Weekend Edition Saturday Hear the Weekend Edition Saturday program for December 12, 2020

Weekend Edition Saturday

Subscribe to Breaking News Alerts

Why Do We Give Presents On Hanukkah? 'Nate Gadol' Has The Story

Author Arthur Levine says he "really wanted to add ... a mythological hero that Jews could call their own, hence Nate Gadol." Reproduced by permission of the publisher/Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass. hide caption

toggle caption

Reproduced by permission of the publisher/Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass.

Why Do We Give Presents On Hanukkah? 'Nate Gadol' Has The Story

Jewish families haven't always given presents on Hanukkah — it only dates to the 1880s. Arthur Levine's new kids' book The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol imagines a fanciful origin for the tradition.

Health

Virologist Discusses FDA's COVID-19 Vaccine Authorization

Listen · 4:29 4:29

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788708/945788709" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Law

Week In Politics: Supreme Court Deals Blow To Trump's Attempts To Overturn Election

Listen · 3:52 3:52

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788715/945788716" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Opinion: COVID-19 Has Taken Away Nutcracker Season

The loss of "The Nutcracker" has affected The Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and other companies across the country. Courtesy of The Joffrey Ballet hide caption

toggle caption

Courtesy of The Joffrey Ballet

Simon Says

Opinion: COVID-19 Has Taken Away Nutcracker Season

by Scott Simon

Opinion: COVID-19 Has Taken Away Nutcracker Season

Listen · 2:42 2:42

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945701467/945788834" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:12 0:12

♫

Nutcracker Suite: Overture Duke Ellington

Listen · 0:58 0:58

♫

Glassworks: I. Opening Signal, Michael Riesman

Health

Why San Mateo County Is Not Under A Stay-At-Home Order

Listen · 4:26 4:26

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788722/945788723" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Europe

UK Couple Becomes One Of The First Pfizer Vaccine Recipients

Listen · 3:56 3:56

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788729/945788730" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

toggle caption

Reproduced by permission of the publisher/Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass.

Why Do We Give Presents On Hanukkah? 'Nate Gadol' Has The Story

by Scott Simon

Why Do We Give Presents On Hanukkah? 'Nate Gadol' Has The Story

Listen · 4:30 4:30

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945611059/945788840" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:08 0:08

♫

My Take On Solidao fantompower

Arts & Life

Holiday Cards Bring Small Joys In A Tough Year

Listen · 3:54 3:54

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788736/945788737" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:04 0:04

♫

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Dennis Solee

Listen · 0:28 0:28

♫

Night Trouble Petit Biscuit

Asia

A Botanist's Quest To Help India Grow Its Most Popular Herb

by Sushmita Pathak

A Botanist's Quest To Help India Grow Its Most Popular Herb

Listen · 3:48 3:48

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788743/945788746" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Business

Tall Grass Food Box Project Helps Black Farmers Struggling During The Pandemic

Listen · 4:21 4:21

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788752/945788753" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

TV Reviews

Mira Nair's 'A Suitable Boy' Makes US Streaming Premiere

Listen · 7:57 7:57

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788759/945788760" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

♫

Lata's Theme Alex Heffes, Anoushka Shankar

♫

Smitten Kitten (Meenakshi's Theme) Alex Heffes, Anoushka Shankar

Health

Americans Await Distribution Of Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine

by Joe Palca

Americans Await Distribution Of Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine

Listen · 3:22 3:22

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788766/945788767" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Health

How Different States Will Approach COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

by Martha Bebinge , Blake Farmer , Jackie Fortier

How Different States Will Approach COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Listen · 7:32 7:32

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788773/945788774" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:18 0:18

♫

San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) Daniel Herskedal

Listen · 0:57 0:57

♫

Like A Moth To Flame John T. Graham

Law

Supreme Court Dismisses Texas Lawsuit Aiming To Overturn Election Results

by Miles Parks

Supreme Court Dismisses Texas Lawsuit Aiming To Overturn Election Results

Listen · 3:48 3:48

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788780/945788781" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Health

In California, COVID-19 Optimism Is Tempered By Rising Infections, Full ICUs

by Eric Westervelt

In California, COVID-19 Optimism Is Tempered By Rising Infections, Full ICUs

Listen · 4:01 4:01

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788787/945788788" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Religion

Celebrating Hanukkah During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Listen · 5:45 5:45

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788794/945788795" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:09 0:09

♫

Sound & Color Brittany Howard

Economy

Commercial Real Estate Vacancies Rising During Pandemic

by Adrian Ma

Commercial Real Estate Vacancies Rising During Pandemic

Listen · 3:44 3:44

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788801/945788805" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:16 0:16

♫

Red Moon Whitney

Sports

Sports Chat: How Soon Should Athletes Get The COVID-19 Vaccine?

Listen · 3:47 3:47

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788811/945788814" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Books

2020 Book Concierge: 4 Current Events Recommendations

Listen · 5:07 5:07

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788820/945788821" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Music Interviews

Andrew Bird's First Holiday Album Includes A Song Inspired By The Pandemic

Listen · 7:03 7:03

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/945788827/945788828" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Listen · 0:10 0:10

♫

White Christmas Andrew Bird

Listen · 1:24 1:24

♫

Auld Lang Syne Andrew Bird

Virologist Discusses FDA's COVID-19 Vaccine Authorization

Week In Politics: Supreme Court Deals Blow To Trump's Attempts To Overturn Election

Opinion: COVID-19 Has Taken Away Nutcracker Season

Why San Mateo County Is Not Under A Stay-At-Home Order

UK Couple Becomes One Of The First Pfizer Vaccine Recipients

Why Do We Give Presents On Hanukkah? 'Nate Gadol' Has The Story

Holiday Cards Bring Small Joys In A Tough Year

A Botanist's Quest To Help India Grow Its Most Popular Herb

Tall Grass Food Box Project Helps Black Farmers Struggling During The Pandemic

Mira Nair's 'A Suitable Boy' Makes US Streaming Premiere

Americans Await Distribution Of Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine

How Different States Will Approach COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Supreme Court Dismisses Texas Lawsuit Aiming To Overturn Election Results

In California, COVID-19 Optimism Is Tempered By Rising Infections, Full ICUs

Celebrating Hanukkah During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Commercial Real Estate Vacancies Rising During Pandemic

Sports Chat: How Soon Should Athletes Get The COVID-19 Vaccine?

2020 Book Concierge: 4 Current Events Recommendations

Andrew Bird's First Holiday Album Includes A Song Inspired By The Pandemic

Previous Shows