Want More Holiday Music? Ring Up Dial-A-Carol

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Okay. Let's dial up another holiday tradition now.

(SOUNDBITE OF PHONE RINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Thank you for calling Dial-a-Carol at Snyder Hall at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Dial-a-Carol is a 24-hour hotline run by students taking requests. Since 1960, it's been a much-needed diversion from final exams. We called them early this morning.

AUSTIN MCWILLIAMS: This is Austin from Dial-a-Carol. What song would you like us to sing?

WERTHEIMER: And we asked freshman Austin McWilliams(ph) which song he preferred.

MCWILLIAMS: We have a meter here called the Mariah meter because our favorite song is "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey. Here comes your song and we hope that you and all the listeners enjoy, all right?

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing) I don't want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need and I don't care about the presents...

GREENE: That's Austin McWilliams and his fellow University of Illinois classmates singing free Christmas carols as part of Dial-a-Carol at Snyder Hall. Okay, guys, probably time to get back to studying.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing) All I want for Christmas...

GREENE: This is NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.