Christian scholar Dr. Tim Larsen joins the show to explain the real origins of the Christmas traditions we hold dear today—from Santa Claus and reindeer to ornaments and the December 25th date itself. He debunks the persistent myth that Christmas is a pagan holiday, explores how centuries of tradition shaped modern celebrations, and helps separate historical fact from popular fiction.

And yes—we settle the age-old question: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

Dr. Timothy Larsen is a Professor of History at Wheaton College in Illinois and the president of the American Society of Church History. His scholarly expertise is the Victorian era, the period that has done so much to shape our Christmas celebrations today, and he is an expert on Christmas. He is the author or editor of over twenty books, including Twelve Classic Christmas Stories: A Feast of Yuletide Tales and The Oxford Handbook of Christmas.

The Situation Report for December 20, 2025. Rep. Crenshaw recaps a tragic, volatile week in the U.S. and across the globe: terrorist attacks in multiple countries, the FBI's huge break in the Jan 6 pipe bomber case, the sweeping blockade of Venezuela - among many other developments that have major implications for America's national security. We wish listeners a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and peace in the New Year.

The Venezuela Blockade

The Chevron Complication

President Trump designates fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction"

How the FBI finally broke the Jan 6 pipe bomber case

Timeline of the Brown University assassin's rampage

Candace Owens' audience turns on her

ISIS kills 3 Americans in Syria

The Hanukkah massacre at Bondi Beach

Why Dan Crenshaw might finally be getting a TikTok account

The Pine Tree Flag: your latest example of media bias against American symbols

Chile votes conservative in their latest presidential election

Ford pulls the plug on electric trucks

Read of the week: Jacob Savage's "The Lost Generation"

The Situation Report for December 13, 2025. Rep. Dan Crenshaw covers the latest in global conflicts driving U.S. foreign policy — from an escalating showdown with Venezuela, to Ukraine's counter-proposal in talks with Russia, to the Pentagon's push to break China's grip on critical military materials.

U.S. seizes oil tanker off Venezuelan coast

Advice for would-be smugglers

Kyiv makes a peace offer

The U.S. military is getting into the refinery business

War again in South Asia

President Trump's Gold Card Visa

The Fed cuts interest rates

If you read nothing else: "How long Britain could really fight for if war broke out tomorrow" by Frank Gardner

Manhattan Institute's Rob Henderson shares his extraordinary journey from the chaos of the foster care system to becoming one of the leading voices on human nature, social class, and culture. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to break down the roots of America's growing crisis of meaning—especially among young men—and explore why childhood instability, not poverty, drives so many social outcomes. They dig into the failures of the foster system, the erosion of family structure, the search for purpose, and how discipline, responsibility, and strong values can rebuild the foundation of American society.

Rob Henderson is the best-selling author of "Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class." He is a Senior Fellow at Manhattan Institute. Find him on X at @robkhenderson.

The Situation Report for December 4, 2025. The latest on what Congress has been up to since Democrats finally ended their 43-day shutdown. Rep. Crenshaw covers the much talked about Epstein vote, as well as the most recent developments in our standoff with Venezuela and the Ukraine-Russia negotiations. And he brings the receipts on Punchbowl New's "Mexico scandal" – which turns out to be the most boring story ever.

43 days lost and Democrats flat out lied to you

Get ready for the Obamacare subsidies debate

About that Epstein vote

A fun fact about Epstein's buddy Larry Summers

Aftermath of the attack on DC's National Guard

Governor Tim Walz (remember him?) has a $1 billion+ fraud scandal

How hawala networks are possibly using taxpayer dollars to support terrorism

President Trump gives Maduro an ultimatum

Jared Kushner is back! The latest on Ukraine-Russia negotiations

MEDIA BIAS ALERT: Lies, damned lies, and Punchbowl News (about that "alcohol-related incident" in Mexico)

A new tariff deal between U.S. and Britain

TRAVEL ALERT: Get your REAL ID ready for TSA

Read more debunking of the Punchbowl News story here

Listen to my podcast with Dr. Ge Bai on the healthcare debate here

Since Democrats decided to shut down the government over Affordable Care Act subsidies, now's a good time for a deep dive into what they're even talking about. John Hopkins professor Dr. Ge Bai walks us through the ACA subsidies, the hidden mechanics behind the Affordable Care Act, and its illusion of "affordability." Dr. Bai shows us how regulations and subsidies have quietly reshaped the healthcare market - and how the free market can make it work for patients again.

Ge Bai, PhD, CPA is a Professor of Accounting at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Professor of Health Policy & Management (joint) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An expert on health care accounting, finance, and policy, Dr. Bai has testified before the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate HELP Committee, written for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and published her studies in leading academic journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Health Affairs.

Find her on X at @GeBaiDC and read her recent WSJ oped here: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/let-the-obamacare-enhanced-premium-subsidies-expire-16ef7e1b

What really happens to your plastic after it leaves the recycling bin? There's a massive industry trying to turn that trash into something useful in the cleanest, most efficient way possible – and it's one of the toughest economic puzzles of our time. Recycling expert Ross Eisenberg joins us to unpack the strange economics, the breakthrough chemistry, and the big misconceptions behind plastic waste and production.

Ross Eisenberg is the President of America's Plastic Makers at the American Chemistry Council. Find him on X at @eisenberg_ross.

Cato Institute's Travis Fisher joins Rep. Crenshaw to cover the current state of climate science vs climate alarmism. They unpack the new Department of Energy climate report that surveys the latest climate models, the impact of CO₂, ocean acidification, and hurricane trends. They look at the impact of a 2009 EPA regulation called the "Endangerment Finding," which has had a massively negative impact on American innovation and prosperity. They also discuss the path forward towards energy realism: reliable, affordable, and secure energy paired with innovation-driven, commonsense environmental progress.

Travis Fisher is the director of energy and environmental policy studies at the Cato Institute. He has nearly 20 years of experience in energy policy, including leadership roles at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Institute for Energy Research, and the Department of Energy during the first Trump administration. He most recently served again on a detail to the Department of Energy under Secretary Chris Wright, where he managed the development of the new climate report. Find him on X at @ts_fisher and read his research at Cato Institute.

Rick Walker is an investor, author, and scholar of history and philosophy. He also happens to be Rep. Crenshaw's one-time opponent in his very first primary campaign – but no hard feelings about that. Get ready for a wide-ranging conversation about everything from Alexander the Great's quest for the Fountain of Youth to birthday shopping with Dennis Rodman to life lessons learned on the campaign trail. Within all of it, Rick finds the universal truths that can lead everyone to a life of meaning.

Rick Walker is the author of "9 Steps to Build a Life of Meaning: How to Unlock Your Mind, Happiness, Power, and Your Enemy's Demise." Find him on X at @RickWalkerTX and listen to The Rick Walker Podcast.

The Situation Report for September 19, 2025. Rep. Crenshaw shares his thoughts on Charlie Kirk and the divisive, partisan reaction to his assassination. He analyzes what we know about the TikTok deal that could finally remove China's control over America's most popular social media app. And he covers the promising results of President Trump's historic second visit to the UK, the surprising reason Ilhan Omar's censure vote failed, and much more.

Some thoughts on Charlie Kirk and the future of Turning Point

Optimism on the Trump Administration's TikTok deal

Venezuelan narco boats get the "steel on target" treatment

President Trump goes to Windsor Castle

Media Bias Alert: MSNBC whitewashes the Charlie Kirk assassination

Israel launches major offensive on Gaza

The charges against Luigi Mangioni

Fed cuts interest rates

So long, Kimmell

US House fails to censure Ilhan Omar

The latest effort by Sec. RFK to fix the U.S. organ transplant system

Read of the week: WSJ's "Tyler Robinson and America's Lost Boys"