Christmas greetings across the world's oceans: NDR sends greetings on board 2024!

Christmas greetings across the world's oceans: NDR sends greetings on board 2024!

On Christmas Eve 2024, Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) will broadcast the traditional program “Greetings on Board” for the 71st time. In this emotional radio program, relatives of seafarers have the opportunity to send warm Christmas greetings to crews on the world's oceans. The recording took place in the festive atmosphere of the Duckdalben Seamen's Mission in Hamburg, as NDR Info reported. The presenters Birgit Langhammer and Ocke Bandixen recorded the greetings, which were broadcast on the evening of December 24th to give the sailors a sense of home. Not only is tradition honored, but the central importance of shipping for global trade is also highlighted.

The origins of the program go back to 1953, with the first broadcast taking place on the coastal radio station Norddeich Radio. In the following decades, “Greetings on Board” has established itself as an institution that connects sailors with their loved ones across the oceans. The NDR specifically rents shortwave frequencies to ensure that seafarers worldwide can receive the greetings. The recipients of the program include the crews of cargo ships, cruise ships and research ships, which makes the program an indispensable part of maritime culture. “Greetings on Board” is considered one of the oldest radio programs and has an audience of millions that has formed over the years, as the information shows Wikipedia show.

A popular classic

The show has evolved over the decades and includes exciting reports about life at sea. NDR editor-in-chief Adrian Feuerbacher said that “Greetings on Board” is much more than a radio show; it is a piece of culture and tradition. With reports on the everyday life of seafarers and the challenges of seafaring, the program is constantly updated and remains relevant in the changing maritime world, as NDR Info reports.