The Michael Knowles Show

Episode: Michael Knowles REACTS To Anti-Christmas TikToks
Date: December 20, 2025
Host: The Daily Wire (Michael Knowles)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles reacts to a series of anti-Christmas TikToks, unpacking critiques of Christmas from multiple angles—religious, cultural, and historical. He examines TikToks that denounce Christmas as materialistic, non-biblical, or even racist, and offers his responses rooted in Christian theology, church tradition, and a conservative cultural perspective. The mood is part humorous, part serious, and Knowles often teases out deeper societal trends behind the viral critiques.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Christmas Lovers vs. Christmas Haters

[00:45 – 01:43]

• The episode opens with a riff on people who are “too into Christmas,” contrasted with those who are strongly anti-Christmas.
• Quote (Bob, 01:04): "We need to get the Mariah Carey off the radio. We need to get a little O Come, O Come Emmanuel back into people's ears."
• The flip side: Christmas "haters," especially those found on TikTok, perplex Knowles and his team.

2. The "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Song Critique

[01:43 – 03:33]

• A TikTok claims the Band Aid charity single is racist and calls instead to "end neoliberal capitalism."
• The commentator criticizes "Western liberal charity" for being patronizing, pointing out that Christianity has existed in Africa since 50 A.D.
• Knowles responds:
  • He partially agrees with the critique about materialism but insists the deeper issue is the historical persecution of Christians in Africa, particularly by Muslims since the 7th century.
• Quote (Michael/“Bob”, 02:56): "Some people might not know it's Christmas because Christianity has been all but blotted out by Muslims there. And that is a much deeper struggle."

3. Racial Critiques of Christmas

[03:33 – 03:58]

• A TikToker tells his daughter they're not celebrating Christmas because "we don’t let white men inside this house," invoking the image of Santa as a white man.
• Knowles finds this approach arbitrary and unarguable, mocking it as "the tyranny of your will."
• Quote (Bob, 03:55): "Well, I can’t really argue with that, can I? I can’t argue with the tyranny of your will, I suppose."

4. Christmas as a "Pagan/Babylonian" Invention

[04:06 – 06:39]

• A commentator argues, based on Jeremiah 10, that decorating trees is a pagan practice and Christmas is not a biblical holiday.
• Knowles addresses the limitations of “sola scriptura” (Bible alone) interpretations, emphasizing 2,000 years of Church tradition and the authority of the Church to define doctrine.
• Quote (Bob, 06:06): "So one of the problems is when you try to interpret scripture totally outside the 2000 year tradition of the church... you end up with kind of crazy stuff."

5. Emotional Response: Why People Dislike Christmas

[07:59 – 09:17]

• A TikTok video empathizes with those who have bad Christmas memories, suggesting that's why they dislike the holiday.
• Knowles echoes the sentiment but insists that the meaning of Christmas is universal as it transcends personal experience—it's about Christ overcoming decay and death.
• Quote (Bob, 08:20): "Your love of Christmas should not come from yourself. It should not just be about yourself and how cozy you were... It has to be about Christ."

6. The “Racist” Origins of "Jingle Bells"

[09:17 – 10:56]

• A TikTok claims "Jingle Bells" was first performed in blackface and is thus "racist."
• Knowles pushes back, admitting the history of minstrelsy is problematic, but refutes that this taints the actual practice or current meaning of singing “Jingle Bells.”
• Quote (Bob, 10:09): "His contention is Jingle Bells is not really about Santa Claus. It’s really, really racist. All you would need to disprove that is just to look around and listen..."

7. The Real Christmas Narrative: Messiness vs. Perfection

[10:56 – 13:20]

• The next TikTok challenges the sanitized, commercial image of Christmas, pointing out the "messiness" and social outcasts in the Biblical nativity story.
• Knowles mostly agrees, affirming that the original Christmas was surprising, unconventional, and included “total weirdos,” but he emphasizes it was also divinely ordered—a perfect event in its imperfection.
• Quote (Bob, 12:36): "No one plans to have their kid in a cave in a manger. But it is perfect... it does subvert your expectations because God's plans are not fully known to us."

8. Closing and Reflection

[13:36 – End]

• The atmosphere lightens with an upbeat Christmas TikTok.
• Knowles closes by wishing listeners a "blessed Advent and a very merry Christmas.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Christmas materialism and deeper meaning:
  "Some people might not know it's Christmas because Christianity has been all but blotted out by Muslims there. And that is a much deeper struggle." (Michael/"Bob", 02:56)
• On scriptural interpretation:
  "One of the problems is when you try to interpret scripture totally outside the 2000 year tradition of the church which Christ established and followed by the line of his apostles, you end up with kind of crazy stuff." (Bob, 06:06)
• On the universality of Christmas despite sad memories:
  "Your love of Christmas should not come from yourself. It should not just be about yourself and how cozy you were and how good the hot cocoa was. It has to be about Christ." (Bob, 08:20)
• On the real Christmas story's 'messiness':
  "No one plans to have their kid in a cave in a manger. But it is perfect. It is ordered. There is worship that’s going on." (Bob, 12:36)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Christmas lovers vs. haters intro: [00:45 – 01:43]
• Critique of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”: [01:43 – 03:33]
• Race and rejecting Santa: [03:33 – 03:58]
• “Christmas is a pagan festival” argument: [04:06 – 06:39]
• Emotional impact – Disliking Christmas: [07:59 – 09:17]
• The “racist origins” of “Jingle Bells”: [09:17 – 10:56]
• The true Nativity vs. sanitized images: [10:56 –13:20]
• Lighthearted close: [13:36 – end]

Tone & Style

The episode maintains Michael Knowles’ signature blend of humor, sarcasm, and serious theological/cultural critique. There is an undercurrent of “common sense” conservatism, reassurance in tradition, and a call for deeper understanding of both Christian faith and the cultural position of Christmas.

Summary Use:
This episode is a thoughtful but accessible guide for listeners confused or frustrated by the proliferation of anti-Christmas content online. Knowles demystifies and rebuts various critiques with reasoned arguments, historical context, and genuine empathy, all while keeping the mood lively and focused on the spiritual heart of the season.