Actually, I thought last year, Dish started the Holiday Music Channel on 11/15/03 and ran it through 01/15/04. XM starts its 4 channels of Christmas programming on Thanksgiving Day 8AM.
I was checking dish today and they still don't have 982 the Christmas Channel.I wonder when it will be available.I will have so many choices for holiday music this year.I will be able to hear xm's 4 holiday stations with Sunny being the one I listen to most,Movin Easy Christmas on Sirius thru dish,dishnetworks holiday channel and of course an FM station in my area that is going all Christmas the day after Thanksgiving thru Christmas.I have already heard Sleigh Ride on one of my local FM channels as early this past Friday so their starting early this year.