A Starnes Country Christmas

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Get your copy today at klove.com slash books. Broadcasting just south of the North Pole from Memphis, Tennessee, it's a Starnes Country Christmas with Todd Starnes and his special guests, Mary Walter and Aiden Pettit.

Now, here's your host, Todd Starnes.

Well, Merry Christmas, everybody. This is Todd Starnes, and welcome to a very special Starnes Country Christmas. We have three hours of some incredible conversations. Franklin Graham is here. New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury is going to join us.

And also, Congressman Tim Burchett from Tennessee, known for the most famous Christmas party in all of Washington, D.C., 15 minutes with cheese whiz and crackers. We're going to talk to the Congressman a little bit later on as well. And we're also excited to have some very special co-hosts for the program. Our good friend Mary Walter from Newsmax TV. You see her all the time.

Also, Mary Walter Radio and one of the next aspiring actors and stars of stage and screen, Aiden Pettit. Great to see both of you guys with us. Yes, sir. Thank you for having me again. Yes, thank you for having us.

Merry Christmas.

Well, Merry Christmas. And Mary, I know I want to do some brief intros here before we jump into Christmas. But Mary, you've been doing journalism for a very long time, and now you're at Newsmax TV as a contributor. Yes. Finally, someone took pity on me and hired me.

Which is very nice. But you know what? I have to say, so I was at Fox when you were there, Todd. That's how we met the first time, right? And you have been such a big help with my career, and I so appreciate that.

So thank you very much.

Well, we've been friends for a really long time, and that sounds bad, but we've just known each other for a long time. And you're a lot of fun and just a great broadcaster. And Aiden, tell us a little bit about yourself. You joined us last Christmas for our big event. Tell us what you're up to and what's going on.

Yes, sir. So I guess since last Christmas, I have completed yet another year at college. I am halfway through my sophomore year at Belmont University in Nashville. And next semester, yes, I'm going up to NYC, living in New York City from January to May.

So really looking forward to that.

So Mary, you need to we need to do some like one-on-one, NYC one oh one with Aiden so that he knows what to do when he gets to uh the big apple. Mm-hmm.

Well, do you have a concealed carry? I sure do not. No, man. Oh, you're going to have a problem.

Well, even if you did, they would put you in jail anyway, even if it was self-defense. Do you have like a helmet you could wear that has like a face mask on? Should I just bring my suit of armor? I mean, will that work? No, you can't run.

Yeah, that would slow you down. But a helmet of some kind that has some kind of grilling on the front or a cooldown would be good because in case they decide to hit you with acid or something. But yeah, that'll help if someone tries to hit you in the head with a brick or just punch you in the middle.

Well, there is that dude that's running around New York punching people, right? Punching people. And it's amazing how they haven't caught him yet. It's amazing. They got pictures of him.

They can't find him. He's not caught? No, he's not caught. No, he just punched another lady on the subway. He only punches white women, so you may be okay.

Okay. Just don't grow your hair long. Don't wear a dress. Right. Don't wear a dress.

You'll be good. You'll be good. I don't think that's in the cards.

So, we're going to have a lot of fun over the next couple of hours together as we celebrate Christmas. Coming up a little bit later on, we're going to be playing Christmas trivia, a chance for you to win some great prizes and also talk to some wonderful folks as well from really all across the country. You know, Mary, one of the things, and Aiden, one of the things that we really love is Christmas gift giving. And Neiman Marcus has their big holiday book. They call it a holiday book now, not a Christmas book.

Of course. But they wanted to be politically correct. But this is for like the. Aiden, you know, now that you're going to be a star on Broadway, you'll be able to afford a lot of this, but this is some high-dollar Christmas gifts. And Mary, I've pegged something for you: a portrait session with Annie Leibowitz.

Wow, I'd have to does that include hair and makeup? Because if not, I don't want it. It includes hair and makeup. Oh, I'm in. It's a four-hour portrait session.

Wow, that's a lot of time. $500,000. But Aw, thank you. And I didn't know what to get you. Pulling out my calculator real quick.

I wanna know what I'm gonna do. Aiden, you and I may have to go in together, collab a little bit on a on a gift for for for Todd, okay? Yeah, about five hundred thousand dollars, is that what we're thinking? About five hundred grand, yeah. Yeah.

You know, Aiden, a little bit less than that, if you and I pool our money, we could get him the little baby race cars that they have. It's a 75% scale re-imaging of history's most victorious race cars.

So they're like matchboxes for rich people. Oh, those are cool. Like little racing cars. Right. It's only 135 grand.

I mean, that's a bargain. Piece of gift. Right. Right. Agreed.

Yeah, so between the two of us. You might have to take a side gig in New York, though, to pay your half. Yeah. Dylan, do you have a d do you and the missus have a a dog, a pet? We do have a dog, yes.

I've got something for Dylan, Mary, and Ada. The Crayola personalized pet masterpiece. This is a collaborative 3D sculpture of your pet handcrafted from thousands of crayons by contemporary artist Herb Williams and Crayola. I mean, that's awesome. I wonder if it's like the same price for a horse versus a chihuahua.

Like That's a great question, actually. Do they have a price listed? What did you say it was? $64,000.

Okay. Um That's a really good idea. I I would like to know if you live someplace where it's really hot, will it melt? Oh, that's a good question. Is there insurance?

That's a great question. Right, if you hang it in the kitchen and things go awry. Right. Here we go, guys. Four seasons.

They've got an inaugural voyage on their yacht. And this is invitation only for guests. Wait a second. We've got four people here. I like this plan.

Guys, $115,000 sailing through the Mediterranean, and it's in the spring, so you come back from New York City. Perfect. And we hit the sea. There you go. There you go.

Dylan, you've got that. Wow, I'm going to save money this year. Right. I love this, guys. This is a great idea.

It's about as good as what I just did the math. $35 a second for that portrait session, by the way. $35 per second. Do we think that's fine? Wow.

Wow. How many seconds can I buy? Right, right. May I just say, though? Todd, and this is something that the younger two gentlemen will not remember or understand, but when I was a we tot, we had the best Christmas, a holiday, excuse me, but it was a Christmas holiday book that there was.

Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm talking about the Sears and Robot. Yes, the wish book. The catalog. It was the wish book.

It was a Christmas wish book. And it came in the mail, and you sat there and you would circle the things that you wanted Santa to bring you in the book. And you know, I felt very envious. I had a good one of my best friends growing up. His parents divorced, which was a terrible thing.

But at Christmas time, it worked out because he had like multiple sets of moms. And he was, I mean, he was just, they were raking it in. Raking it in. Unbelievable. But I remember that.

And you know what's a little trivia on the Sears wish book? Those were actually made in Memphis, Tennessee, at what's now known as the Crosstown Concourse. Oh, very cool.

So that's where they used to put it together, right here in Memphis. I still argue that Sears did not have to go under. They ran it into the ground on purpose. But had they, if they were smart, they could have charged like 30 bucks for the wish book. And everyone, every boomer and Gen X, who, yeah, Gen X, who remember the Wish Book, we would have bought it for our kids.

A thousand percent. Do you guys ever, do you have a favorite Christmas present that you just remember? Oh, for me it was the Millennial Falcon. When Star Wars Empire Strikes Back, and I got the Millennial Falcon, which was about half the size of this broadcast desk, it was massive. My favorite Christmas present of all time.

Wow. Wow. I think I have to say, because this one popped in my head first, I can't think of anything that I think I have better memories of. My dad got us, I think maybe we were five or six in this Christmas, so good 15 years ago, but it was the Wii with Super Mario Bros. It was just a gaming console, and it was a Wii.

And of course, since then, video games have grown astronomically, and you play the Wii now, and you're like, this looks awful. But it is just so sentimental and nostalgic for me.

Well, and of course, from then on, they lost their kids to the Wii every Saturday morning for the next five years. But boy, was that, I mean, I always played as Blue Toad. My brother would play as Mario, and we would play for hours and hours and hours. Dylan, was that a big thing for you growing up? I forgot about the Wii, because I was going to say trampoline, but like 2008, the Wii.

That's like the only thing that anybody wanted. And we got the we we got rock band along with it. And me being like a music person, like rock band was like the only thing that I did for the next two years. Oh, were you a guitar hero guy? Rock band.

Okay. Guitar hero was like band in our household.

So it was either rock band or guitar hero, so you can choose. Oh, wow. Mary, what about yourself?

Well, it's interesting. They talk about how rudimentary Mario Brothers was on the Wii. We had Pong. Right. Right.

Darn tootin' we did. We had Pong, and that was, we were so excited. We got Pong. And then we had the handheld Madden football thing. And they didn't have any for girls.

So I had to play my brothers' ones. And I dumped the handheld because it was so cool because it was handheld. And it was the football. And, like I said, they didn't make any for girls.

So I had to play that. You know, I did this question once years ago. I used to talk about this when I was on the air. And it's so funny. You're more likely to remember the gifts I think you didn't get or that were broken or something like that than the ones that you remember that were great.

Right? It's a fair yeah you know what? I think you may have a point there. It was the the ones you didn't get. Right, that's what you read, like, because that's more traumatic.

Like, the ones you got was really great. And then, like, because it was so great, for whatever reason, your brain's wired, I think, to forget about them. All right, guys, hang tight. I've got Aiden Pettit, Mary Walter, Dylan Dandridge. I'm Todd Starnes.

This is a Starnes Country Christmas. Crank up the radio and throw another Yule log on the fire. More of a Starnes Country Christmas coming up. All right, welcome back, everybody, to Starnes Country Christmas. I'm Todd Starnes, Aiden Pettit, and Mary Walter.

You know, Christmas, guys, would not be Christmas without movies. And it's interesting, there was a survey done by YouGov, and they say that an overwhelming majority of Americans say they love or like holiday or Christmas movies, and about 64% say they plan to watch one this year. Aiden, I'm wondering, is that you? Are you a big fan of the Christmas movies? I absolutely am.

You know, it's difficult to get a family of five who are all very busy people to sit down and watch a movie together. But I think the one that really comes to mind for nostalgia for me is Polar Express. That is one that I know we have the DVD for in our household, and I've watched it on not every Christmas break, but it's what they would play at the end of like the semester. Semester of high school or middle school when school, like all your exams and tests were over, and they would just play Polar Express. It was one that all the teachers had.

So that one's nostalgic for me, I think. Mary, what about you? I am a huge Christmas movie fan, but unfortunately, I don't have the time to watch them. But when I did have the time to watch them, I always like the classics. You know, like everybody talks about the Grinch.

But the Grinch that everybody knows now, like probably Hayden and Dylan, know now, is not the original Grinch, and it's a different story. It's not the original story.

So I'm a big fan of the original Grinch, not the, you know, the made-up Grinch, the original Grinch. Of course, the Charlie Brown Christmas, but there's a really good movie called It Happened on Fifth Avenue, which is a Christmas, and it's from like the 30s. It's fantastic. I love that. Um Scrooged with Bill Murray.

Oh, that's a good movie. Yeah, that's a good movie. Yeah, it was sort of a dark comedy. It was. And how about bells of Saint Mary's?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, that's an old school one. Is it it? I love the old school. I spend a lot of time on TCM if I have the time, and I love those old school. Um, the um, oh, Laurel and Hardy, the um, oh gosh, though, they play it every year on Channel 11 out of New York the day on Thanksgiving morning, um, March of the Wooden Soldiers.

Dylan, what about you? Any favorite movies? I like the comedy Christmas movies, so Talking Elf and. Christmas with the Cranks recently has been my favorite. 2004 with Tim Allen.

So, yeah.

So, I've got a couple of issues with this list. First of all, I am very glad to see Die Hard ranked right up there, right above It's a Wonderful Life. Yes. So, I'm glad that Die Hard made the list, but I'm concerned here because Shazam is on the Christmas movie list. Why is Shazam on the Christmas list?

I haven't even seen it, so I can tell you. Unless it actually happened during Christmas time. Did you take place in the wintertime? Maybe. I'm not sure.

Edward Scissor Hands. Yeah, why is that on there? Yeah, that's a little weird. That's creepy to me. But here's what gets me, guys, because I always like to go in and see who are the least, you know, the least favorite Christmas movies.

And I've never heard of these, Mary, but I'm concerned about these are Christmas movies. One is called Love Hard, and the other is called Hot Frosty. It sounds like you need one of those subscriptions. This is very inappropriate. It sounds like something that you're going to scrub your history after when wa after, you know, after watching it.

Say hot frosty? Hot frosty. Hot frosty. Like the whole point of that story is that frosty can't be hot. That's true.

Maybe fascinating. Maybe it's Todd. Where did your mind go? My yeah, what does that mean to you, Todd? Jeez, Lou.

Okay. Meet, by the way, Meet Me in St. Louis. It's really Meet Me in St. Louis.

That is one of the best movies. It's a Christmas movie, but it is really, really well done. It is such a good movie. And that was Judy Garland, right? Oh, it was.

That's right. She was really just a remarkable actress. Bad Santa's on the list.

Okay. But the top ones are Home Alone, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown Christmas, and Frosty the Snowman, and the Grinch. Who may not be the Grinch? Or is that is that the real Grinch? I'm sure it's the new Grinch because they don't n th these guys don't know about the original Grinch.

They only know the new rewritten Grinch. Fair enough. You know, again, there are just so many great Christmas movies out there. Rambo is now, they're now saying that Rambo is a Christmas movie because in one of the scenes, you can actually see a Christmas tree in the background. That's just a bunch of mists and holes.

In one of the scenes, you can see a Christmas tree. That's it. That makes it Christmas. There it is. But have you seen Die Hard?

I have not. And I'm sorry. Hated bounce. Hated bounce. I haven't.

Who is this guy? What is this? You haven't seen Die Hard? Even I've seen Die Hard. I don't know.

I have not. We haven't. We should have done a background check. Maybe. I don't know.

Maybe we should have given me homework, I guess. Oh, the Muppet Christmas Carol is on here. I love the Muppet Christmas Carol. It's hilarious. Yeah, it's the drummer boy part.

That cracks me up every time the Muppets sing the drummer boy. It's pretty epic. Fred Claws and Jingle All the Way. are the some of the options. Yeah, I'm not familiar with a lot of these.

Gremlins, I had no idea gremlins was a Christmas movie. Definitely brings it up. I think that's another one of the ones that they played around the time they played Polar Express. Like at the end of the school semester, they would play it when it's like everybody's having their hot cocoa in class. Krampus.

And you paid no attention to it. The what? Krampus. Is that on the list? Krampus?

It's a horror movie. Krampus. It is. I think it is on the list. I think it is on the list.

Hold on. It's Evil Sampson. Hold on. Evil Sampson. I thought I saw it.

I sure don't see it. No, it's not on the movie. Oh, my word.

Okay. Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. And Elf. And I like Elf. It's just, it's over.

Done. It's over. It's just, it bugs me just the tiniest bit. Yeah, wait a second. I don't see a Christmas story on this.

What?

Okay, this is not. This can't be a real list. Who made this list? Come on, what's going on? I said this earlier: that this poll is not right, and I think it was just a bunch of men messing with it because they put these not Christmas movies that are kind of like dude movies on here.

They put Shazam because one of them had seen it recently. Maybe that's what it is. Or that one that had it in the background, you know, that they put that on here. Franking people. Yeah.

Fair enough. By the way, I want to give a big shout out to San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel. Guys, if you go to the Fairmont during Christmas, you're going to see a 22-foot-tall gingerbread house made with 8,000 bricks and 2,000 pounds of candy. Hey. Yet another reason to go to San Francisco.

Guys, that music means we've got to scoot out for a quick break. Coming up, we're going to check in with our friends at Bellevue Baptist Church, one of the largest singing Christmas trees in the nation right here on Stars Country. Meet the cast of the Bellevue Baptist Church Singing Christmas Tree. That's coming up on a Starnes Country Christmas. Uh-huh.

And welcome back. to the show everybody. You know, this is my favorite time of year. I just, aside from the fact, and Dylan, I'm really concerned about one thing, though. The door decorating contest in the building has gotten out of hand, and I did not sign off on being a South Park character.

You didn't, but it is very, very accurate to your face, Todd. You have to admit. It's shocking. Yes. It's shocking.

The AI, by the way, on Facebook, you know, they create AI versions of your face. Oh, yes. And I look like Engelbert Humperdink meets, I don't know, Liberace. I am really concerned about this. I'm like, who is running Facebook?

I want to know who's running Meta for Crying Out. Robots. They're all running it.

So, look, one of the nation's largest and longest-running Christmas productions right here in the Mid-South in Memphis, Tennessee, everybody. And we've been telling you about the Bellevue Baptist Church singing Christmas Tree. And it is. It is truly a Broadway experience. And the great news is, you don't have to go to Times Square.

You don't have to run to the Naked Cowboy. You can just hang out here in Memphis. And you can, we have great hotels. It's a wonderful experience to even travel. A lot of people travel to Memphis just for this incredible event.

And we're really excited to have some very special guests with us today: Mark Blair, who is the minister of music at Bellevue Baptist Church, and Lisa Parker, who is the drama director and writes the scripts and is just an incredibly gifted person. And we also have two wonderful performers from the show today, Caroline Seegers and Hannah Smith. And guys, great to have you with us today. Todd, it's always fun to be with you. And that likeness on that door.

Sorry, but it's you, buddy. I have line of sight right now to that thing, so it's really freaking me out. Yeah, it's you. That's unfortunate. It's unfortunate.

Look, wow, this is so you guys had a hiccup because of COVID, right? Right. So this is technically the 50th year, but it's really the 49th year. Right. It's our 49th presentation.

We just lost that year. We felt like it was best for our. community uh To skip that year. Yeah, you didn't want people keeling over in the tree. I get that.

That's exactly not a good look. I went to the tree and I left with COVID. That was not something we wanted. We didn't think that was good PR or good for the community. Unless you're passing that little ivermectin in the lobby.

I don't know. You know, this is, we went back and looked. I mean, gosh, I was in second grade, I think, second or third grade. The Vietnam War was just wrapping up. It was coming to an end when this production started.

That's right. It's pretty amazing. It started with a dream in the mind of Jim Whitmire. Who is still in Memphis and still serving in ministry at another church? And he had the vision for it.

And you can imagine the meeting when he goes in and said, I need money. We're going to do a singing Christmas tree. We're going to build this structure and a bunch of kids are going to sing on it. And they thought he was crazy, but they followed his leadership. And here we are, 49 years later.

So, help me understand this because this is a massive tree, and there are actually young people that are in the tree itself performing. That's true. For they're not always up there, but it can hold 150 students. And we still use the original tree that was built and fabricated by a man from Bellevue. And we inspect it to make sure it stays in good shape.

But what's amazing is it is built for students. Because for me to get up in that tree, I would probably have to be surgically removed. Yes, tight.

So I know something about this because back during my Fox News days, they sent me down here and we thought it would be fun to do the stand-up. With me in the tree. That's right. And I look like, I don't know, like a giant Wiltebeast, you know, in the tree. And I thought I heard it shudder and I thought, oh, geez, a loo, I don't want to be the guy that brings the tree down.

But it was hard to kind of, I had to, you know, I was asking for a tub of butter to kind of, you know, get in there. Yeah, there are 11 rows, and they, to load the tree, the last group goes in at row seven and they crawl on their knees, crawl up, go up to row eight, go across, zigzagging all the way to the top. It's really remarkable. Lisa, I want to talk about the show itself because this really is a Broadway, it's an original production. All the music, everything is original.

How long does that process take for you guys to create this masterpiece?

Well, we start this year, I think we started in like April. talking about ideas. We have a team that meets every week. And we just throw around ideas and brainstorm a little bit, and then I go away and try to weave all of that into a story thread. And then the rough draft comes and we just progress week by week that way.

And this is a family friendly production. Oh, definitely. Yes. Yes. Ch children just sit there spellbound.

uh mostly at the lights and music and and but we try to create a story that appeals to the greatest number of people, everybody. You know, one of the things that I really marvel at, and Mark, you might want to weigh in on this. When I was in New York City, I went to a lot of Broadway shows when I lived there. And one of the first ones I went to was Spider-Man the Musical. They didn't tell us in the previews that Spider-Man was literally to come dropping down out of the ceiling and plop right down beside you, right?

So, but you guys sort of do that, not Spider-Man, but you have angels and other things that are literally, is this true, flying through the air there in the auditorium? We do. We partner with ZFX. Which is one of the nation's premier fly companies. Because if you're going to have kids flying over to the audience, you want to do it safely.

But yeah, we do flying angels, flying Christmas presents, ballet girls that fly on pendulums on stage. It is. It really is an engaging experience. It's not one that you just sit back. I mean, it's happening around you.

And it's so well done, which is one of the, I mean, you guys have thousands and thousands of people that come to these performances. Lisa, I mean, we're not talking about professional actors and actresses here. We're talking about volunteers. Absolutely. They are all volunteers from the church, and they're so incredibly gifted.

All right, I want to bring in Hannah and Caroline for just a second.

So, Caroline, you're one of the performers. What's that whole experience like being up there? Oh, my goodness. You know, I had the privilege of. Of Mark Blair bringing me to the singing Christmas tree several years ago while I was at Liberty University.

And that was my first experience at Bellevue Baptist seeing the singing Christmas tree. And for the past three years, I've Been in it. I've been a townie. I've been in the cast. And so to be a part of such an awesome production, it's just a great honor.

Hannah, one of the things I really appreciate about this performance as a Baptist is we dispel the myth that Baptists cannot dance. All right. Right? Yes. We've got rhythm.

Yes. All for Jesus. You know, and that's interesting you say that, though, because this really is not so much about being entertained as it is telling a story and really tugging at those heartstrings. No, we do a great job of. From the little fourth and fifth graders dancing their little hearts out all the way up to there are some townies in their 80s.

And it's tailored for the entire gamut. It is, I think. that we have now shown everyone that you can dance in a glorifying way, you can be modest, you can be joyful, you can be expressive, and that can be a mode of worship. I'm excited to hear this. I was watching a parade.

I'm not going to say the city, but they had the United Methodist Church had the nativity scene float, and coming right behind them was a dance team doing the whip and nay nay. And it was not a good look. It was just not a good look. That is not choreographed in Arsenal. No.

I just say it.

Well, we're here today, and we're doing something very different in this hour of the program, talking with our good friends from Bellevue Baptist Church and the Singing Christmas Tree, celebrating its 49th performance. But they've been over for 50 years, and of course, skipping a year for COVID. Mark Blair, Lisa Parker, Caroline Seegers, and Hannah Smith with us. You know, Mark, I want to go back to. the performers because not only do you have these incredible singers, but I mean, last year at the show, you guys must have had seventy it looked like seventy five violinists up there.

I mean, these are really gifted young people that you've got. Yeah, fortunately, many, many years ago, Uh we started a Suzuki violin program. And the goal was that we would grow our own orchestra. And then, part of what we do with the tree, we use the students that are in. uh that program and they do a number And I mean, it's fully choreographed.

They're moving all over the stage. They're, you know, they're doing. Movements that you can do, but they're still playing at the same time. And Amazing young musicians. I mean, high school kids that play like they're in advanced college.

All right, guys, can y'all stick around for a few more minutes? Absolutely. All right, we've got to take a break here, folks. And yeah, you're even going to be able to hear some of the incredible performances. It's really going to bless your heart, and you're going to smile.

I can promise you that. We are hanging out with the wonderful crew from the Bellevue Baptist Church singing Christmas tree. We'll be right back. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and settle in for some holiday cheer. More of a Starns Country Christmas coming up.

All right, welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. I just love Christmas. Dylan, we're going to make it Christmas year-round here on the Todd Stern Show. Can we do that? I think so.

I think we can do that. Lisa, I want to ask you about the creation of the script. How do you find the inspiration for the story you want to tell? Oh, I. You know, just to be completely honest with you, most of the time it's just a matter of prayer.

And as I said, we meet with the production team. But for example, the one, the most recent story that we've done, it was from a devotion that I had read about how Many times the words do not fear. appear in the Bible. As it turns out, it's about 365 times. Really?

And that really st struck me. And I thought, wow, that's one for every day of the year. And from that concept, Uh we took a thread from an unfinished story from uh the previous year and developed that character and wove the story around her. Caroline, what's this experience been like for you? Being a part of this crew?

I mean, it has to be a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun as well. Oh, my goodness. It's incredible. I have the privilege of working with Just an amazing cast. I mean these are cast people that have been working for Volunteering for years and years.

So, to be able to learn from these people as a performer. As a cast member, it's just, it's a great experience. And isn't it interesting, Hannah, that something that was created almost, well, 50 years ago is so relevant today? Absolutely. We love it.

And we love, I mean, that's just what the Word of God does, too. It's living and active, good for every day. Mark, ultimately, this is about sharing the gospel. And we know it's just a crazy time in America. It's a crazy time in the world.

And I think one of the reasons why is that so many people have strayed from the faith. And it's important to get people back to church. Have you heard stories of people that have, you know, maybe their family member just dragged them to the tree? And then all of a sudden they just experience that, you know, that conversion? We have, and we hear it every year.

I think we were talking during the break. One of the things our pastor says is: as we live out our faith, don't be weird about it. And uh, you know, I I think We as Christians don't need to be talking at people, we need to be doing life with people. You know um helping our neighbor, serving our neighbor, being a friend. Um If you look at how Jesus treated people, only people he was rough on were the pseudo-religious people.

And we have so many people in the world that are hurting. They don't have any hope. Um and this year Uh you know the story Uh Um Reconciliation. and forgiveness. How many people have junk in their past that they've been dragging along with them through the years and they've never forgiven themselves?

And they've never been reconciled, maybe to someone, a relationship, a broken relationship, or to the Lord, because the ultimate reconciliation is through Christ to God. And that's it. That is the Christmas story right there. We have one of the reasons, people always ask, why do you do, you know, why do you focus so much on Christmas? And why do you like to do the Christmas shows?

And, you know, again, there are so many people out there that are, you know, long-haul truck drivers, working on Christmas, driving across the country. Maybe they're away from their families. And so we want to bring a little bit of Christmas to folks, like you guys are doing at Bellevue Baptist Church. Mark, this is exciting. Thank you guys so much.

And congratulations. And I got to ask a question. I got to have a, where's Lisa? Lisa, I got to have a walk-on roll. If you need, if you've got like a radio guy or you, you know, need a curmudgeon, I can do that.

You know, I can, or the old Carol Burnett, I can just, you know, push the broom across the. the stage character. Absolutely. You know, I'm I'm making a list. Marco Stand in the corner.

Yeah, that's it. I'm making a list because my doctor every year he asks me, when are you going to write a part for a handsome young doctor? And so he's still waiting on that.

Okay, well, yeah, handsome.

Okay, yeah, I can go with that. You know, Kristen, your makeup artist, she is a professional.

So she makes me look presentable on TV. I don't know how she gives me one chin. She does that. And so, you know, if that'll help out, if that'll help the cause, I can do that. Absolutely.

All right. We're going to wrap things up here, guys, with a little taste of the Bellevue Baptist Church singing Christmas tree. Guys, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you, Todd. All year long, don't sing songs like Dead of Home.

No jingle bells, no visit from home set abroad. But in the back of my mind, the home is Christmas time.

So come on, stop, save our friends for another day. You turn on that week, roll at your death. Go away for the holidays. It waits the time of year. Shed a lot of love for Christmas year.

We'll be staying here. It's a Merry Christmas tree. I'll give them a colour to the thousand lights. We're in the middle of the music. Cause we celebrate the season tonight.

Oh, look at this Christmas tree. Everybody got their band. I'm rocking and I'm opening up the razor.

Now's my time to make a move and show I care.

Now's my chance. I'll take a breath and say a prayer. Can't wait, won't wait anymore. Here I come, here I go, gotta do it, I can't for. Um, hi.

Hi. How's it going? Pretty good.

Okay. Do you want to dance?

Okay. Too remote. MALL! It's on your time, hello, he'll come and have a name and singing button. More of a Starns Country Christmas coming up.

What if everything you thought you knew about online exploitation was only the surface? The shocking docuseries, Sexploited, rips the veil off the digital darkness, destroying lives. You'll be stunned by what's uncovered in these real stories. Watch the trailers if you dare. Once you see it, you'll understand why silence is no longer an option.

Visit SadalNow.com and watch Sexploited in America and visit sexploitedfilm.com. Decking the halls across America, it's a Starnes Country Christmas.

Now broadcasting from high atop Santa Sleigh, it's Todd Starnes.

Well, there is nothing I enjoy more than Christmas time. You guys know this is like my favorite holiday of the year. Dylan, you know, I love Christmas. I love just everything about Christmas. That's the jam.

I know Todd Starnes loves Christmas. I know some people like Arbor Day. You know, some people, you know, it's why did I just say that? I have no idea. But you know, it's, yeah, so, but I'm, I'm a Christmas guy, so I love Christmas and everything about Christmas, and especially Christmas trivia.

And I couldn't think of two better people to bring into our conversation and to help us win some great prizes today. First, our Our dear friend, she is the queen of talk radio and now a Newsmax. What is your official title at Newsmax now? Mary Walter. My official title is Mary Walter.

No, I am now officially a Newsmax contributor, honor contributor. Also, I saw, well, I was looking at the Chirons on the show the other day. It said Mary Walter goddess.

So I don't, News Goddess. Yes, that is true. And I made them put on my contract at Titan of Industry. Oh, I like that. Yeah, that's my title.

That's good. And also, we are always honored to have our good friend, star of stage and screen, Aiden Pettit, hanging out with us.

Well, thank you for having me, Todd. You know, by the way, I was telling Aiden in the break, you know, he's moving from Tennessee to Brooklyn, New York in like a couple of weeks, Mary. And I said, What did you lose a bet? No, it's part of the school program. I'll I'll be up there pretty briefly, uh you know, in this manner, just just four months, but hoping to learn a lot.

Wait, is the school contest like Hunger Games? Is it survival of the fittest? What are they doing to you? Do they give you insurance? Is there some kind of armed protection?

Armed protection. No, it's just a lot of people. You have. Have you been to New York City lately? Yes, I have.

I went in mid-October. It was quite a blast. It was. Oh, you're so young and cute. He's a Southerner, though.

You know, it's like Southerners. He is going to get on. We can take care of our. Yeah, Southerners are good. Yeah, we can handle ourselves in a pinch.

All right. So here's how it's going to work. We're going to have to, whoever wins, they've got to get two questions right. And you guys will help be the lifeline for our contestants today. And we already have one question that we threw out there just to prime the pump.

And let's go to Billy in Tennessee. Billy, how are you today? Welcome to the show. Hey, how are you doing? I'm great.

How are you guys? Billy, we're doing well. Merry Christmas to you.

Well, thank you. Thank you all. All right, Billy, we're going to try to help you win a prize here in a Christmas story. What gift does Ralphie desperately want?

Okay. Yeah, I think. Billy, that's absolutely correct.

Well done. It was, in fact, a Red Ryder BB Gun. Are you saying that's too. Mary, I heard you heckling. Are you saying that was too easy?

Why don't you just hand the prizes out? Whoa. To say it. She's from Jersey. I don't know if you picked up on that.

Yeah, you know, I'm learning.

Okay, yeah. All right. So here's how it's going to work, Billy.

Now, we've got a, and you're going to have two lifelines here. You've got Mary and Aiden. We need you to answer the next question. And here we go. One of the most beloved Christmas cartoons almost never happened.

CBS Television thought it was going to be a colossal flop. They blamed the jazz score, the pace of the show, and the fact the show used voices of real gay aids over here trying to sneak the answers. What's what's up? Because Sabi, well, I'm just saying, Jersey people can do it on their own. What's wrong with you?

Jeez, Lou.

All right, so, Billy, what was the name of the show? What was the show that almost never happened? You can use your lifelines here: Mary or Aiden? Cool, okay, let's go with Mary for a life, man. That's a smart decision.

That's a smart, smart decision, Billy. Wait, did he choose me? He did choose you, Mary.

Okay, I couldn't hear. I'm sorry. Yeah. Yay, very smart.

So, does he know the answer? Do you want me to answer for him?

Well, he needs some help here, and you're going to offer him an idea, a suggestion, and he can take that or he can launch out on his own.

So I can make a suggestion as to the name of this beloved Christmas special. Yes. I would go with a Charlie Brown Christmas. That's what I was thinking.

So Billy.

Well, hold on.

So, Billy, you're sticking with... A Charlie Brown Christmas. Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's it.

Merry Christmas! Billy, congratulations! Right out of the gate, our very first winner, and we're going to put you on hold, and we're going to get all your info and we'll send you one of the great prizes.

So, thank you very much. Merry Christmas to you, Billy. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you all.

Thank you to everyone that's listening. All right. Wow. Merry Christmas, Billy. You're a very wise man.

I have to agree with that. You know, it's interesting that it was the jazz, the soundtrack to that cartoon series has, I mean, it's one of the best. And I mean, it was just unbelievable. But you know what's funny? The network, CBS, also did not want Linus reading Luke chapter 2.

They said it was just too religious and it was just going to slow everything down. And Charles Schultz, who created Snoopy and Charlie Brown, was a Sunday school teacher and he said, nope, that stays in. And they agreed to it. And the rest is history, as they say. And it's still one of the most beloved, but it's very hard to find on television now.

Network TV won't play it. That's, you know, and that is so disappointing. We got to work on that. Patty, you got when you're in New York City, you got to work on that. Sure.

I don't know how I'll do that, but I'll work on it. We'll get people so that you can deal with that. Sure. All right, people. Let's go to Tony in Gainesville, Georgia.

Tony, we've already had the trivia question answered, but we do have another. Another trivia question for you. Pressure. Um have you heard have you seen the movie Home Alone? Yes, many times.

All right. Well, so the McAllisters, they're going on vacation, right? And they leave Kevin behind. Where were they going on vacation? To Paris, France.

Okay. Mary, is that you applauding? That's me! Oh, oh, oh! Barely with four.

All right. Well, that was easy enough. We've got super easy questions, I'm afraid.

Well, no, see, I'm talking smack right now because that's what we do. But there's like a really good chance that I'm going to fall flat on my face. I'm just saying.

Well, I think you're going to want Tony for you to win. Um. You're going to want Aiden to answer this question. Oh, okay, good.

So, this dance company started in St. Louis in 1925. before relocating to New York City in nineteen thirty two. They are the longest running precision dance team in the nation. Can you name the Mary?

Don't say anything. Can you name the dance team and where they perform? I believe it's the New York City Roquette.

Well, hold on just a second.

So, we've got to make sure we get the name right. And what what so what did you what did you call the group? The uh Yeah. Radio C D, Musical, Rocket.

Okay, we will go with that, Aiden. That's correct. I had that one, though. I will say I had it. Oh, sure.

I did. I sure did. I'm one for four, I think. I think that's the first one I had, but you know. All right, Tony, congratulations.

We're going to put you on hold, and we're sending out prizes. Mary, I hate to see the prize closet bell for this month. Yeah, exactly. But then again, it's your bill, not mine.

So have at it. By the way, if you ever get a chance to go to New York, being in the area, like we don't go to any touristy stuff, but we went to go see the Rockettes a couple years ago. It was amazing. It was a total touristy thing to do. Radio City is beautiful, and the Rockettes were incredible.

It's such a good show. It's totally like hokey touristy New York, but seriously, bucket list item, go see it. You know, it's interesting. When I was in New York City at the time, Fox would always send me out to do these crazy things. I had to cover the Westminster Dog Show and go to Doggy Spa Day, which was somewhat embarrassing.

But the worst was when they sent me to cover the Radio City Rockets, and I tried to kick, and I ended up in crutches for like six weeks. Wait, they made you kick? Get out.

Well, no, I tried to kick it. It sounds like he did it voluntarily, which I feel like makes that hurt a little more. Yeah, I'm like, hello, ladies. Mm-hmm.

They're very talented. You know, they really truly are. But I just want to know: how did you wind up on crutches? Did you fall? Was it, did you pull something?

I think I pulled something. Yeah. Just men aren't made for that. You got a stretch. No, you're not made for that.

Fair enough. Fair enough. Because, well, Petit, you're doing this whole dance-intensive while you're there. I am. I don't think I can kick to my nose like they can, but maybe one day.

We'll see. It's impressive. All right. We're going to take a quick break. We want to throw another question out.

Let's talk Brady Bunch. Oh, oh, my jam. Don't ask me, guys. These children, what do you think? How do you not know the Brady Budget?

How do you not know this? I have not seen it. I'll tell you right now. Public high school graduate here. What are they teaching these kids?

No, you know what? It is nothing before he was born. He knows nothing about anything before he was born. That's true. And you know, the problem is your fellow Gen Zers actually came up with the questions.

So you have no one to blame but them. Did you go on the internet? Be honest. Yep, look at it. Jill's not.

Oh, for heaven's sakes. All right, here's the question, ladies and gentlemen. What tune does Carol Brady lead the Carolers in during the 1988 A Very Brady Christmas? What Christmas carol does Carol Brady sing in the Very Brady Christmas? Our telephone number, 901.

It is tough, 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926. We'll be right back. We're decking the halls and jingling bells on a Starnes Country Christmas. What if everything you thought you knew about online exploitation was only the surface?

The shocking docuseries, Sexploited, rips the veil off the digital darkness, destroying lives. You'll be stunned by what's uncovered in these real stories. Watch the trailers if you dare. Once you see it, you'll understand why silence is no longer an option. Visit Sadlenow.com and watch Sexploited in America.

And visit sexploitedfilm.com. And welcome back to Christmas Trivia. I'm Todd Starnes, Aiden Pettit, and Mary Walter hanging out with you today. Mary, nothing like a little bit of big band music to get you going. Yay!

You know, I am such a sucker for Christmas music, period. Do you have a favorite Christmas do you have a favorite Christmas song?

So I do, but nobody knows it. It's by a group called Cloverton, and it's, you know, Leonard Cohen's Alleluia, but they redid it to the Christmas, and they tell the story of Bethlehem and Jesus and everything, and it's so beautiful.

So, Patty, you're a big Christmas guy. I mean, it's a common opinion, but it's got to be the best holiday out there. Do you have any particular favorite Christmas song you love? I am a big fan of Oh, Holy Night, I like a lot. And in the theme of kind of underground Christmas pics, there is, you know, the opera song Nessendorma.

There is the Christ is Born that actually Brian Greene from GBC usually sings at the Christmas concert, but it is just the most beautiful moving thing ever. Wow. And I was going for I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Right. That one's fun, too.

They're all good. Oh, Lord.

Okay, let's go to John in Kentucky. Hey, Pastor John, how are you today? I'm doing great. How's you and everybody doing there? This is Walter.

We're doing well. Thank you for asking. And I think he was shouting at you. Pastor John was shouting at you, Mary.

So I think he said hello. I heard that. I didn't want to interrupt you. Hello, my friend. How are you?

Great. First time I ever heard you is when you were broadcasting from the state of Kentucky. Oh, that's right.

Well, because I used to work on that radio station, but from New Jersey, and so I went in to go say hello to everybody. All right. Pastor John, we're going to try to win you a prize.

Well, I got a commercial break coming up here, so we have to kind of move along here.

So, first, Pastor John, first question: we need to know: what song did Carol Brady sing in A Very Brady Christmas? Mike Brady was caught in a cave in, and in order to get Mike Brady some hope, he's saying, Oh, come all ye faithful. That's it. Oh wow, oh oh You know, we ought to give him bonus points just for getting the. I forgot about Mike Brady.

There was a possibility. I forgot about that. Yes. Did you notice the Brady's ran into quite a few troubles? You know, the whole Hawaii trip with a bad omen thing, remember?

The voodoo thing, Vincent Price? Vincent Price in that one in Hawaii. Wow. I forgot about so back in the day you were either a Brady Bunch family or you were a Partridge family, and Partridge family was like the cool hip rock. You could?

Of course it could be both. They were they started the Brady's started in like the end of the sixties, right? And the Partridge family didn't start till the beginning of the seventies. Oh, come on, people. Let's get happy.

That's right. Oh, I forgot about that. I was going to marry David Cassidy. It's a good thing I didn't because he was an alcoholic. But at eight years old, I didn't know that.

And Mike Brady turned out to be gay, so there you go. Exactly. You never know. Nothing's as it seems. It is.

What is life?

Okay, Aiden, you've got a second question for Pastor John. All right, the follow-up. According to the song, what did my true love give to me on the eighth day of Christmas? Oh, this stuff. Oh, jeez.

Oh, Jeepers. Oh, my God. Give me a second. Give me, give me the. Give me the Jeopardy song.

So he can look it up. Uh Gotta sing it in your head. Hey, there it is.

Well done. Wow, okay. I can't figure out if it's better to go up from one or down from twelve. I don't know if I need to cash in my Christmas card here, guys. I loathe that song.

I just, I hate that song. It gets a little repetitive, you know what I'm saying? I've got a request for you, though.

Okay, I know you're gonna give me a prize, but you know what you guys can do with the prizes? Can you autograph them and auction them off and give the proceeds to the food for the poor?

Well, wow, what a very kind thing to you. That is very generous. That is so kind. You know what, Pastor John? We'll try to make that happen.

I love that. And I just wanted to say something to all you guys. I know how much you love our military and stuff like that. And I just wanted to take this opportunity to say I love each and every one of you. And I know you were on a weight loss program, Todd.

I'm up to thirty six pounds. And I just wanted to tell all of you, have a very Merry Christmas. I love each and every one of you. And may the Lord continue to bless you all and be successful in your future.

Well, Pastor, thank you for those kind words, and God bless you. And thank you for being a great friend of the program. Pastor John in Kentucky. I'm getting a little misty here, Mary. And may I just say, my Catholic guilt is kicking in because I was going to accuse him of Googling the answer while we had to sing the song.

Right? So, like, even if he did, he donated it. And so now I kind of feel a little guilty. It cancels out. Does it?

Does it cancel out my Catholic guilds? I didn't get that in the handbook. Nothing cancels out Catholic guilt. I don't know how to tell you that.

Well, we're Baptists, so we have a high tolerance level for sin.

So that's our domination. All right, here's our next trivia question as we run to break here. Do Americans decorate their homes with real Christmas trees or artificial Christmas trees? Do Americans decorate their homes with real Christmas trees or artificial? If you know the answer, give us a call, 901-260-5926.

That's 901-260-5926. You know, guys, they got a 50-50 chance here. That's true. That's true. Just flip a coin if you're not sure.

Call anyways. Exactly. All right, 901-260-5926, our telephone number. That's 901-260-5926. I'm Todd Stearns with Aiden Pettit and Mary Walter.

We'll be right back. This is the Todd's Carnes Christmas Show. What if everything you thought you knew about online exploitation was only the surface? The shocking docuseries, Sexploited, rips the veil off the digital darkness, destroying lives. You'll be stunned by what's uncovered in these real stories.

Watch the trailers if you dare. Once you see it, you'll understand why silence is no longer an option. Visit SatelNow.com and watch Sexploited in America and visit sexploitedfilm.com. And welcome back, everybody. It is Christmas Trivia with Mary Walter and Aiden Pettit.

And Mary, we have stumped America with this question. Truly. Do Americans decorate their homes with you have two choices, with real Christmas trees or artificial trees. What about there in the Walter household? There.

Well, we haven't had a tree in several years because when you don't have children you have to work every holiday.

So um so we haven't had one in several years. But when we used to have a tree, it was always a live tree. I don't do fake and or phony Wow, you you say that with such aggression. Mm-hmm.

Christmas is not fake or phony.

Well, I don't know about that. I will say this. The one thing I don't like are those aluminum trees. Have you guys seen those? Are they like all like aluminum or silver trees?

It's very 60s, very red trees. It needs to look like a tree. Aiden, what about yourself? Do you guys do the real tree or the tree? Never in my life have we done a real tree.

It has always been an artificial tree. But I think I like that better. I think the cleanup is much easier. I mean, I guess I don't know until I have my own house and have to figure it out for myself, but. I'd rather a candle if you're going for the cedar smell, you know?

Candle. Artificial, something artificial to counteract the artificialness of the tree. Yes. It's interesting. By the way, speaking of trees, we have to give a shout out to FedEx.

For 21 years, they have been delivering Christmas trees to military families all over the nation. More than 300,000 Christmas trees have been delivered to troops and their families. And it's all part of a wonderful plan to get those Christmas trees to our great military families. And Mary Walter, that's a pretty cool thing that FedEx is doing there. I love that.

I love that so much. It's amazing. You know, I used to work with an organization, but not in operation anymore. But when the parents were deployed, especially for what were they? What was the Iraq thing?

Oh, my gosh. Operation Desert Storm. Yeah, Desert Storm. And so we would provide gifts for the The kids of the deployed parents, so it would come from the and it would come from the deployed parent.

So we would get lists from the parent that was home, and then people would donate money or gift cards or whatever, and then we would get the gifts and wrap them and everything, and it would be from their deployed parent.

So I love that stuff. I think that stuff is so, so, so important. I love it. All right, so we have one question on the table. We're throwing another one out there.

The very first company that used Santa Claus in advertising. We will say this: it was a soft-drink company. That's your clue. The first company that used Santa Claus in advertising. If you know the answer, give us a call, 901-260-5926.

Again, that's 901-260-5926. Yeah, I'm just curious, Aiden, do you guys, you live in a southern community, a southern town? Do you guys have like Christmas traditions, things that you guys like to do as a family? Oh, I mean, we always start off our Christmas mornings with the reading of the Christmas story in the Bible. I think that's pretty essential, especially just to remember what Christmas is all about, because everybody can get overwhelmed with the decorating and the spirit, and those are all fun things, too.

But we always, always start with the reading of the Christmas story, I think. Mary, do you guys in Jersey, I mean, is it like pastrami? What do you guys do for like eat on like on Christmas?

Okay, well, that was just a tad stereotypical. Did I ask you if you have moonshine for Christmas? No, I did. It was. So, I'm gonna say moonshine.

Just say it. Moonshine. Yeah, right, exactly. Yeah, moonshine and barbecue.

So, well, for us, we go to Midnight Mass, of course, which in a lot of churches isn't at midnight. It's a little bit earlier. Just try to pick the one with the least amount of kids. That's the key. It's a game.

So we do that. And then it depends. Christmas Eve, it depends on your family and where you go. But Feast of the Seven Fishes is super big, and that's an Italian thing.

So it's a very, very big thing: Feast of the Seven Fishes. And we, not being Italian, would always go to someone else's house for the Feast of Seven Fishes. What does the Feast of Seven Fishes entail? I mean, is it seven fish that you eat? I'm curious.

Oh, appropriately named.

Alrighty. It's like bacala, and sometimes it's salted, sometimes it's soaked. It depends. There's seven specific fishes that they serve. What about shrimp?

Does that count? I think it's calamar. I don't remember all of them, but not everybody does all of them because it takes a week, a long time to prepare the seven fishes. It's seven specific types of fish. It's not just like any seven.

Okay. No, no, no, no. You can't just pick and choose. Like, a filet of fish sandwich from McDonald's would not substitute that would be a sin, anyways. I think.

Wait, what? Why? Don't mess now. Don't speak ill of the filet of fish. I like it.

Do you know why the filet of fish, McDonald's came up with the filet of fish? I love this story, but you got to share the story. It's just very short. They did it because during Lent, Catholics don't eat meat on Friday.

So, to boost their sales on Fridays, they started with the fish, sandwich, the filet of fish. Interesting. And now you know the rest of the story. There you go. And let's go to the phones.

We've got Jessica in Tennessee. Hi, Jessica. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Todd. How are you today? You know, I'm doing well, and you're on the air with Mary and Aiden. Hi, Marion Aiden. Hello, hello.

Hello. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you.

All right, we're going to try to win you a prize here. We've got two questions. First, What was the first company that used Santa Claus in advertising? Take a tawa.

Okay. There it is. That's it. Oh, oh, oh! Very exposed.

Do they still put they still don't put cocaine in the Coca-Cola, do they, Mary? No, they do not.

Well, if they did, I'd drink it. No. Oh, gosh. That would be fun. That would make the good old days.

The good old days. That's why they call them. That's why our grandparents used to call them the good old days because you could get like heroin over the counter.

So, yeah, morphine, whatever, over the counter. Sure, having a bad day. Here you go. Wow. Yeah, exactly.

Jessica's like, what show did I call into? Really? All right, Jessica, we're going back to our original question on the table. And I mean, you could go with Aiden or Mary on this one, or you could pick them both. We need to know: Americans, do they decorate their homes with real Christmas trees or artificial trees?

Hello, Jessica. She's asking me? She's asking you. I you're on deck. I'm on deck.

Okay, I I have to humbly say I've rarely encountered a real Christmas tree these days, so I'm gonna have to go with artificial. I think he's right too. I have a real tree, but I think you're correct. I'm gonna say not a real trick. Oh, good.

Good, I'm safe. Yeah. Yeah, 100%.

Well done, man. Americans are lazy.

Well, no, there are a couple of reasons. According to the American Christmas Tree Association, 83% of American households decorated their house with an artificial tree.

So, Mary, you are in the and Jessica, you ladies are in the minority here. Yeah, well, I don't like first of all, I'm not a follower. I'm not a sheep. Right. Consumers say it's about convenience, safety, and they don't have to worry about a squirrel hiding in the tree.

Well, I've heard stories about ticks. I got a really big one this year, and I thought about.

some little creature being inside it.

Well, if you've seen National Lampoon Christmas, I mean, it happens. That happens. Wait, I want to go back to this. I've heard an owl? I've heard of that owl.

An owl? Oh, that'd be awesome. I'd be happy about that. Probably not for long.

Okay, can we go back? Aiden just said that Christmas trees, real Christmas trees, have what ticks? Whoa, I am not an is this true verified source, but I have to say, okay, okay, I'm on the air. I'm on the radio, it must be true. Um No, I've just, I don't know.

I feel like I've heard plenty of stories about getting a real Christmas tree, and there's bugs, which is, I think, plenty plausible. I understand it's Christmas, but not every Christmas is going to be 30 degrees. I mean, we've had 75-degree Christmases down here. Who knows what kind of bugs could be in the trees? Oh, Lord, you could die as a result of purchasing a Christmas tree.

That's true. That's not good. Hey, Jessica, congratulations. You are a winner, and we hope you and your family just had the merriest of Christmases. Thank you very, very, very much.

And to all of you. All right. Hang tight. Don't go anywhere. All right.

I have an answer to the tick question when we come back. Wait, what? Well, go ahead and answer. Go ahead. I'm here.

They're not ticks. They're called Christmas tree ticks. They're not real ticks. It's a different bug. It says Sonara aphid.

It's not a real bug. Fascinating. Fascinating. Yeah. Dylan, are you looking this up?

Yeah, I'm trying to verify. We might have to pull out. I don't want to fact-check Mary Walter. The bug is about three to five millimeters long and has six legs and a pair of antennae. Ticks do not.

Ticks have eight legs and don't have antennae.

Okay. Still trying to figure out the partridge and the pear tree, which for you, Mary, would be what, David Cassidy? That would be the partridge. No, yeah.

Well, back when I was eight, that was the plan. It didn't work out. Yeah. You know, that was a whole feathered hair look back in the day. It was.

That was a very big deal. Yeah, that and Bobby Sherman had the feathered hair, too.

Well, in the 80s, I was like all Izod.

So the upside-down alligator. That was what do you kids do these days? What's the big fashion trend? Are we talking hairstyles?

Well, I don't know what we're talking about. Is there something called, yeah, what is it? It's named after some sort of an animal, isn't it? Oh, oh, I have no llama. The llama looks like that.

I think I might know what you're talking about. I know the style, at least. Dylan, turn your Michael. What are you laughing at? I've never heard of this before.

The llama look? I don't know. It's like people that, you know, they don't comb their hair. It just looks like a big maw. That might be what your generation calls my generation.

I don't know that we use that term, but it's an understandable comment. I know the look you're talking about. You know what I'm talking about. I do. I do.

I really do. I'm trying to practice that look, actually. May I just say that that was the way the hair looked in the 70s on the guys? They were always like flipping it out of their face. It was kind of long.

And so everything old is new again. It's just styles are just awesome. Rotation. It just we came full circle. I agree.

Exactly. The guy's 70 haircut is all back again.

Okay. We've got one more question as we go to break here. In Louisiana, a very unique Christmas tradition, locals construct giant bonfires several stories tall along the Mississippi River. Why? What is the purpose of those Christmas Eve bonfires?

If you can tell us the answer, it's a beautiful tradition. 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926. In Louisiana, locals construct giant bonfires on Christmas Eve, several stories tall, and then they set them on fire. If you can tell us why, you're going to be one of our winners.

901-260-5926. We'll be right back. Decking hauls and jingling bells. You're listening to A Starns Country Christmas. Exploitation has killed more children on American soil than ISIS ever did.

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Visit SalemNow.com. That's SalemNow.com. Or visit SexploitedFilm.com. www.sexploitedfilm.com. All right, welcome back, everybody.

Wow, I just love Christmas. Hanging out with Aiden Pennett, Mary Walter. Mary, are you in a good mood today? Yeah. Of course, I'm in a good mood today.

I don't like eggnog. Oh, you're not a big eggnog. No, not a big eggnog fan. I'll have a little bourbon, but I'm not a big eggnog fan. There you go.

Can't do that.

Well, you gotta come down. You should come down to Memphis. We have a bourbon distillery down here, Old Dominic's, and they would treat you up very nice. I would love that. We went on the bourbon trail in October, and it was so cold in October in Louisville that I'm in that in Lexington and Bardstown, and it rained every single day, and it was so cold.

The first night there, we all went to Costco and bought long underwear. You can do that at Costco. Yes, you can. What can't you do at Costco? Wait, wait, wait.

No, we may have gotten a long underwear. Yeah, I think we went to Costco. We went to Costco. Yep, Costco. Yep.

Wow, I had no idea you could do all that at Costco. Do you own long underwear? No. Well, there you go. I have pants.

We've got pants. All right, we're going to get. We're going to go to Billy in Georgia. Hi Billy, how are you today? I'm great.

How about y'all? Good, good, good. You're wearing pants, right? Right. Okay, we're just checking.

That didn't sound I don't ask a woman that. Pardon me. Really personal here. You know, Billy, we should just give you the prize. That's very insulting.

Have you ever seen a woman wear pan?

Well, I don't want to answer that question. No. Look. Mary Elle assumption. Oh, you want me to bail you out now if you ask a woman if she's wearing pants?

I was just deeper. If you asked a woman if she's wearing pants and you want me to bail out, no way. It was in the spirit of the holiday season. What, at the holiday party? What's going on?

You're digging yourself deeper and deeper. You know what? You're right, Billy. You're right. I'm in trouble.

Let's try to win you a prize, and I'm changing the subject right now. In Louisiana. That's good. In Louisiana. locals construct giant bonfires, and these things are huge.

I mean, they're just ginormous. And they're set up on the levee along the Mississippi River. Can you tell us, Billy, what is the purpose of those Christmas Eve bonfires? To light the fire so that Santa can find the way in his sleigh, and they call him Papa Noel. Yeah, we're gonna go.

They're hurting all. Very nice. Yes, yes, and yes. My answer was because it's fun and cool, so I don't think I would have won a prize. No, you're not off, yeah.

Yeah, congratulations. You know, it's my dad got transferred. We had to move down to Louisiana when I was in junior high school, and we lived in the river parishes right outside of New Orleans. And I was like, what are these people doing? And they were literally, I think, two or at least three or four stories tall, these bonfires.

And it's a big family tradition down there, Billy. Yeah, it's pretty cool. Wow. Well, Billy, congratulations. You have has she won?

Yeah, we're going to give you a prize anyway, Billy, for being a good sport.

So hang tight and we'll make sure to get all of your information. Wow. I don't know what just happened, dude. You just heckling people now, Todd? I mean, should we change the name?

Just. Unfortunately, this feels like the Howard Stern show now.

Okay, far from the Howard Stern show. I would like to know that. Appreciate that. See, and I was going for a much more, me and my, again, I was going for a much more religious aspect. I'm like, oh, they're mimicking the campfires of the shepherds, you know, on the night that Jesus was born, or like the star.

But no, it's about Santa. My was bad. I was wrong. My bad.

Well, you know, one of the things I love about, you know, you talk about Christmas traditions going all the way back to the, you know, the Christmas tree lighting in Washington, D.C., you know, those things are relatively new, like 20th century, 21st century, because, you know, the Christmas tree was not a big part of the White House celebration until very, very late.

So it was a Calvin Coolidge who was the first president to preside over the national Christmas tree lighting ceremony. And do you know where they originated from? Jesus? Christmas trees from Jesus? I don't know.

I don't think that was. He made them. True. No, it's a German tradition.

Well, that's true. What is the song? Oh, Christmas, true. Brotanenbaum. Brotanenbaum, yeah.

I know it in German. Would you like me to sing it to you in German? No, we're good, but thank you. It's. Like that segment.

Like my grandparents, my German grandparents would put real candles on the tree like they did in Germany. And when my father got older, he's like, I just don't think this is a really good idea. Real candles on a real tree? I think he was right.

Well, that's what they used to do. They were clearly much better at stuff like that than we would ever be. I mean, we can't even have real trees anymore. We can't handle the cleanup from real trees out of Halloween Devils. And then you got the chicks and the squirrels and the SAMP, the owls, even.

I just have a question for young Hayden. Do you actually decorate your own tree or you pull it out of the box, decorate it or anything? I decorate my own tree. I put ornaments and lights. Yeah, that's valid.

I mean, clearly, I'm a fraud when it comes to Christmas spirits.

So, yes, I'm a big ornament guy.

So, we have two trees. Downstairs is the one that all the ornaments match, and then upstairs is the one that's all the sentimental and the kindergarten drawing and all of that stuff on the tree. And that's upstairs, so no one can see it? It's for the family, you know?

Okay, all right. Still next to a window. All right. I'm very judgy when it comes to Christmas. Merry Walter.

Aiden. Aiden Pettit. Thank you guys. Merry Christmas to you.

Merry Christmas.

Guys, hang tight. We've got a lot, lot more going on here, including our good friend Franklin Graham and Karen Kingsbury, the New York Times best-selling author. We're just getting started. Merry Christmas, everybody. Yeah.

More. of a Starns Country Christmas coming up. What if everything you thought you knew about online exploitation was only the surface? The shocking docuseries, Sexploited, rips the veil off the digital darkness, destroying lives. You'll be stunned by what's uncovered in these real stories.

Watch the trailers if you dare. Once you see it, you'll understand why silence is no longer an option. Visit SatelNow.com and watch Sexploited in America and visit sexploitedfilm.com. From Memphis, Tennessee, it's a Starnes Country Christmas with Franklin Graham and musical performances by Aiden Pettit and the world-famous singing Christmas tree.

Now from 4,000 miles south of the North Pole, it's Todd Starnes. And welcome back to our amazing Christmas celebration here in Starnes Country, A Starnes Country Christmas. Coming up, we're very excited to talk with our good friend Congressman Tim Burchett, who now has the honor of hosting the coolest Christmas party in our nation's capital, complete with mountain dew and a peanut butter and jelly bar.

So we'll be talking to the Congressman a little bit later. But speaking of wonderful holiday stories, well, I want to introduce our next guest to us coming all the way from beautiful Franklin, Tennessee. The New York Times best-selling author, and I'm calling her now the officially the Queen of Tennessee, Karen Kingsbury. Karen, Merry Christmas to you. Merry Christmas, Todd.

It's so good to talk with you. You know, it's been a while, and you have been incredibly busy. I don't know how you write as many books as you write, but now many of these books are becoming movies, T V series, and of course, you have literally the hottest Christmas movie out there, The Christmas Ring.

Well, you know, that movie just came kind of out of nowhere. You ever heard of those Moments where you go, this is the Lord. Like, only God could have done it. And that was for sure the Christmas ring. And it has been so.

So fun to see the country get behind it. And of course, it supports our troops. And it really shares the the actual message of Christmas, which is found in Luke two. It's a wonderful story, and the cast is incredible. What was that like to see your characters come to life on the big screen?

That's always like this surreal full circle because when I write a book or do a movie, and in this case, we actually did the script for the movie first, and then I said, I need more information, so I've got to write the book too.

So it was kind of a reverse situation. But It's always visual for me, whether I'm writing a script or writing a book. It's like I see it like a movie in my head.

So once we've been the full circle and now it's on the big screen or as it is right now on T Vs, you can rent it anywhere. But when it's there, it's like it's this full circle moment that only God could have done, where it feels like a dream. And to have the talent that we had in this Dana Kramer and Benjamin Hollingsworth and then Kelsey Grammer, I mean, what a thrill to work with him. The Christmas Ring is a new holiday romance in theaters. You can get it wherever you get your movies, by the way.

And as Karen mentioned starting Benjamin Hollingsworth, even the Pioneer Woman, I don't know if you probably know this, but they're huge fans of this movie, and they wrote about it over on their website.

Well, I did hear about that. And that, you know, it doesn't surprise me because they're in tune with all of the things that really do matter this time of year, especially. And, you know, just, you know, we had 100 background actors who were to play military in this movie because we have a big military dance at the end. And I put out a call to my readers and I said, if anyone is retired or active military, I'd rather use you. I'd rather use real military in this movie.

And 100 of them responded, including a World War II veteran, James Daniels.

So it is amazing. Every time you see someone in a uniform, they're actually military. One of the things I love, one of the stars was doing an interview with Forbes and said that the reason the main drawing card was being able to work with you and to be a part of a family-friendly project. And that is an important thing that you do in all your projects. You know, it's just because we just don't need the things that movies put in them.

I'm always thinking, you know, tell a better story. You don't need that language or those. You know, just the way people are interacting with each other can be such a more beautiful picture than what we often see on the screen.

So, yeah, that's a really great compliment, and it matters because, you know, we do this really for Jesus, through him, because of him. And so, if we're going to glorify him, we're going to have to. Keep it to where the kids could walk in, and we would be absolutely fine with that. I know exactly what you're talking about. What is it that, you know, for a Kingsbury Christmas, what is that like around the Kingsbury household?

Well, it's funny, even today we're having that. We have the kids, our daughter Kelsey, her husband Kyle, and they have four little boys from ten down to three. And they'll come and do a couple of staycations. They just live fifteen minutes away right here in Franklin, but they'll come over for a few overnighters. It's easier than trying to come for the day sometimes.

And we'll bake cookies. We do a gingerbread house competition, which you'll see in the Christmas Ring movie, because I couldn't not put our best Traditions into this film, but it's so fun. We just, it's warm, cozy PJs and talking about the Bible story and about what that must have been like way back then, and the angels filling the sky and Mary holding baby Jesus. And it's just wonder. It's the way a child sees it, and I think it's contagious this time of year.

So, so here's your homework instruction, everybody. Tonight, after all the presents have been opened and you've had Christmas dinner, settle in, put another log on the fire, and you can watch the Christmas ring and actually celebrate a new Christmas tradition. Karen, we just want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

Well, and Merry Christmas to you and to all of you, and just know that Jesus is for you. Keep your eyes on him like the wise men did, and I'll be okay. Karen Kingsbury, everybody. More of a Starns Country Christmas coming up. Uh What if everything you thought you knew about online exploitation was only the surface?

The shocking docuseries, Sexploited, rips the veil off the digital darkness, destroying lives. You'll be stunned by what's uncovered in these real stories. Watch the trailers if you dare. Once you see it, you'll understand why silence is no longer an option. Visit SadelNow.com and watch Sexploited in America and visit sexploitedfilm.com.

Come on, weather men. Give us a forecast rewind. Can't you hear the prayers of every child I caught tonight? Rockies are called in for snowfall.

Somebody said it's four feet deep. It doesn't matter, give me the laughter. I'm gonna choose to keep another tin till sea Christmas. All right, welcome back to the show. Mm-hmm.

Dylan. I think I got some allergies going on here. I don't know. I'm getting a little misty. We forgot the tissues thought.

Wow, I know I was, I feel moved. I want to go to our newsmaker line, our good friend Congressman Tim Burchett, joining us. Congressman, Merry Christmas to you. Aye. And I'm very politically Incorrect.

Merry Christmas to you, too, brother. I appreciate y'all. You know, Connor, we did that for you. I know Gary Chapman, who wrote one of the finest Christmas songs in the world and in Christmas history, A Tender Tennessee Christmas. He was your big guest of honor at the infamous Tim Burchick Christmas party.

Yeah, it's crazy. I was over at a over in Middle Tennessee with um For Jack Johnson, Marsha Blackman was there and it was just a great, huge turnout. And I looked over there and I hadn't seen Gary in a long time. And I didn't even think he'd remember me. And we You know, he follows me.

I w he he laugh was laughing at some of the stuff I'd put on the internet and um And then I was like, that gum. This is crazy. And we started talking and strange numbers and then I mean, we don't take long walks in the rain holding hands or anything, but we've become pretty good buddies here in a short amount of time. And I said, dude. I said this is crazy, but I've never had anybody like you get to it.

He just said, yes. When is it? And where do how do I get there? And we got together, and he's saying, For 15 minutes and plays his guitar. And there's a homeless guy up here.

His name's Rick for his name's Rick, but he's got a website, RickfordDictator.com.

So he walks in with his harmonica. and says, Can I play my harmonica? And I said, Hey, Gary. And he goes, uh and there he says, Hey, brother, What keys your heart in? And he said, I think C minor or something.

So Gary adjusted his guitar, and it was just beautiful. I mean, it was a. You know, Gary, like me, is a very forgiving Christian. And um And we both We Both understand that, and he, um, gosh, he was great. And when he played Tennessee Christmas, man, I was.

That was very emotional for me. I just I miss I miss my folks. I missed my wife and daughter back in Tennessee. And um And I love the greatest state in the Union more than you know, brother. It's a beautiful state.

I'll say this: you know, I'm a West Tennessee guy, but man, the Lord did a nice job putting together East Tennessee, I'll tell you that much.

Well, He gave us three grand divisions, man, and His infinite wisdom, and we. And we haven't. Totally destroyed it yet.

So I'm hoping I'm hopeful for the future.

So I think it was I'm just I'm not surprised by this at all. I know that the Washington Society pages seem to be stunned that your fifteen minute Christmas party is the most popular invitation to get in Washington, DC. Yeah, well They always laugh at me. I've made a career out of people underestimating me, so I don't care. They make fun of my.

I was at George Santos' Christmas party the other night, and these girls. They regress. I didn't think appropriate, but I'm old now. And they were they were making fun of the way I was talking and then they and somebody said, you know, he's a congressman, right? And they all Googled me and then they, oh, they couldn't have been nicer after that.

And I just thought, you know, this ain't This ain't my crowd. And so, um I just had a it's just a crazy fun time. It's fifteen minutes, and we get everybody in. It's like the old days at Kmart when it when it and we start blinking the lights at fifteen after. Y'all don't have to go home, but you got to get out of here.

I love it. I heard Santos was serving stuff like caviar. What was on the menu at your 15-minute Christmas party? Cheese whiz, I don't want up and Mountain Dew, because Mountain Dew allegedly was created in my district there in Knoxville. And also we have the very famous and very popular peanut butter and jelly bar that we set up.

It's um, you know, some squeezed jelly and some some crunchy peanut butter and a couple of loaves of bread. And Senator Fetterman came. He was going to be my Santa Claus this year, but he couldn't. They had a meeting and he just showed up. It was the dangest thing I've ever seen, bro.

You know, he's. And he, um Was just so kind, and he sat in there and posed for pictures with people, but he didn't have his sanctuary. I said, Sorry, man. I got the message mixed up or something, and he said that, you know. And they said, somebody said, Petterman's out there in the hall trying to get in.

I go, what? And I said, Claire the pass. I went out there and grabbed him and You know, and he Sat in the middle room there and sat down in his car heart cut offs. And he said something about, oh, you've got cheese from the aerosol brand or something of the aerosol variety, you know. Oh man, we just had a.

It was just fun. I I tell people, you know, I I say, um, As a Christian, I really do love celebrating the birth of our Savior. I mean, that was all sincerity in all my Awfulness and bad things I've done in my life. I'm still forgiven and I'm still going to be in heaven with my mom and dad and my wife and daughter.

So I'm very thankful for that. Amen for that. And, you know, Congressman, we learned in the little Baptist church I grew up in: you know, we're all sinners saved by grace. Yep. Somebody tweeted the other day about Me being a good Christian, claiming I'm a good Christian, I said, I never claim to be a good Christian, just a forgiving one.

Well clarity.

So I You know why sometimes I think I shouldn't respond to these people, but then sometimes I'm getting a nudge. in my head saying, yeah, go ahead, you might need to clarify that.

So Congressman, when you like, I do too, Congressman. And it's fun when you're back home and travel around the state. One of the things that's really sort of impressed me is that your office is sort of like you never know who's going to drop by, not just Republicans, but Democrats as well. And you're a rock-solid conservative. And I'm just wondering how important is it to have those kinds of relationships across the aisle?

I think it's very important. It's more important as an American and as a Christian than a stupid politician. NBC, of all people, did a big they did like a two point five minute That gum story on my party last night. God, it was unbelievable. I'm going to put it out on the Internet.

Right. you know, the party only lasts fifteen minutes. And they talked about it for two minutes. I mean, they did the this is almost a documentary of a blow by blow everything that happened, you know, and Gary being there and the and the senator coming in and the cheese whiz and just the whole deal. And it was just a you know, it was just fun and I I think we take ourselves way too serious in Congress.

You know, I just I don't know why God just doesn't knock us out. but he seems to think we got something to hang on for.

So Now, is it true that were you going to have a charcuterie board? I read something about that. That's what I did. That was a charcuterie board. It was my cheese whiz and grits.

I kind of went up scale. I didn't use. Generic, I went to Louis Ripp this year. And I always tell people: charcuterie is kind of like a spork. Is it a spoon or is it a fork?

You know, you could name your kid. You wouldn't have to do one of those stupid naming parties where you shoot a balloon off in there, blue or pink, decides the boy or girl. You can just name your kid chicuterie. At the point of conception, and it could be a boy or a girl.

So there you go.

Next child I have. Chicoe burchett.

Okay. I love it. That's terrible. Congressman Tim Burchett on our phone lines today. Congressman, I am curious, back on the farm, how are you guys celebrating Christmas?

What's the big Christmas tradition in the Burchett household?

Well It used to be one of these consultants would send me some of those Omaha steaks one time, and I grilled those things up. Man, they were delicious. And um I think I got a smoked turkey in the freezer. Things are a little tight. I'm not complaining.

I'm not complaining. I just, I've got a daughter in school and car payments and a mortgage and and and And I live in two different areas of the country. And up here in Washington, DC, it costs you thirty dollars to get a taco, and they don't even have taco sauce for it. They give you some kind of crazy I don't know. I'm sure it's some liberal.

It's maybe liberal tears. I don't know. But anyway, you know, it's just expensive.

So we. We don't do a whole lot in the gifts. We might take care of some folks that need it. I got a buddy of mine that And A couple of friends having a little tough time, and we're going to probably take care of them and make sure they got a Christmas. we'll get something minor.

My wife brought a new Keurig or I don't know what it was, one of them crazy coffee machines because we she goes through the coffee pretty quick. And um And she said, how about if we just have a um what was it? Um Prayer, and we just have goodwill and blessings for Christmas this year because I just brought that coffee maker. We'll get our daughter Isabel something and call it a day.

Well, you know, I'm just thankful for Jesus, and I'm thankful for the time of year, Todd. Congressman, well, we wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, and we got a little Gary Chapman as we go to break here. God bless you, sir. God has blessed me, brother. Thank you.

Sure sounds exciting. Offly anybody Still I think I'm Go kid. Another turn to see Christmas. The only curve. Christmas for me.

Where the love circles around us Like the gifts around our tree.

Well it's nice on the beach A margarita and reach. And the killer's around One and three. But a chander, Tennessee Christmas. Is the only Christmas for me? Attend a Tennessee Christmas.

Holy Christmas. For me. Just ahead, Franklin Graham shares the true meaning of the Christmas season on a Starnes Country Christmas. What if everything you thought you knew about online exploitation was only the surface? The shocking docuseries, Sexploited, rips the veil off the digital darkness, destroying lives.

You'll be stunned by what's uncovered in these real stories. Watch the trailers if you dare. Once you see it, you'll understand why silence is no longer an option. Visit SalemNow.com and watch Sexploited in America and visit SexploitedFilm.com.

Well, one of the more exciting parts of the Christmas season, Operation Christmas Child, and it's just unbelievable when you see the statistics and the number of shoeboxes that are made and the number of lives that have been impacted. It's just truly remarkable. I want to bring into our Christmas conversation our good friend, Franklin Graham. Franklin, good to have you with us. Merry Christmas.

Well, Merry Christmas to you, Todd, and thank you for having me.

Well, again, it's a huge celebration. And this year, I mean, you guys are running and gunning. How many shoeboxes are you guys expecting to fill this year?

Well, we're looking for 12.6 million, Todd, and maybe as high as 13. But whatever it is, whether it's one box of 10 or 13 million, every box goes to a child. And these are children in need. Todd, these are children that have never had a gift. Children that live in absolute poverty.

The slums of the earth, the war zones, the disasters like Jamaica after the hurricane hit. The kids that have lost everything. and to be able to give them a gift And let them know that God loves them. And the true meaning of Christmas, you know, God is the author of Christmas. Uh God God sent his son.

to this earth to take our sins, Todd. And that's what Christmas was all about. It's about God giving. God gave his Son. And we want the world to know.

We want the children. of the world to know. that God gave His Son. And that Jesus Christ is real, He's alive, and we want them to know that. Franklin, what is it about that little shoebox?

I mean, you're able to pack so many wonderful things in there, but the response and the reaction from school groups to churches, just to regular folks, even your little granddaughter helped pack one of those beautiful gift boxes. What is it that is so compelling about that?

Well, first of all, we give them through churches. And so the churches are distributors worldwide. In over 130 countries, we're working in.

So our church partners distribute these boxes. And when a pastor can invite children from the local community to come to the church, and to receive a gift.

Well, you you're giving that pastor an edge. Uh he's got something that uh can go to a child. And of course the parents see this. The brothers and sisters see it, the cousins see it.

So the one box can impact five, ten, maybe fifteen to twenty people. They see this and they go, wow.

So it's an opportunity for the pastor. To have an impact on his community. And of course, with the churches are there to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ to the world.

So if you take a box for a kid that's never had a gift, and you can give them a stuffed animal, you can give them So Paper, pens. Uh We'd be asked people to put flashlights in a block.

So many kids live in a dark corner of the world, Todd. And to give them a little beacon of light that they could turn on, and it's huge. We put sunglasses in there, put a hat in there. And we ask people to pray. The most important thing, Todd, we ask people to pray.

Pray for the child that's going to get your box. People say, Franklin, where will my box go? I don't know where your box is going. We go to 130-some countries, but it's going somewhere. It's going to get in the hands of a kid that needs that.

We know that. But God knows And so when a family packs this box Yeah. You pray, you pray for the child that's going to get it. I believe God. Guides and directs those boxes to the right children every time.

So, prayer is the key point. Todd, and of course it's Christmas. We want this to be about Jesus. We want everyone to know about Jesus.

So it's all about Jesus. This is the program. And we do it in Jesus' name.

So Uh I hope you packed a box, Todd. If not, it's not, you know, you still can send one in.

Well, I know our church is so excited about participating, and it's a beautiful thing to see so many churches, so many folks around the country that are packing those shoeboxes. And we're honored to have Franklin Graham with us. He is the president and CEO of Samaritans First and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. You know, Franklin, when you look back over this year, it's been one of chaos in the country, one of great joy, but also a lot of chaos. And we have seen in the aftermath of great tragedy like the assassination of Charlie Kirk, so many young people coming to the church, many for the first time.

I'm wondering if you're beginning to see that, and if you guys are beginning to get those questions from curious young people.

Well no question there. There is a stirring. in the hearts of many people. And the death of Charlie Kirk, his assassin, supposedly had said that he killed him because too many people were listening.

Well, you know, I thought about the memorial service with over 100,000 people there, and they said it's estimated 100 million were watching. I was in Alaska, and I watched the whole, I think it was four hours long. I watched the whole thing. And I was just glued to it. And this is there is something out there right now.

People are searching, people are looking, and so he wanted. Shut Charlie Kirk's mouth because too many people are listening.

Well, millions more are watching and listening. Today, than ever before.

So, no question is a stirring, and we see this in our meetings, we see this in our work. young people are searching. And so this this generation today Is looking, you know, sex hasn't fulfilled them, drugs hasn't filled them, alcohol hasn't answered their questions, and they know something's missing. And they're looking and searching for God. And isn't it interesting, you know, when you look back over the life and the legacy of your father, the evangelistic meetings that took place as communism was rising and there was a fierce fight about communism and socialism in this country.

And here we are now in the 21st century, and what is old is new again with this fight against the communist.

Well, it it's you know our now I would have to say that our education system was taken over. about people with the socialist ideas and the Department of Education. And I believe what President Trump is doing, trying to dismantle that bureaucracy, is the right thing to do. They have done nothing but poison the minds of our young people. And so we just have to work through this and pray.

And God is going to hold America accountable. that he's given us so much And if if we don't uh if we don't honor him you know, he may take his hand a blessing off this nation.

So We need to do all that we can to not only reach this country, but to reach the world with the truth of Jesus Christ. Franklin, I want to circle back to the to the to the shoe boxes, Operation Shoebox here. And I'm curious, have you guys ever heard from people who have received these beautiful shoe boxes over the years? Oh, absolutely. Not only, we have done, this is just an example a few years ago.

Uh w we had a young boy in Idaho give a box. And he put his name and address, and he was a little cowboy lived on a ranch. that box went to to the Philippines and the little girl got it. And she wrote him back to say thank you, but he never got the letter. And uh but in this box he had a picture.

He asked people, put your picture in there.

So, we want the child who got the box to see who gave it.

So, there's this picture of this little cowboy. She took a thumbtack and put it on her wall.

Well, a few years later, here comes Facebook, and she's wondering, I wonder if I can find that cowboy. Just a thanking. And sure enough, she sent a message. She found his name in this little town in Idaho. Send a message to be his friend.

Well, a girl in the Philippines wants to be my friend.

Well, sure enough, They connected and a couple of years later they got married.

So, I mean, only God can do stuff like that, Don. I mean, this is I mean, so in the box, God put that couple together. But we have no question so many stories of young people who got boxes, who've now come to faith in Christ and are following him and living for him. And it's just a great, we call them full circle stories. We've got a whole bunch of these full circle stories.

Before we let you go, Franklin, I didn't realize two of my favorite people in the world are huge McDonald's fans. Of course, I know you love McDonald's, and President Trump loves McDonald's as well. Talking about his filet of fish sandwich and how they can improve it. But we were talking a long time ago, you were talking about those fried apple pies. Yes.

Frank, and you're concerned because they've got to go back to the fried apple pie. Is this accurate? No question. The fight apple pie is a hit. And they did this a few years ago trying to get they got on this health kick.

And so they went to baked apple pies.

Well listen, people that go to McDonald's are not on a health kick, okay? Oh, they go there because the food is good. And they have a quarter pound of a cheese, a Big Mac, just a plain hamburger. Wonderful. And people love McDonald's.

They're fries. Nobody can improve on Magnolia's French fries. And I would just encourage the leadership of McDonald's to go back to the fried apple pie. It is so good, especially if you put that ice cream on it. Fantastic.

I will say this: I'm in the drive-thru. We had this conversation on air a while back. I'm at the drive-thru of my local McDonald's, and the cashier leans in, she goes, Tell Franklin Graham, I agree with him. We need the fried apple pies back.

Well, you know, they still sell the fried apple pies at the original McDonald's in California. They still have them there. I just wish the leadership there in Chicago. But get the message and put them at all McDonald's.

Well, maybe that could be your Christmas present from McDonald's.

So we'll put that on the wish list, Franklin. Thank you. God bless you. Merry Christmas to you.

God bless. Merry Christmas, Franklin. Celebrating the reason for the season. on the Todd Starnes Christmas Show. Exploitation has killed more children on American soil than ISIS ever did.

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Well, it has been so much fun spending Christmas with you here on the radio. And I love Christmas time, especially on the radio, because so many folks are traveling and you're going here and there. And a lot of times it's nice to know that there's a voice on the radio that you can talk to. And that's what we're here for: celebrating the reason for the season, which is really what it's all about. And I think you have heard that from all of our wonderful guests, from Franklin Graham to Karen Kingsbury to Tim Burchett, our great congressman, and of course, Aiden Pettit and Mary Walter.

Guys, thank you so much. Mary, thank you so much for being a part of this great celebration. I am honored to have been here and been a part of it. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.

Aiden, it's been a lot of fun, and good luck to you. This is pretty exciting. And we're about to hear a song that you actually performed. Tell us a little bit about this music we're about to hear. Yes, sir.

So, this is a song called All Sufficient Merit. It is one that really just refocuses on, of course, it's Christmas season, so right now we're looking a lot at the birth of Jesus Christ, but it really reminds us of the perfection and the beauty that is the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and the life that we get because of it. You know, we celebrate a lot about life around the Christmas spirit, and it's just a reminder of that that we get from him. And as Linus once said in the Charlie Brown Christmas, that is what Christmas is all about. It's all about.

All right, guys, Merry Christmas to you all. Folks, it has been a wonderful time. Be sure to check out ToddSterns.com. We have all sorts of wonderful content, and you'll also be able to download our podcast, and you'll be able to hear all three hours of this Christmas celebration. Celebration at your leisure.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas in Stern's Country. Oh, yeah. Unfit men. Shining light. Like Song.

A fortune I inherit. By no workout. Live down. My righteousness I For faith at my Saviour's cross.

Well So Did what I could. Good night. You love you condescend. Eternal now is in time. No life without oppression.

The Maker made to die. The Lord could never save us. All of this place had won until the pure and spotless world had finally come. It is done, it is finished. No more debt I owe.

Can control all sufficient married now, my own. I lay down my garments and in empty host Good works now all corrupted by the sinful host I'm dressed in my Lord Jesus a crimson robe made white No more fear of judgment his righteousness is mine it is thine It is there. No more debt I owe fitting for all sufficient Mary now my own It is done, it is finished. No more debt I owe fitting for all sufficient Mary now my own All sufficient met firm in life and death The joy of my salvation Shall be my final bread. When I stand except Okay, so Upon my teeth.

Jesus. And thank him for what God Yes, I'll thank you for In spite. There's no more. What did I owe them for some? Yeah.

Yeah. Bury now, my room. It is done, it is finished. No more dead I owe Letting flow all some things Mary now my own Lord Mary now my own Oh Mary now my own Hey girl, yes you You are seen, you are loved, and you were made for more. Created especially for teen girls, chart-topping Christian artist Anne Wilson invites you to her 40-day devotional, Hey Girl, through honest stories, scripture, and journal prompts.

Anne talks about real struggles, comparison, insecurity, doubt, and faith, reminding you that God is always near and fighting for you. Hey Girl, from K-Love Books. Get your copy today at KLove.com slash books.