Happy holidays from all of us at CBC Radio!
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'Fireside' Al Maitland reads Frederick Forsyth's The Shepherd

An RAF Mosquito, circa 1943. (Getty Images)

The year is 1957. An RAF pilot is heading home from Germany for Christmas. Fog sets in and all radio communication is lost.

As It Happens presents a classic reading of Frederick Forsyth's The Shepherd by "Fireside" Al Maitland. 

To hear The Shepherd broadcast, tune in to CBC Radio 1 on Friday, Dec. 24 at 6:30 p.m. (7 p.m. NL), or listen online anytime.

The pandemic put fun on the backburner. It's time to prioritize it, says science journalist

The holiday season may not feel particularly joyful, given the current news cycle. But Catherine Price says finding fun should be a priority now more than ever – not only because it feels good, but because it's also good for you.

The author of a book on the power of fun emphasized the importance of so-called "true fun," which she described as "the confluence of playfulness and connection and flow."

Price discussed the elements of true fun with The Sunday Magazine.

How's the inflation, eh? Smokes and beer boost prices for Bob and Doug McKenzie

This year marks the 40th anniversary of SCTV's Bob and Doug McKenzie's Canadian answer to 12 Days of Christmas. To celebrate, Cost of Living used a 1981 Eaton's catalogue to calculate how much the "so-called hoser set" — which includes two turtlenecks, four pounds of bacon, six packs of 24, among other things — would go for in 2021. 

See the full breakdown of the "Hoser Price Index" on Cost of Living. 
 

Want to know what else is on the radio during the holidays? You can find the full schedule on the CBC Radio website.