CANTON — North Country Public Radio presents its first-ever “HOWL Holiday Special” today at 2 p.m. and Friday at 7 p.m. Hosted by Ethan Shantie, the show features five regional storytellers who share tales of unforgettable holidays with their families — both joyful and disastrous. Shantie also hosts “the HOWL Podcast” from NCPR and the Adirondack Center for Writing, focusing on true stories, told live on stage at venues around the North Country, with no notes and no props. Its fifth season kicks off this winter.

“I’m thrilled to be able to bring the HOWL Holiday Special to our audience,” Shantie said in a press release. “My favorite thing to do during the holidays is to sit around and share stories with my family. So, what better way for us to celebrate the season than by airing some of our favorite holiday tales?”

These stories were originally recorded live on stage at Pickens Hall in Heuvelton and at St. Lawrence University’s Gulick Theater in Canton. All storytellers are, or were formerly, residents of the North Country. Each participant appeared as part of the HOWL Grand Slam, an annual story slam featuring storytellers who previously won at one of a dozen smaller, regional competitions around the North Country. Slams are a co-production of NCPR in Canton and the Adirondack Center for Writing in Saranac Lake.

On the hour-long special, audience members will hear from Tanya Roy and her magical Christmas basket that saved the holiday. Chris Locke shares the story of his dangerous — and nearly fatal — Christmas in Honduras. Alma Jean Porschett tells a story about a pair of skis that changed her family’s holiday traditions. Al Lutz tells us about their final Christmas with their dad. And Dierdre Loftus will share the story of the gift from her dad that put her on a path of lifelong activism.

“Since its beginning in the 1960s, NCPR has known that the North Country is rich with wonderful stories,” NCPR’s program director Shelly Pike said in a press release. “We’ve offered the live HOWL events for many years, and the podcast is well-established now as another way for storytelling talent in the region to shine. It’s exciting to now welcome our first on-air holiday offering. The show’s producer, Ethan, has put a lot of careful thought — and heart — into it, and the broadcast platform makes it accessible to more folks. Especially for those who can’t be home in the North Country this season, this gives a little extra connection as we close the year.”

Those who wish to listen but can’t tune in on the radio can find the program at NCPR.org/HOWL or through the NCPR mobile app. The show will also be released as a podcast on Dec. 24 and is available on all major streaming platforms. Additionally, there are currently more than 40 episodes of “the HOWL Podcast” available to stream, featuring over 10 hours of stories recorded in the North Country. The show first became available in 2023 and has recently concluded its fourth season.

“‘The HOWL Podcast’ serves as an evolving oral history of the North Country,” Shantie said. “Through listening to these heartfelt and sometimes outrageous stories, we get to know the people — and the region — a little bit better.”