Podcast Summary:

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey
Episode 1277 | Why We Don’t Do Santa & Why Jesus Wasn't a Refugee
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Allie Beth Stuckey

Episode Overview

In this theologically focused Christmas episode, Allie Beth Stuckey discusses two key topics:

1. Why her family doesn’t “do” Santa Claus—exploring both practical and theological reasons from a Christian perspective.
2. The claim that Jesus was a refugee—examining and challenging this popular view, especially as used within progressive Christian circles and in political rhetoric.
   Allie provides scriptural references, shares personal anecdotes, and engages contemporary debates about Christmas traditions and the political use of Jesus’ story, always emphasizing clarity, biblical grounding, and discernment for Christian families.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

I. Introduction: Christmas Set & Listener Questions (01:29–04:25)

• Allie shares lighthearted updates about decorating the Relatable set for Christmas.
• Responds to a recurring listener question: “Do you do Santa Claus in your home as a Christian mom?”

II. Why We Don’t “Do” Santa in Our Home

Personal Backstory & Christian Liberty (04:25–07:20)

• Allie, raised as a “Santa kid,” describes discovering the truth about Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and Easter Bunny at age six.
• She underscores that this is a Christian liberty issue:

  “We have freedom as Christians to disagree on this. … I don’t have any condemnation for you if you are a pro-Santa family. And I hope that you will be respectful in your comments to me if you differ from my perspective on this.” (04:53)

Reasons for Opting Out (07:20–13:00)

• 1. Deceit Can Cause Confusion and Mistrust
  • Allie recounts her own hurt after learning Santa wasn’t real, emphasizing the importance of parental trust, especially regarding spiritual matters.
  • Cites psychologist Kathy McKay (The Christian Post):

    “The Santa myth is such an involved lie, such a long-lasting one between parents and children, that if a relationship is vulnerable … this may be the final straw. If parents can lie so convincingly and over such a long time, what else can they lie about?” (10:54)

• 2. Theological Confusion
  • Santa being “all-seeing, all-knowing, rewarding good, punishing bad” mirrors legalistic views of God and can muddy children’s understanding of Christian grace.
  • Draws from Sinclair Ferguson (Ligonier):

    “[Some] imagine a Santa Christ who is basically a plagian Jesus … Others picture a semi–plagian Santa Christ … A third common version is a mystical Santa Christ whose value lies in warm feelings … In all of these versions, Jesus functions like Santa Claus, a cheerful gift giver who makes good people happier, instead of the Holy God who invades a fallen world to rescue the spiritually bankrupt.” (12:30–13:27)

Distinguishing Jesus from Santa (15:00–23:30)

• Quotes Desiring God (John Piper’s ministry) on contrasts:
  • Santa’s gifts: Earthly, material, temporary; based on good works; fictional.
  • Jesus’ gifts: Eternal, by grace, truly present.
• Encourages parents: “Why replace the best news with worse news?” (19:47)
• Centers on the “good news of great joy” from Luke 2:10–11.

Practical Tips to Center Christ at Christmas (24:52–28:22)

• Birthday party for Jesus: A childhood practice and suggestion for families.
• Use of nativity toys, Advent devotionals—even if not feeling like an “equipped theologian.”

  “You don’t have to be a well-versed theologian to disciple your kids. … God’s grace and his wisdom will meet you where you are.” (26:39)

• Read and discuss the origins of Santa (St. Nicholas); emphasize truth and fun coexisting.

III. The Idolatry Risk & Proper Traditions

• Encourages integrating fun, imagination, and stories as long as they don’t eclipse the Gospel’s centrality.
• Warns that when practices like “Elf on the Shelf” or an excessive Santa focus take over, families risk “veering into idolatry.” (23:22)

  “I don’t think it is wrong to have Santa Claus be some kind of side character … as long as all of the characters and all of the parts of Christmas … are all reflections of the greater story, God’s eternal plan of redemption and the gospel message that we see at Christmas, I think that’s fine.” (21:45)

IV. Why Jesus Wasn’t a Refugee

Addressing Progressive Narratives (36:24–47:10)

• Critiques modern progressive church displays
  • Highlights a nativity in Evanston, IL (Lake Street Church) with Mary and Joseph in gas masks, baby Jesus with zip-tied hands, Roman soldiers in ICE vests.
  • Plays and dissects explanations from the church’s pastor, Dr. Michael Wolf (37:59).
• Fact-checking Contemporary Claims
  • Debunks viral stories conflating modern immigration issues with the biblical nativity, especially the “zip-tied baby” myth (38:30–39:16).
• Analyzing Use of “Refugee”
  • Defines UN’s legal standard for refugees (44:12).
  • Mary, Joseph, and Jesus fled within the Roman Empire, not from one nation-state to another as today’s refugees do.
  • Their flight was by divine command to fulfill prophecy, not lawbreaking.
  • Quotes Melissa Doherty (CrossExamined):

    “Refugees find refuge in another country because they can’t or don't return home. … People conflate this story in Jesus’s childhood with our understanding of refugees today.” (47:00)

  • Quotes Wes Huff (Stand to Reason):

    “It does not make historical sense to take a modern definition, apply it to a situation within antiquity … This is anachronistic and untrue.” (47:08)

V. The Dangers of Political Manipulation in Doctrine

• Criticizes campaigns like “He Gets Us” for distorting Jesus’ identity as “refugee” for contemporary activism (43:54–44:12).
• Warns against extracting or overlaying modern political issues onto the Christmas story.
• Draws a parallel between progressives' moral indignation on immigration and their disregard for abortion—calling out the inconsistency:

  “If you can't even say with your chest that life inside the womb should not be snuffed out and that murder of babies is wrong … I’m not really interested in your moral preening about borders and refugees and immigration.” (54:32)

VI. Biblical Role of Government and Charity

• Outlines the difference between Christian charity and governmental “compassion” (57:27–58:30)

  “Outsourcing your compassion and your generosity to the government is not compassionate or generous. … Giving your money to the government at gunpoint, which is what taxes are or by threat of imprisonment is not generosity; doesn’t count as Christian charity.” (58:00)

• Argues government’s God-given purpose is to punish evil and protect citizens (Romans 13).

VII. Conclusion: The Real Gift of Christmas

• Christmas is about the incarnation—God becoming flesh, dying for sins, and resurrecting for salvation.

  “If you want real excitement and anticipation this Christmas, you don’t have to look in the political realm and you don’t have to look to Santa Claus. You can look to Jesus Christ, the real gift giver. The real gift himself.” (59:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is a Christian liberty issue. … We are both Christians, we both love God’s word, and we’re trying to do the very best we can to disciple our children.” (04:53)
• “Santa’s gifts are earthly, material, and temporary. Jesus offers eternal joy, salvation, and the fruit of the Spirit.” (17:09)
• “The birth of the Son of God, very God and very man, is simply stunning and glorious and infinitely serious ... Good news of great joy.” (19:12)
• “If a relationship is already vulnerable … the realization of this lie can add insult to injury.” (11:04, paraphrasing Kathy McKay)
• “Jesus and Santa Claus can get confused if we are presenting two entities that look very similar ... But Santa Claus will give you all of your immediate desires ... Like, it’s no wonder that we as people, but especially children, have such a hard time actually focusing on Christ—the real gift giver.” (13:42)
• “I don’t think that it is wrong to have Santa Claus be some kind of side character of Christmas. ... As long as all of the characters … are reflections of the greater story, God’s eternal plan of redemption.” (21:45)
• “He was a real 4th-century bishop … known for his generosity ... In the name of St. Nicholas, people would give gifts to children.” (28:53)
• “They will use the word refugee to describe all illegal aliens. … That is such an effective form of toxic empathy.” (47:10)
• “Outsourcing your compassion and your generosity to the government is not compassionate or generous. … It doesn’t count as Christian charity.” (58:00)

Key Timestamps

• 01:29 — Start of Christmas set talk & intro to Santa discussion
• 04:25 — Personal story: learning the truth about Santa
• 08:34 — Main reasons for not doing Santa
• 10:28 — Psychological/theological impact of Santa myth
• 15:00 — Theological comparison: Santa vs. Jesus
• 21:45 — Distinguishing Christmas stories from idolatry
• 24:52 — Practical advice for a Christ-centered Christmas
• 28:22 — St. Nicholas: History and opportunity for teaching
• 36:24 — Analysis of progressive nativity displays and “Jesus as refugee”
• 43:54 — “He Gets Us” campaign critique
• 44:12 — Definition of “refugee” and biblical context
• 47:00 — Sourcing current claims and advice against anachronism
• 52:37 — Comparison of leftist rhetoric on refugees vs. abortion
• 57:27 — Biblical government role & Christian charity
• 59:33 — Final exhortation: Jesus as the true Christmas gift

Tone and Style

Allie’s tone is conversational, sometimes cheeky, but always earnest and grounded in her faith and commitment to scripture. She mixes personal nostalgia, pastoral concern, and pointed cultural critique, engaging listeners with warmth as well as strong opinions.

For More

Allie frequently references her book, Toxic Empathy, especially for detailed arguments on compassion and political topics from a biblical worldview.