We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men are created. As a member of Congress, I get to have a lot of really interesting people in the office. Experts on what they're talking about. This is the podcast for insights into the issues. China, bioterrorism, Medicare for all, in-depth discussions. Breaking it down into simple terms. We hold. We hold these truths. We hold these truths.

With Dan Crenshaw.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Welcome back to hold these truths.

And like every year, I like to do some kind of Christmas episode.

This one's going to be super interesting.

You know, I think we all take our Christmas traditions somewhat for granted.

We celebrate it as the birth of Christ, if you're a Christian. And then we add all this other stuff like

Santa and Reindeer's, Christmas trees and ornaments, which I've never read about any of that in the Bible.

And so some say, well, this is a pagan holiday and it's, you know, it's been paganized and it's,

you know, it's been secularized. And, you know, I don't know. It does make people happy.

So I guess what I want to figure out today with my expert who is joining me today, Dr. Timothy Larson, who's a professor of history at Wheaton College in Illinois, president of the American Society of Church History. I want to figure out where all this stuff comes from. And good news is, look, I think the answers we're going to come to are not going to make anyone upset.

Let's just say that out right from the start.

So Dr. Larsson is experts in the Victorian area, which is a period that's done a lot to shape Christmas celebrations today.

The expert on Christmas generally, author or an editor of 20 books, including 12 classic Christmas

stories, a feast of the Yuletide Tales and the Oxford Handbook of Christmas.

So Dr. Larson, then thanks for being on.

I'll call you Tim, if that's all right.

I'm Tim.

Merry Christmas.

I'm glad to be here.

Awesome.

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