2 Louisville radio stations start spinning holiday tunes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some hate it, some other it, and both Mix 106.9 and 102.3 the Rose are getting big ratings from playing Christmas music.

"Mariah Carey says it's time, so it's time," Smokey Rivers, 102.3's program director, said with a smile. "We ate as many Kit Kats and Skittles as we possibly could. So we have to have something else to celebrate, and when you look at the succession of things, turkeys are a good thing. But beyond that, the big celebration is Christmas, and it's coming."

102.3 The Rose switched from love songs to Christmas music at midnight Friday.

Rivers said listeners often find the comfort and escape they need from the realities of the world through "Holly Jolly Christmas," "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Jingle Bell Rock."

It's not bad for the radio stations either.

"When you start playing Christmas songs, the audience finds you, and your audience grows," Rivers said. "You see people coming from all sorts of stations, country stations, talk stations, rock stations, R&B stations. People just want to feel good, and Christmas makes you feel good."

WDRB asked viewers if the Christmas music is too early or right on time.

"Let's enjoy each season instead of rushing to the next," Sarah Miller said. "It makes time fly by too fast."

"Sometimes if I'm feeling blah," Jennifer Ricketts said. "I play Christmas music. If it brings you joy, go for it."

"I made 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' my ringtone, because it annoys people," Kevin Doyle Kays wrote on the WDRB News Facebook page.

102.3 the Rose plans to play Christmas music until December 26th.