5,486,812 for families in need in Austria – that is the record donation result for the Ö3 Christmas miracle 2024. For 120 hours, Philipp Hansa, Tina Ritschl and Sylvia Graf broadcast non-stop from the Ö3 wish hut in Wiener Neustadt and in return for a donation for the “Light in the Dark Emergency Aid Fund” fulfills the music wishes of the Ö3 community. Today at 10 a.m. the final donation result was announced: The Ö3 Christmas miracle 2024 came true.
Ö3 broadcaster boss Michael Pauser: “The Ö3 community made it possible again! A big thank you to all the generous donors, the many musicians who supported the Ö3 Christmas miracle, and to the whole team behind the scenes. Radio connects us all and together we managed to give families in need in Austria a bit of hope and confidence at Christmas.”
Highlights of the Ö3 Christmas miracle 2024
Wiener Neustadt has given the Ö3 Christmas miracle 2024 a special setting and a wonderful show stage. The Ö3 Christmas miracle opened on Thursday, December 19th at 10 a.m. Today (Tuesday) the moderators fulfilled “Merry Christmas” by Ed Sheeran & Elton John, the most requested song of the Christmas miracle of 2024, as the last musical wish before taking stock at 10 a.m.
The Ö3 presenters Philipp Hansa, Tina Ritschl and Sylvia Graf moderated for 120 hours in the glass studio, welcomed countless guests and ensured that, together with the Ö3 community, the country moved a little closer together. Many guests provided unforgettable live music and unique radio moments: Seiler and Speer, Rainhard Fendrich, Avec, Pizzera & Jaus, Milow, Melissa Naschenweng, Folkshilfe, Aut of Orda, Ness, Josh., Jacob Elias, Edmund, Matakustix , Lemo, Möwe, Verena Wagner, Rian, Toby Romeo, Holza, Alexander Eder, Dominique Jardin, Pazoo, Päm, Mini & Claus and a string quartet from the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna. At the now traditional “Ö3 Advent Singing” – this year with Julian le Play & Band, Esther Graf, OSKA and Cesár Sampson – the Ö3 community’s favorite Christmas hits were heard live for two hours.
In general, there was a lot going on in the Ö3 wish hut: Wiener Neustadt’s mayor Klaus Schneeberger, Lower Austria’s governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, tennis legend Thomas Muster, comedian Gernot Kulis, magician Fab Fox, Constantly K alias Karin Teigl, magician Thommy Ten, dancer Maria Santner, the Aigner Paraski family and many more visited the Ö3 Christmas miracle. And the many thousands of people who visited the Ö3 studio on the main square in Wiener Neustadt over the 120 hours created a very special atmosphere.
Under the motto “Do something for the Ö3 Christmas miracle”, the Ö3 community once again supported the Ö3 Christmas miracle in a creative way this year and implemented many ideas to collect donations – alone, together with friends or work colleagues, in the neighborhood or in the club. This meant that special signs of cohesion could be set throughout the country.
Interim balance sheet Ö3 lucky bag: Donated cell phones have brought in 500,000 euros so far
Ö3 broadcaster boss Michael Pauser also announced today an initial interim balance of the Ö3 lucky bag 2024: 500,000 euros have been raised so far for families in need in Austria. This year, for the 20th time, Hitradio Ö3 called on all of Austria to dispose of old cell phones in an environmentally friendly manner and thus make cashless donations to families in need in Austria. The Ö3 lucky bag has been laying the foundation for reliable help for many years.
Hitradio Ö3 would like to thank all listeners for a donation (Ö3 Christmas miracle and Ö3 miracle bag) of around 6 million euros for families in need and wishes everyone a merry Christmas!
All stories, interviews and videos from the Ö3 Christmas miracle 2024 can be found on the Ö3 homepage: https://oe3.orf.at/oe3weihnachtswunder/.
Photos of the highlights for download: https://cloud.orf.at/s/5dKkHw4LNDgzsee