December 23rd, 2008 
joel Instead of doing a poll this week, I thought that it would be fun to do a series of open questions and have you tell the stories.
Today, I would love for you to share your favorite memories of working on Christmas Eve or Day. Last year I wrote a post on my Radio Free JoJo blog remembering my Christmas overnight at JET radio.
How about you? Any memories of late night’s in the newsroom when something special happened? A heart-warming or just hilarious moment?
What are your Erie media Christmas memories?
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Years ago when our teenage kids were little, my husband and I worked for a restaurant chain in California. I worked at one store as a waitress, and he at another as a manager. All Employees were required to work a 4 hour shift on Christmas. We tried to get the same 4 hour shift so as not to interrupt the kids’ day, but it seemed impossible. As I was preparing to go to work, I was more than a little irritated that I had to leave the kids. But then a small phone call changed things. One of the other managers from Joshua’s store called and one of their waitresses had her house broken into the night before (Christmas Eve thieves have no soul) and all the presents this single mom had for her 4 kids were gone, they even took the tree. So I went to work at my store, and Joshua to his. We both recounted the awful story of our co-worker and friend. As the day ticked on, people were getting off their shifts, and returning back to both stores, presents and cash in hand. By the time I was ready to leave my store, the backseat of my car was filled. I called over to Joshua’s store and told him what my fantastic co-workers did, and he relayed the same reaction at his place. We were able to take over to her house almost a full carload of food, gifts for the kids, and money. The generosity displayed by all these people was amazing. Merry Christmas!
That’s a great story, Brandy!
I’ll add another story that I was reminicing with my wife about just last night:
Back in the day when WCTL only had a relay-based automation system (not hard-drive music) that triggered tape machines to play, we used to spend much of the last two weeks before Christmas recording hours of music on tape to play for our 30 hours of Musical Christmas Cards. My deal was to work overnight when the studio was available and record six hours straight on two big reel-to-reel tapes. One year when my boys were little I wasn’t able to do the big overnight marathon recording session, so I was only able to record three hours, which was the Christmas morning 6a-9a slot. I remember that Christmas, my kids woke up around 7:00, opened presents and then I recorded them wishing our listeners a Merry Christmas and then proceeded to go to work for a live 9-noon shift on Christmas morning. I made an ID out of the recording to play during my shift. They missed Daddy being home while they played with their new toys, but enjoyed hearing themselves on the radio!
First station I worked at: WWCB in Corry ran the syndicated program “The Christmas Album.” Stories and music interspersed. really well put together. It made working on Christmas ‘not so bad’.
Hey there…it’s Jacqueline from WSEE. I suppose I have a few Christmas Eve work memories! I seem to always get left in the dark! My first job out of college I worked for Associated Press at their Washington, DC bureau. By Christmas I had already been there eight months and was managing the overnight shift. I was alone on Christmas Eve…and was freezing. Soooo I decided it would be a GREAT idea to plug in a little space heater to keep myself warm. Wellll it shorted the whole news floor! My pod of computers was fried. None of the feeds could get in. No lights. And we had to bring in emergency repair men that cost the division thousands of dollars. And I didn’t hear the end of it for months.
Then this week…as I was on my way in to the station to anchor the 6pm news on Christmas Eve. Our GM, John Christianson called. And before I answered the phone I thought, “How nice. A call wishing me a happy holiday.” Boy was I fooled. It was to let me know that the station was completely in the dark. Literally. Well, I thought I’d be funny and grab a couple flashlights, lighters, and candles before I left my apartment. Turns out we actually needed them! Joey Stevens and John talked to me about the early days of our station by candlelight. It was actually really fun…and gave me the chance to learn a lot. What wasn’t so fun though….scrambling to produce the newscast once the power came back on!