It was a banner year for holiday music in Milwaukee, although not for the most festive of reasons. Seasonal songs that usually don’t start until early November hit the airwaves way back in August, when B93.3 flipped the switch following its sale to K-Love. Its fellow “B” station, B97.3, went the more traditional route when it started playing holiday music Nov. 3.
Here at Radio Milwaukee, we’ve always believed the spirit of the season — at least the music variety — should fall a little closer to the actual season. So, once again in 2025, the Holiday Mixtape on both 88Nine and HYFIN will take over the playlist on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Our version sounds a little different from what you’ll hear on other stations because we’ve always sounded a little different. While a few traditional tracks will pop up here and there, our goal is to holiday-ify what you’ve come to expect from 88Nine and HYFIN.
To give you an idea of what you’ll hear this Wednesday and Thursday, we asked Radio Milwaukee’s on-air team to pick their favorite song from this year’s Holiday Mixtape and explain why it makes their holiday extra holly and jolly. Check out their picks below, then keep your ears open while you listen to 88Nine and HYFIN while dashing through the snow (or rain) this week.
Holiday Mixtape favorites
Fitz & The Tantrums, “Santa Stole My Lady”
When you think of the holidays, especially Jolly Ol’ St. Nick, the last thing you'd expect would be for him to steal your girl. Michael Fitzpatrick growls to a jovial beat while the lyrics poke fun at the traditional view of Santa Claus being the good guy. Realistically, he's just as human as all of us and apparently has some serious game. The song serves as a cautionary tale — and a relatable one for those suffering from heartbreak this holiday season.
— Britt Gottschalk
Boney M., “Mary’s Boy Child”
For someone who finds holiday music in the grocery store to be nothing short of a jump scare, it’s surprising how many times I’ve listened to the full album Christmas with Boney M. The marriage of Euro-disco and funk in this 2007 masterpiece transcends the traditional guidelines of what's expected from a “Christmas song,” making it exactly what I need from the seasonal genre. “Mary’s Boy Child” demands dancing and singing along, and thus is a certified year-round essential.
— Carolann Grzybowski
Elvis Presley, “Blue Christmas”
What makes this jam my Christmas tradition isn’t just the song; it’s the way I listen to it. The holiday spirit doesn’t officially settle in until I hang my “Blue Christmas” Elvis Presley Hallmark ornament given to me by my Grandma Yvonne in 1995. Pushing that little button and hearing his velvety voice crooning about being lonely and sad without loved ones near brings all my Christmas memories flooding back. It’s also my reminder to slow down, be present, and appreciate all the joy and magic that this time of the year can bring.
— Dori Zori
3quency, “This Christmas”
This fresh take on the Donny Hathaway classic blends warm harmonies and pure feel-good joy just in time for the holiday season. Fresh off their win on Netflix’s Building the Band, 3quency bring the same undeniable chemistry, precision and star power that captured audiences worldwide into a festive release full of heart.
Rooted in rich vocals and soul-forward energy, the song celebrates togetherness and is perfect for cozy nights, family gatherings and holiday turn-ups alike. Whether you’re trimming the tree or riding through the city lights, 3quency’s track offers a fresh holiday sound to a soulful classic that deserves to be in heavy rotation all season long.
— Element Everest-Blanks
The Waitresses, “Christmas Wrapping”
This has been a perennial fave of mine since forever, mostly because of the saxophones and trumpets. But I also love the very realness of it. Sometimes, holidays can make you feel Scrooge-y and introverted. And although “Christmas Wrapping” is ultimately about blowing off the holiday, good ol’ kismet steps in and makes things merry and sparkling anyway.
Chris Butler of the Waitresses explained that the song’s magic started while working as a freelance journalist in New York. With everyone else on holiday, offers would come in that he was “too poor to turn down. I’d have all this stuff to do when everyone else was having their eggnog. And I poured my sourness into this song.
“The first words I wrote down were: ‘Bah humbug.’ The chorus went: ‘Merry Christmas. But I think I’ll miss this one this year’” It’s about two people alone at Christmas who meet while buying cranberry sauce and get together. Of course, it had to have a happy ending — it’s Christmas! — but it was tongue in cheek.”
— Erin Wolf
Bad Religion, “White Christmas”
This one is so obvious, my explanation is almost as short as the song. All the elements are there: beautiful harmonies, upbeat, and the sentiment doesn’t get lost. Clocking in at under two minutes, this version shows that holiday songs don’t need to be long to work (neither do reviews of those songs).
— Jon Adler
Nestor Zavarce, “Cinco Pa’ las 12”
My dad is the king of Christmas. He’s ready to put up decorations after Halloween and would shower us with popcorn tins, advent calendars and candy canes for the entire month of December. Similarly, he loved making mix CDs before streaming sites were a thing. This was a song that always found its way into the holiday mix, with its combination of nostalgia and a bit of melancholy.
It’s a song about celebrating the year’s end, told from the perspective of a young person who decides to leave a New Year’s Eve party early to go home and ring in the new year with his mom. It makes me think of my family and the closeness we share, but also the many immigrant families who are separated during the holidays. It's a great reminder to keep your loved ones close and always give your mama a hug before the end of the year.
— Paula Lovo