When it comes to nonstop holiday tunes on the radio, people usually fall into two camps: “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” or “Jingle bells, shotgun shells, someone shoot me now.”

If you fit into the latter category, you’d better dust off the Scrooge double barrel.

Not one, but two Boise radio stations have cranked up Christmas playlists — Lite 107.9 FM on Nov. 10 and Variety Rock 105.1 FM on Nov. 12 — for a nonstop barrage of holiday cheer through Christmas Day.

It’s an annual tradition at Lite. The station has flipped to seasonal music for its listeners since 1994. But at Variety Rock — to be called Variety Christmas for the next several weeks — this is a first-time sleigh ride.

“We feel that there is room for two all-Christmas music stations in a market this size,” emailed Roy Williams, general manager for the Boise radio cluster of Journal Broadcast Group. “It is not uncommon in markets of this size or larger to have two or more all-Christmas music stations.”

“Christmas music will disappear from Variety Christmas on Dec. 26,” he added.

But what will happen after that?

There’s the possibility that Variety Rock won’t return — that a new format will debut after Christmas. That’s the rumor first suggested at RadioInsight.com.

It’s plausible. Variety Rock’s ratings have disappointed since it replaced J-105 in 2010.

However, radio stations prefer not to discuss format flips ahead of time. Williams had not returned my follow-up email at press time.

What style of new radio station do you think the Treasure Valley needs?

Hey, how about Christmas music all year round?

(Squeeze trigger.)

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL SEASON IN 2013

Here’s what Idaho Shakespeare Festival fans will be treated to in 2013:

• “Blithe Spirit” by Noël Coward

• “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare

• “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler

• “King Richard III,” by William Shakespeare

• “The Foreigner” by Larry Shue”

SAWTOOTH FEST CLASHES WITH STANLEY

The annual Sawtooth Music Festival has pulled the plug.

In a press release filled with fond memories and sorrow, organizers of the two-day summer event in Stanley’s Pioneer Park announced that it would not return in 2013:

“The mayor and city council of Stanley have made it impossible for us to continue. The city has imposed new financial burdens on us while simultaneously limiting our capacity to 2,000 people (we had 2,700 in 2012). This combination is ultimately and financially crippling. ...”

“This is a heartbreaking development for us as we have poured eight years of our lives into this event and wanted nothing more than to be sitting in the audience with you when we were old and gray.”

Stanley’s mayor and City Council quickly countered via press release, indicating that not only do they want the Sawtooth Music Festival to continue, they consider it an asset to the community.

But they say that as the festival has grown, so have challenges associated with security, park capacity, law enforcement and traffic control. There also is red tape involving park rental and city ordinances.

“The City continues to believe that all of these issues could be resolved to mutual benefit ...,” the press release says, adding that “unfortunately, the festival organizers decided that they did not wish to continue these discussions.”

Both press releases urge festivalgoers to make their voices heard by contacting the other party.

Sawtooth Music Festival organizers responded Nov. 15 in a statement explaining, “We have made multiple attempts to negotiate and resolve these issues.”

They insist that a new contract for using Pioneer Park, as well as other demands, made it impossible to continue: “We are hamstrung by the fact that this contract and proposed restrictions would ultimately put us in the red. We truly feel that there is no hope of Mayor Mumford meeting us in the middle on any of these issues.”

Free-spirited, organic mountain-town festivals like Sawtooth are fast becoming extinct.

If they can’t survive in a place like Stanley, Idaho, is there any hope left?

WIN ALICE COOPER TICKETS

Why would you not go see shock-rocker Alice Cooper in concert the night before Thanksgiving?

There is no reason.

Especially since you can win free tickets. I’m giving away three pairs to the show, which is at Garden City’s Revolution Center.

Check my blog and Twitter for details.

COMING IN SCENE MAGAZINE NOV. 23

• From “Disney on Ice,” to “The Nutcracker,” tons of family-friendly holiday events are coming soon. We highlight the best bets.

• Restaurant review: Indian Creek Steakhouse in Caldwell.

TONIGHT IN ‘THE OTHER STUDIO’

Australian rock band INXS just announced that it is retiring from touring ... a mere 15 years after lead singer Michael Hutchence died. We’ll discuss this earth-shattering news, plus spin new music from Soundgarden and Jim James, and listen to my recent interview with Alice Cooper.

“The Other Studio” airs at 9 p.m. Sundays on 94.9 FM The River.

Michael Deeds’ column runs Fridays in Scene and Sundays in Life. Email: mdeeds@idahostatesman.com. Twitter: @IDS_Deeds