2008 - This time of year is chock full of traditions, like building snowmen, frying latkes, or singing Christmas carols. Then there's the annual ritual that puts so many on edge: the family gathering. MPR's Nikki Tundel talks with a few wary family members about what’s behind the angst.
December 15, 2009 - Santa Claus is making his list and checking it twice. But essayist Peter Smith says when he was growing up, it didn't matter if he was naughty or nice. Smith came from a huge family, and even Santa had to be practical.
December 22, 2009 - Say what you will about the frivolity of the holiday buying season, Minneapolis poet Todd Boss has discovered a new reason to indulge in mechanical marble-tumble toys.
December 22, 2009 - Essayist Peter Smith shares a story about one of his favorite Christmas memories… about a man named Mr. Dinklenberg.
December 24, 2009 - MPR’s Annie Baxter profiles the Peterson family as they prepare for a holiday season after a job loss.
December 21, 2012 - MPR’s Nikki Tundel reports on the CrossRoads Panorama's production "Scrooge in tha Hood," a modern take on the classic tale "A Christmas Carol." Actors portray the struggling Scratchit family, a twist on Charles Dickens's Cratchit family.
December 4, 2013 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Jack Barkla, who since the 1970s, has been responsible for creating the auditorium shows at Dayton’s in downtown Minneapolis. Barkla calls it "conjuring up magic."
December 21, 2015 - MPR’s John Enger talks with Bemidji resident Gerri Thorsgard, who recounts memories of lefse and the importance in making it herself now in carrying on the tradition.