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Arts & Culture|History|Food & Travel
It’s the holiday season! Celebrate with the sounds, sights and conversation starters found in these on-demand PBS Wisconsin programs. Watch them online now or on the free PBS app!
Featuring the U.S. Army Field Band – the “musical ambassadors of the Army” – Sound the Bells is a family-friendly concert program celebrating the holidays and showcasing the musical talents of active-duty soldiers. Hosted by Baltimore personality Jason Newton, the program features an appearance by the Singing Sensations Youth Choir and shout-outs from service members stationed around the globe.
Enjoy a new take on “The Nutcracker” from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Featuring a full orchestral performance conducted by Judith Yan and stunning choreography, this beautifully filmed production blends the live theater experience with cinematic artistry. A holiday tradition for audiences of all ages!
DePaul University invites viewers to the holiday celebration, which features the talents of DePaul faculty, staff, students and alumni.
The Madison Maennerchor performs traditional German Christmas music. Many of the song are Christmas classics.
Trevor Stephenson, director of the Madison Bach Musicians, joins host Norman Gilliland to share renditions of Christmas carols in their original arrangements or as they were performed long ago. Stephenson explains the history of the carols and accompanies singers Alisa Suzanne Jordheim, Margaret Fox, Scott J. Brunscheen and Jim LaBelle.
Cooking with spruce is magical. The fragrance makes it feel oh so Christmassy! These spruce tree shortbread cookies are also a lovely gift.
Holidays call for big celebrations with friends and family! Sara has the perfect recipes for any occasion.
Jessica Costantini misses her grandmother’s popovers. When Jessica attempted to replicate them, hers ended up burnt on the outside, and doughy or dry on the inside. Can Milk Street help her out?
Discover the role craft plays in our winter holiday traditions, rituals, and festivities. Featuring lion dancers and float builders for San Francisco’s acclaimed Chinese New Year Parade, artists in Michigan making ceramics for the holidays at Pewabic (Detroit) and Motawi Tileworks (Ann Arbor), Kwanzaa celebrations with artists in Chicago and Oakland, and Christmas card making with Yoshiko Yamamoto.
In this heartwarming program, host Geoffrey Baer embarks on a fun exploration of the time-honored traditions of this Jewish holiday as he shares how it came to be, the season’s cherished foods and fun, and how families continue to celebrate together.
We begin with Kwanzaa, an African-American cultural celebration. Clayborn Benson, III, founder of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society – which holds the state’s largest celebration – explains the cultural importance of the week-long festivity. Alexandria Mack talks with Dimonte Henning, director of Black Arts MKE’s holiday production of “Black Nativity.”
Susan Braunstein, curator of Archaeology and Judaica at the Jewish Museum of New York, explains the traditions of Hanukkah.
Don’t forget to look up this holiday season! Star Gazers helps you find a gigantic winter football in the sky between Dec. 15-21, 2025.
Top storytellers share stories that conjure the holiday spirit.
The coastal villages of Wales around the winter holidays have a unique nighttime visitor. A grim skeletal equine monster roams the streets with a rag tag group and demands entry to the homes of the citizenry, demanding food and drink. But is this really a monster to be feared, or one that is rather cheered?
Joe Kapler, curator at the Wisconsin Historical Society, provides a history of the Evergleam Aluminum Christmas Tree produced by the Aluminum Specialty Company of Wisconsin.
I would love to get your thoughts, suggestions, and questions in the comments below. Thanks for sharing!
PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
Nancy Gray
We missed the Ella Fitzgerald special due to other commitments. Is there a way to stream it online?
Alyssa Beno
Hi Nancy, are you referring to “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams”? If so, you can watch it online anytime and on the free PBS Video App. Here’s the link: https://pbswisconsin.org/watch/ella-wishes-you-swinging-christmas-vanessa-williams/ella-wishes-you-a-swinging-christmas-with-vanessa-williams-ci6h56/. Enjoy!
Christen Kunz
Hi pbswisconsin.org admin, Keep up the good work, admin!
Deb Haven
Thank you for the Spruce Tree Shortbread video. Are they edible?
Alyssa Beno
Hi Deb – yes, they are edible! Enjoy!