Christmas FM streams Christmas classics, carols and contemporary holiday hits live from Ireland, a seasonal station run almost entirely by volunteers to raise money for children's charities. Press play on Radio Shuffle and it streams instantly, free, with no account or app download required.
Four Friends, One Fun Idea That Became a Fundraiser
Christmas FM began in Dublin in 2008, when four people, including Irish radio veteran Garvan Rigby, came together to set up a Christmas-themed station more or less for fun before deciding to turn it into a charity effort instead, according to Wikipedia's history of the station. Childline, run by the ISPCC, became the station's first charity partner in that debut year, setting the pattern the station has followed for every Christmas since.
A 30-Day Licence, Renewed Every Year
Rather than holding a permanent broadcast licence, Christmas FM operates each year on a temporary 30-day licence granted by Ireland's Broadcasting Authority, staffed by roughly 100 volunteers who give up their December for a station with no paid airtime to offer them. That volunteer-only structure has held steady from the founders' original four-person idea through nearly two decades of growth, outlasting plenty of permanently licensed stations that never built the same seasonal following.
Millions Raised, One Christmas at a Time
What started as a Childline fundraiser has grown into a multi-charity operation. The station's donations now split between partners including Barnardos, Barretstown, Make-A-Wish Ireland, and Community Foundation Ireland, and the Irish Examiner reported the station has raised more than €4 million for charity since launch, a total built entirely from one short seasonal window every year rather than twelve months of broadcasting.
Listen Free on Radio Shuffle
Christmas FM streams Ireland's Christmas classics and carols, run by volunteers for charity every December. Stream it free on Radio Shuffle, anywhere, any time, with no sign-up required.