Episode Overview

Podcast: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis
Episode: Bonus: Bill O'Reilly on the Evolution of Christmas
Date: December 25, 2025
Host: Bill O'Reilly

Theme:
This bonus episode features Bill O’Reilly’s reflections and analysis on the evolution of Christmas. With his characteristic directness and humor, O’Reilly explores the holiday’s historical origins, global observance, cultural evolution in America, and his personal childhood memories, peppered with facts, anecdotes, and a bit of nostalgia.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Christmas by the Numbers

• Widespread Celebration in the US:
  • "About 80% of Americans cop to celebrating Christmas. 20%, they probably do, but they don't want to admit it because they're pagans or whatever they are." (00:04)
• Holiday Spending:
  • Americans will spend around one trillion dollars on Christmas in November and December, according to the National Retail Federation. (00:13)
  • Spending per person is down: "Americans are averaging about $800 on Christmas gifts. That is down from a thousand..." (00:23)
• Christmas Trees:
  • There are 35 million real Christmas trees in American homes, though O’Reilly now prefers a fake one for convenience. (00:31)

History and Origins of Christmas in America

• State to Federal Holiday:
  • "In 1836, Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as a holiday... In 1870, President Grant declared it a national holiday." (00:43)
• Commercialization Era:
  • The growth of Christmas commerce:
    • "You had Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer... that was Montgomery Ward..."
    • Santa Claus: "Santa Claus... a German invention. He came across pretty quickly. Germany started the Christmas tree tradition and the Santa Claus thing. Santa Claus is like Dutch. But the Germans grabbed 'em fast in the 1500s. Whoa." (01:07)
• Selection of December 25th:
  • Date was chosen for seasonal and cultural reasons: "Nobody really knows... when Jesus was born... it was so dismal in Europe at the end of December... need a festival here to lighten things up. That's why it came about." (01:23)

The Religious Evolution

• Christmas as a Non-Religious to Religious Holiday:
  • "Christmas itself was basically first, not a religious holiday per se, and then it evolved into that." (01:36)
• Historical Jesus and Nativity Details:
  • O’Reilly references his own book, "Killing Jesus," noting the Roman census as a historically verified event.
  • "Joseph and Mary, real people, they had to go from Nazareth into Bethlehem... you don't know precisely, though, whether the baby was born before they made that trek or during. Okay. In the scriptures, it says during. The baby was in a manger." (01:43)
  • Notable correction on Joseph’s profession: "Joseph was a stone cutter. People go get mad at me, oh, no, he's a carpenter... There are no trees... Judea is a desert. There are a few trees, but no one building homes with trees, stones. And that's what Joseph did." (02:06)

Christmas Around the World

• Countries That Don't Celebrate:
  • All Muslim-majority countries, plus most of Asia (Cambodia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia, Bhutan, Maldives), largely do not observe Christmas.
  • "But I bet you if we were there, we'd see a little Christmas stuff." (02:32)
• Japanese and Chinese New Year:
  • Japanese mark the new year with festive lights, not Christmas-themed: "In Tokyo, one of the most capitalist places on Earth, they're not selling you Santa. They're selling in New Year's." (02:45)

American Traditions and Nostalgia

• Cultural Impact:
  • "It's one of the great traditions of our country. We got the music, we got the books, we got the TV shows, the Hallmark. I think the Hallmark network starts running Christmas movies in July. So we have all of that." (02:58)
• Personal Childhood Recollections:
  • O’Reilly reminisces about his childhood Christmases in Levittown, NY, marked by community, caroling, gifts, and midnight Mass.
  • "We'd go to caroling and people give you a dollar and you give it to charity. It was great. No downside at all. None. And we go to midnight Mass, you know, which is always a spectacle, the choir and all that." (03:20)
  • "My parents splurged and gave me neat stuff for Christmas... I have my Lionel trains to this day." (03:15)
• Favorite Christmas Movie:
  • O'Reilly's pick: "I always make a habit of watching A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim. Sorry, Bill Murray. Okay, I'm going with the old one. The British actor Alistair Sim. My favorite." (03:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Nobody really knows a precise age when Jesus was born. I have it nailed down pretty tight in my book, Killing Jesus." – Bill O’Reilly (01:23)
• "People go get mad at me, oh, no, he's a carpenter and his son was a carpenter. There are no trees. Okay? ...It's a desert." – Bill O’Reilly (02:06)
• "It's one of the great traditions of our country... I think America... is the best place for Christmas on this planet. Although London's pretty good." – Bill O’Reilly (03:29)
• "Relax. Have fun. Goodwill. Try to carry it over if you can." – Bill O’Reilly (03:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01 – Introduction and overview of Christmas popularity and spending in America
• 00:43 – Timeline: state and federal recognition of Christmas
• 01:07 – Commercialization and origins (Santa Claus, Rudolph, Christmas trees)
• 01:23 – Why December 25th and historical uncertainties
• 01:43 – Nativity story details, Joseph’s profession, and biblical context
• 02:32 – Countries that do not celebrate Christmas
• 02:45 – Christmas vs. New Year’s celebrations in Asia
• 02:58 – The American Christmas tradition and personal nostalgia
• 03:39 – Favorite Christmas movie tradition
• 03:50 – Closing wishes

Summary

Bill O’Reilly delivers an insightful and personal take on the evolution of Christmas, blending historical context, economic facts, and his nostalgic memories. He traces the holiday from its obscure origins and transformation into a federal holiday, examines its commercialization, and compares observances globally, before fondly recalling the joyous, communal spirit of American Christmases past. With his usual dry wit and a dash of sentimentality, O’Reilly concludes with a heartfelt Christmas wish, encouraging listeners to spread goodwill into the new year.