WBZ Christmas on Boston Common

Here’s a note that came in from Proud Podcast participant Len Segal, who was with me during one Christmas Eve broadcast on WBZ in Boston. “We were on the air live from Boston Common, which is a park right in the middle of the city. Every Christmas, they put lights on every tree. It’s not spectacular, like the big tree at Rock Center in New York City, but it’s beautiful, and quiet – a perfect place for Christmas lovers.

“You asked listeners to write to you with their personal thoughts on what Christmas means and you were so struck by how much your listeners opened up their hearts that you read the letters aloud through the mic outside the studio trailer for all the people who’d come to watch the broadcast. Your producer had a fit at the thought of you walking into the crowd live because of the possibility of some drunk yelling something naughty, but you overruled him and did it anyway. I found a metal sanitation barrel, which we needed because after you read the letters you were going to burn them as a sign of respect, and to warm the crowd a little. Everyone was standing around holding hands as you read the letters. I’m Jewish, but it was wonderful to remember that it’s the spirit of goodwill that makes Christmas.”

Right, Len, and thanks. That’s a story I got from you. So now it’s my turn. I remember a little more of the story, though I’m not going to swear everything I remember is accurate after all this time. I was on the air from 8pm to midnight and I planned on reading the letters at about 11:45. I mentioned that on the air, and invited people to drop in. By 9pm, we had a pretty good crowd. By 10, the crowd was in the hundreds. By 11, there was a traffic problem on Charles Street, just outside the park. Remember, this was a spur of the moment thing. I didn’t have permission from anybody including the police department or the radio station to do this. By 11:30, there must have been a thousand people gathered around, and the cops had some extra troops out trying to untangle traffic.

I figured I was in trouble, but one of the cops came over, saw what was going on, smiled and just said, “Merry Christmas.” Then some of the artists from the Unicorn Coffee House up the block came by. As I recall, they included Tom Rush, Jose Feliciano, Jamie Brockett and Mitch Kertzman. At quarter to twelve, I took the mic outside and started reading the letters, burning each one after I did. I considered that a sign of respect for something you can’t keep but is too precious to throw way.

We had a pretty good bonfire going and, as if on cue, a slow snowfall started. Just before midnight, we all sang “Silent Night” together. Have you ever heard a thousand people sing “Silent Night” while they’re standing close enough together to keep warm by a Christmas Eve bonfire in the snow? Maybe you were there. If so, thank you. It was a long time ago. But I’ll never forget it. Never.

(by Dick Summer)

Dick Summer was a deejay at WBZ from 1963 to 1968 and again from mid-1971 to early 1972. From early 1969 until mid-1971, he worked as program director/deejay at Boston’s WMEX. He died on May 14, 2024 at age 89.