Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are happening the same week this year.
Here are some special programs to enjoy during the holidays.
Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 28
1:00 p.m. - Giving Thanks: A celebration of fall, food and gratitude
Julia Sweeney, celebrated writer and actor. She's best known from Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me! and Saturday Night Live. But Sweeney's memoires on faith give her humor a deep human touch that's perfect for Thanksgiving.
Anne Lamott, best-selling author. Her latest book Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers offers the perfect spirit of gratitude; gentle humor, and a call to embrace the gift of family and friends. Also, Bill Moyers reads e. e. cummings and more.
8:00 p.m. - Thanksgiving with Cantus
Cantus, one of the premiere men's vocal ensembles, talk with host Alison Young about the holiday, music
and food. This year's special presentation will focus on the importance of heritage, including works from the Sacred Harp, Lakota Wiyanki, and the premiere of Psalm of the Soil.
9:00 p.m. - Hanukkah in Story and Song
This program is narrated by Leonard Nimoy and sung by the acclaimed vocal sextet
The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble. Presenting 25 eclectic selections from the Ladino songs of the Spanish Jews and Yiddish melodies of Eastern Europe to modern Israeli tunes, the ensemble performs a cappella as well as with instrumental accompaniment. The narration sheds new light on the holiday's customs and rituals.
Hanukkah Special - Thursday, December 5th
1:00 p.m. Hanukkah Lights 2013
A perennial NPR favorite, Hanukkah Lights features Hanukkah stories and memoirs written by acclaimed authors expressly for the show, as read by NPR's Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.