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One of Roanoke’s most listened-to radio DJ’s will continue a Christmas morning tradition that has now reached its 35th year. Dick Daniels co-hosts one of the region’s perennially top-rated radio programs on Q99. The station could easily use automation these days to run Christmas morning programming, but that wasn’t the case in 1989, his first year at the station and newest announcer at the time. Now, 35 years later, he is still on the air live just hours after Santa arrives, joining many listeners as they share holiday stories and traditions and Christmas music favorites. As WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, Daniels says he never expected to be doing this for even a few years, let alone 35, but it is now among the most meaningful radio days each year.

Dick Daniels’ 35th annual live Christmas program airs Monday morning December 25 from 6:00 to 10:00 am on Q99.