Man.
I have had a web search challenge that I have been working on for over three years! I kid you not. I just broke it this morning and I had to share it with someone.
For the last few years, usually starting around December 1st some of the radio stations in Canada have carried a wonderful one minute story pertaining to Christmas. The same story usually played on or near the same time every hour – with a different story every day.
They are heart warming tales, told by a gentleman with a kind and gentle voice. Unfortunately, for the last year or two, we haven’t been able to find him being broadcast on any of our local stations, including the cable companies 24 hour Christmas music channel.
Of all the people in my family, I think my youngest daughter enjoyed him the most. She’s our Christmas kid. Come December 1st (and sometimes earlier) she lights up our house with joy and laughter and the spirit of Christmas and she enjoyed those special broadcasts even more so than we did.
This is going to be our first Christmas without her (and her without us.) She took a singing contract on one of Holland America’s ships, the Westerdam, which will be in the Caribbean this Christmas. My wife and I both desperately wanted to find this recordings this year, both for her and for us. It would be a way for us to still be together even though we are separated over the Christmas season.
So finding them on the net was either now or never…
We seemed to recalled that the name of gentleman with the velvet voice was something like “Gill Forester”. Every year, we tried what we thought was every combination possible on Google, Amazon and various other music, radio and CD sites and stores. Unfortunately no one had ever heard of anything close to what we were looking for.
We even tried using what we thought was the title of the one minute broadcast “It Feels Like Christmas” or “It Sounds Like Christmas” but to no avail – nothing…
This morning I decided that I would sit at this computer and Google every possible combination again. I tried “Gill Forester” and “Gill Forrester” and then trying it with the first name Gibb (thinking that it sounded somewhat more familiar.) I tried spelling Gibb just with one “b” as well as combining all the above with what we thought were the titles above. Yet I was still stymied…
I then just tried using the last names with all the various combinations that I had tried, including words such as monologue, Christmas, radio broadcast, and others. I actually found several people looking, like me, for his recordings and using various spellings as well. I even found a couple references to stations that “used to play” his recordings (again with different spellings of his first and last name!)
During one of my last Google searches I accidentally mistyped the last name and dropped an “e”, making the name “Forster”. It wasn’t one that I had considered and got a hit on a web site where someone was actually talking about these wonderful recordings by a gentleman named “Gipp Forster”.
So my next search was “Gipp Forster” and “It Feels Like Christmas” and I finally hit paydirt. I found a wonderful website www.capcan.com which carries music by independent Canadian artists. There they had a website dedicated to Gipp Forster’s two CD’s and a book he had written… www.capcan.com/forster.htm.
The website had a small biography which I include here, after three years of searching I have to chuckle at what it says…
Gipp Forster is well known as a radio broadcaster, author and poet throughout Canada & the United States. His ‘Ramblings’ radio vignettes have been broadcast across North America, and ‘It Feels Like Christmas’, a series of minute long stories about the Christmas spirit, charm listeners in more that 75 cities each year. The 60 year old Forster is a man who speaks like a wizened and grizzled Father Time, but his soliloquies are infused with the exuberance of the New Year’s baby.
Well, they are right about the wonderful stories and the way he presents them, but I gotta tell you, if you don’t know how to spell his name correctly, you’ll never find him on the web!! 
I’m hoping that this article will help all those other lost souls, who like me, were wandering the web looking for his recordings. If nothing else it helps get his name out there (with a few permutations for those searching for him.)
Needless to say (but I will anyways) the disks have been ordered and hopefully I’ll get them in time to send to our daughter in the Caribbean for December 1st. I figure if we get her one of those silly videos that show a roaring fireplace and a very small Christmas tree, along with the CD’s she’ll be feeling a little less lonely at Christmas time, knowing that we are thinking of her.
That is, as long as she doesn’t read this posting before the package gets here, and then there…. 
An Update: Posted on Wednesday 17 December 2009
I actually gave an update to this posting this year, mentioning how pleased I am that this one article has helped so many people find Gipp Forster’s recordings. In it I also mentioned that the link that was originally posted in the comments no longer worked for those looking to sample Gipp’s amazing talent, but that I had found an alternative for them. Which I include here for those of you who would like to hear what he sounds like…. enjoy!
I finally found an on-line sample, actually an advertisement from Dave Baglo Broadcast Productions for stations who can acquire Christmas Specials and recordings already formatted for broadcast, with that wonderful Chorus/jingl singing “It Feels Like Christmas” followed by a sample of Gipp… it’s magic…. www.thegiftofchristmas.com/IFLC_Demo_2009.
An Update: Posted on Wednesday 16 December 2010
It would seem over the years that many of the links I posted have broken or disappeared. Such is life on the Internet I guess, unfortunately it doesn’t help you very much when you go looking for Gipp’s recordings. To that end I’ve updated my links, and will attempt to do so in the future if they change again.
Instead of just posting them here for you, I thought I would send you to my latest posting on Gipp’s CD’s and also give you a little Christmas gift – a video recording of Gipp’s Christmas garage set to music and of course Gipp himself talking about Christmas – it’s magical. Click here to time travel ahead -> Merry Christmas.
An Update: Posted on Wednesday 25 December 2012
Hopefully this will be my last update to this post – not that I’ve stopped talking about Gipp. Just check the menu on the left, I’ve posted so much about him, and this website has become so much Gipp Forster beacon, that I’ve had to create a separate catgory/menu just to make all my postings about him easily available ( see the left hand menu at the bottom, or click here for all my postings.)
That being said, even today this is still the highest read page on my blog and not everyone reads all the other ( and more recent ) postings. Which is why I keep adding these quick little updates. Gipp and his Producer ( Dale Baglio ) are in the process of moving his CD’s over to a digital service which will eventually populate all the popular sites such as iTunes, Amazon and the like.
They hope to have the current two CD’s, and a brand new CD up and running for everyone by Christmas 2013. But don’t despair, CD #1 is currently available ( and eventually his others ) for purchase on CDBaby now! You can find it here – > www.cdbaby.com/cd/gippforster.
I’ll update the links to iTunes and Amazon when they become available – Merry Christmas!
A Final Update: Posted on Wednesday 18 April 2013
As many of you may now be aware – Gipp is gone. He died April 17th 2013…
For those of you who may wish to read all of my postings on Gipp, or maybe just the most recent one(s) please click here
Thank you very much!!
I am on year 2 trying to get Giff (sp) stuff. It is played on our local AM. I wouuld have paid $$$ last year and this but could never find anything on the web. My intention is to play the CD for my 9 year old daughter. I know she will fall in love with it. Thanks again.
Awesome!
That makes it all worth while! I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. We got our CD’s in yesterday and they are great.
I am really REALLY glad that the article helped!
Rick
Thanks for the link Jon. I checked it out and it’s a great example. Thanks for making it available for those who may not know of which we speak, know or love. Gipp has made a lot of peoples Christmas’s special! Perhaps there will now be a few more.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for the links.
I also have searched endlessly for “Gib Forrester” and similar names. For years I have loved hearing his gentle voice telling stories of Christmas past. Gipp makes my Christmas each year as he represents one of the true and simple meanings of Christmas still left in this commercial era of rush and gadgets.
Merry Christmas to all…
Awesome – thanks Gary!
One of my main goals for this blog is to help others – I’m glad that I have helped to make your current and future Christmas a little bit merrier.
Indeed – Merry Christmas!
Rick
Thanks so much, I too have been enjoying Gipp’s stories for years and sometimes they even make me cry. It is Dec. 17 and the station I listen to in Canada is playing them again. It’s good to know there is CDs out there, I will check them out. Also Jon thanks for the link. Merry Christmas Everyone.
Thank you! I would never have thought to spell it like that and was just curious if it was a local thing or syndicated (The “It Sounds like Christmas” stuff on the radio). Thanks for making the search easier.
Wow – without a doubt this once again makes my Christmas… kinda makes the blog worthwhile for this alone – thanks for the feedback gang. I am really really glad I was able to help!
Merry Christmas!!
Rick
I cannot thank you enough for this!!!!!!!! I too have been searching the web for this Gentle voice for years. I would listen for his name and did manage to get it, but still to no avail. I could not find Gibb Forrester. I am 53 and have listened to him on CFCW country radio station for years. It just does not feel like Christmas would be complete with out his nariations. What a soft, soothing, comforting voice. He takes me back to my younger years on the farm, during the Christmas season. I can still feel the soft snow coming down as I was sent out for the coal to put in our wood stove to keep warm. Oh the memories.
Jackie, Edmonton, AB
Awesome Jacqueline! You’ve made my Christmas!
It really is amazing how hard he is to find isn’t it? Yet you found him, which is all that counts, and this website has paid it’s way for yet another year.
Maybe I should change the name to GIpp Forster This Way 🙂
Have a Very Merry Christmas!
Rick
Thanks so much for your article. I started to look for Gipp Forster today (Dec.14/ 09) on the internet for the Christmas narrations & was getting nowhere. You saved me what sounds like years of searching & frustration. I am so very grateful to you! I love listening to his Christmas stories. When there is such a secular rush, his stories add peace & meaning to Christmas. Thanks again Kris
Thanks Kris
I agree completely – Gipp really does bring us back to the peace, meaning and wonder of Christmas…. glad to know I helped you find him!
Merry Christmas!
Thanks sooo much. My search lasted only lasted 2 minutes thanks to you. My Christmas is not complete without the “It feels like Christmas”. It has been hard to find since I moved away from a small town.
Awesome – 2 minutes! That’s great!
I agree Gipp really does make Christmas feel like Christmas, glad I could help you complete your season!
Hi Rick:
I too just love Gipp Forester’s Gift of Christmas and have been listening to it on ecfm.ca between 12 and 1 every Holiday Season for years and years(Atlantic Time – I’m listening to it right now!). It’s sprinkled in with lots of Christmas tunes new and old. It always makes my cry and it always makes me laugh (especially the Turkey Song). I hope you’ll be able to tune in this holiday season – for it’s not Christmas without it!
Merry Christmas!
Oops!
That’s between 1pm and 2pm Atlantic Time!
http://www.ecfm.ca
Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing Diane! It’s great to see that he is still being carried – I can’t believe that more stations my my area haven’t picked him up, for that matter what the heck is wrong with CBC?! Enjoy I shall and now, thanks to your link many others will too!
Merry Christmas!
OMG!
Thank you so much in helpin’ me find Gipps’ web site. Like you, I have been listening and tryin’ to find him on-line and went through the same episode, even phoned the radio station (which I listen to daily). My family and I enjoy his calm and gentle voice throughout December and I am (like you) awaiting for his Cd’s, Video and Books! Thank you again and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!…. Daniel….. 🙂
That’s just great! Thanks for sharing!
And the Merriest Christmas ever as well!
Rick
Thanks for posting this!! Really miss hearing this guy and I, like many others keep searching for more of “Gib”‘s material lol thank you thank you THANK YOU!
The Christmas countdown started on our local radio station this morning, but for me Christmas does not start until I hear the first “It Feels Like Christmas” story. This is one of my favourite parts of the season leading up to Christmas and I’ll be devasted if our local station stops carrying them! I have been searching online for the past few Christmas’ too, without any luck, until I hit this website so thank you very much for sharing!! Saying this for the very first time this year, I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!
Yep – it must be Christmas soon….
You are MORE than welcome – I do apologize for my delay in getting back to you – I’ve been a little too busy of late.
Without a doubt he is a hard man to track down, which is why my articles and links to his recordings get such a high number of hits starting in October.
You are more than Welcome Kevin – glad I could help out AND make your Christmas a little more special again 😉
Rick
Merry Christmas to you too Karen!
I do apologize for getting slow off the mark with my replies to such great comments!
Without a doubt Christmas isn’t Christmas without a little Gipp! Why any radio station would drop such a powerful piece of audio is beyond me. Here is hoping they keep the flame burning in your city!
All the best and again – Merry Christmas! Once again my readers have already made mine!
Thank you!!! At the very least I was able to find his NAME on here! Still having trouble getting my hands on the cds??? Someone has uploaded 5 short stories onto YouTube and I managed to get those on my ipod so I could add them to my Christmas cds, but I would still love to buy the complete collection….!
Hi Jen!
Sorry for the BIG delay in getting back to you – I do apologize. For some reason I’m not being tipped off that comments have been left….. I’m going to have to track that problem down I guess.
I’m really sorry that the capcan links I originally posted don’t seem to be working any more. That being said, I was able to check and found that both his CD’s are still available from the Senior Living BookStore in Vancouver. Here are the links here ->
For Volume 1: http://www.seniorlivingmag.com/bookstore/gipp-forsters-christmas-vol-1
For Volume 2: http://www.seniorlivingmag.ca/bookstore/gipp-forsters-christmas-vol-2-once-upon-a-christmas-eve
Hopefully you can still get them shipped to you on time to enjoy them this year!
This gentleman is alive and well, living in Victoria BC, now a minister. He puts on a beautiful display at his home and every year we make sure it’s on our list of ‘to dos’ He also writes a wonderful column for the ‘Seniors Magazine’ published in the Victoria area, which I pick up faithfully each and every month just to read his articles. He has a couple of books published, which can be purchased through this magazine, which are priceless. He’s a fabulous man, with a wealth of information and a knack for telling the story so that everyone’s attention is riveted! If ever you’re in Victoria around Christmas, please make sure to visit his ‘Santa’s Workshop’ light display – and hear the recording playing! Truly amazing!
[…] mused. I'll try it again. I typed Forster in to Google and the first hit on the page was this link http://newventures.ca/my-time/2007/11/24/gipp-forster. Home […]
Awesome stuff Rick! I’ve been looking for info on this guy on and off for a few years. Merry Christmas!
Very well put Jan!
I do apologize for leaving your comments in the Spam pot for so long, it got buried under a bunch of other real junk.
His garage looks really neat, it kinda makes me wish I could drop by some Christmas!
Thanks again for your comment!
Rick
listening to the it Feels like christmas jingle and then the magical storytelling by Gibb Forster it feels so right,you can feel the spirit of christmas coming alive and it stays with you the whole season ….it,s magic as Gibb Forster would say have a merry christmas……..
Yep – you are so right Russ – it really does. The searches for Gipp have again skyrocketed on my sight…. ’tis the beginning of the season I think…. Merry Christmas Russ….
Oh and sorry for the delay in getting your comment authorized… it’s also the season for spamming and your comment got caught in it – thankfully I found it in time!
Like so many… I have been searching for Gipp’s recordings for several years after hearing them on the local radio station. Sadly they do not play them anymore. But thanks to this site I was able to purchase CD #1 for download and I am just so thrilled that now I can hear at least some of his stories whenever I want. His voice just brings calmness and peace. I was so saddened to read your last posting of Gipp’s passing. It brings tears to my eyes knowing that this kind and gentle voice is now silent. Does anyone know if there are more recordings other than CD #1 available out there somewhere?
Thank you so much for this site.
Hey Deb
Thank you for commenting – there was a technical glitch about 8 hours ago and I’m only getting a chance to reply to you now… Yes my logs are showing that traffic has picked up again, the annual search for Gipp is underway. It truly is sad that he is no longer with us. The last time I talked with him he mentioned that he had so much to share, and was worried it would never get out there… it looks like his worries were well founded 🙁
There were originally two recordings of him available through the Senior Living magazine site – Gipp himself was actually selling them through them. Dale Baglio ( his producer ) told me that they had planned to reproduce the second CD, but I don’t think it ever got done.
Dale also mentioned that he had several other recordings of Gipp, that he was planning to put together as a third CD. Unfortunately, checking the CDBaby site, it looks like no other CD has yet to be made.
If ever there is a second or third CD, I’ll let everyone know here.
All the best
Rick
Hello Rick,
I am fairly new to the Prince George area and to the local radio station, they play the oldies but goodies.. I was driving my son to school when I heard this mellow voice talk about a bygone Christmas.. It came over me like a wave, I had goose bumps. I had to know who this person was.. But like many others I have learnt lately that the name was incorrect as to how I heard it. I could not find anything, I though it may be a local fellow reading a story, today again I heard yet another story and had to get home and try the web again to locate him and I found all your information. Very sad to hear that Gipp passed away earlier this year. I will look forward to hearing these stores over and over again. In the meantime I wanted to thank you very much for sharing your time to let everyone know about this Gipp Forster!!!
Hey D’arci
Thank you for your comments and I am really. really glad I was able to help you identify his proper name and at least help you find one recording via CD-Baby. I was lucky enough to get a copy of two of his CD’s and yes every Chrismtas we enjoy listening to his stories interspersed with the Christmas Carols played randomly on our stereo… He really did make Christmas special and he will be missed by so many of us.
Thanks again!
Rick
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