The World and Everything in It December 25, 2025

Editor's note: The following text is a transcript of a podcast story. To listen to the story, click on the arrow beneath the headline above.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Good morning!

Today, a special Christmas day edition of The WORLD and Everything in It! How a hundred year old holiday tradition helps unite Americans in moments of crisis.

AUDIO: Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas Day signifies…

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And Peter Mead is back with his final reflection on the incarnation of Christ. This time, a survey of how the Apostles wrote of the coming of Christ.

REICHARD: It’s Thursday, December 25th. This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

BROWN: And I’m Myrna Brown. Merry Christmas!

REICHARD: Up next, Kent Covington with today’s news.

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: Nursing home explosion » Crews in Bristol, Pennsylvania, are digging through the wreckage of a nursing home after a powerful explosion killed two women and injured more than 20 others. 

Fire Chief Kevin Dippolito said, as for the cause of the blast:

DIPPOLITO:  That is still under investigation. We have heavy machinery on site right now that's helping us excavate the area, uh, until we excavate that area and remove the walls and roofs that collapsed. We won't have any, uh, idea what may have occurred in.

A utility crew had been checking a gas odor shortly before the blast.

The explosion tore through a wing of the Bristol Health & Rehab Center Tuesday afternoon, collapsing walls and the roof of the kitchen and cafeteria.

Chief of Police Charles “C.J.” Winik praised the firefighters who carried residents to safety, including many who were wheelchair bound.

WINIK:  I've never seen such heroism. They, they were running into a building that I could, from 50 feet away can still smell gas and walls that looked like they were gonna fall down, and they were still going in the building to recover people.

Police say 120 residents and staff were safely accounted for after a frantic evacuation.

Nineteen people remained hospitalized Wednesday, including one in critical condition.

ZELENSKYY: [Speaking Ukrainian]

Zelenskyy Christmas address » Ukrainian President Volydymyr Zelenskyy shared a Christmas video message with his countrymen on Wednesday.

ZELENSKYY: [Speaking Ukrainian]

Zelenskyy said, "We celebrate Christmas in a difficult time. Sadly, not all of us are at home this evening, not all of us still have a home.”

He added that, sadly, many Ukrainians are no longer with us. But he added that Russia is incapable of occupying or bombing “our faith”, “and our unity.”

Ukraine demilitarized zone » Zelenskyy says he’s also open to a new compromise as peace talks continue. WORLD’s Paul Butler has more.

PAUL BUTLER: President Zelenskyy says he’s open to pulling troops out of eastern Ukraine’s industrial heartland. But that’s only IF Russia does the same, and the area becomes a demilitarized zone watched by international forces.

The proposal would cover parts of the Donbas region, one of the toughest issues in peace talks.

He says the idea came up during recent talks with U.S. officials and could also apply to areas near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Zelenskyy added that any final deal would be put to a national vote in Ukraine.

For WORLD, I’m Paul Butler.

Stocks close at higher » U.S. stocks edged higher Wednesday on a quiet, holiday-shortened trading day, with Wall Street closing at fresh record highs.

The Dow rose nearly 300 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also finished slightly higher. Trading was light, with only about a third of a normal day’s volume as markets closed early for Christmas Eve.

The uptick follows news of a stronger-than-expected government report on the economy for the third quarter.

Los Angeles storm » A powerful winter storm slammed Southern California Wednesday, packing heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous flooding on Christmas Eve.

Joe Sirard says in the Los Angeles area:

SIRARD: We've had anywhere from, uh, uh, two to three to four inches of rain in lower elevations to as much as, uh, five to, um, nine inches in the, uh, higher terrain.

Mudslides and debris flows trapped drivers and forced water rescues, especially in mountainous areas and where recent wildfires charred the ground.

Firefighters rescued people stuck in their cars near Wrightwood, where mud and rocks blocked roads and cut off access to supplies.

The severe weather is wreaking havoc on travel during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: marking commemorating Christmas in the nation’s capital. Plus, reflections on the incarnation.

This is The World and Everything in It.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Thursday, December 25th.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: A symbol of peace.

TRUMP: So is everybody ready to light the beautiful Christmas tree?

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania took to the Ellipse stage at President’s Park…

TRUMP: 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 … (Applause.)

…to light the National Christmas Tree.

TRUMP: It's a beautiful job they did in creating that tree.

It’s a tradition that goes back more than a century. There’s music, a countdown, and a speech about hope and peace from the president. Over time, the National Christmas Tree has become more than a ceremony.

REICHARD: This year followed a similar script as in years past. President Trump praised the military and law enforcement. He touted political victories.

TRUMP: Tonight, this beautiful evergreen tree glows bright in the dark and cold winter night and reminds us of the words of Gospel of John, in him was life and that life was the light of all mankind.

He acknowledged the religious context for the holiday…

TRUMP: His word and his example call us to love one another, to serve one another and to honor the sacred truth that every child is specially made in the image of God.

And appealed to that context for civic unity.

He then explicitly linked the history of our nation with religion, tying this country’s 250th anniversary to the Christian faith.

TRUMP: It's a big year. … America has stood tall in part because millions of our citizens have heeded that call and the faith and service of Christians have been essential parts of America's strength from the very, very beginning. Incredible.

BROWN: WORLD’s Kristen Flavin now on how presidents throughout history have leaned on this tradition for unity in times of national crisis.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: President Trump’s recognition of the 250th celebration—the semiquincentennial—echoes the very first National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. That one happened three years before America’s 150th anniversary in 1923—just a few months after Calvin Coolidge took office. Historian Matthew Spalding:

SPALDING: He gives a famous speech on that anniversary, talking about how America's culture is interwoven with a religious culture and that that all really comes together in a way that makes for this friendliness between reason and revelation.

Spalding says the ceremony reflected something Coolidge believed was essential to the presidency itself.

SPALDING: So it's a civic ceremony, but actually has religious connotations—or at least the deep theological connotations—throughout our culture, is precisely what he thought the president should do and the role of government to do to recognize those institutions and give them a certain legitimacy or recognition without necessarily taking sides, if you will.

Thousands of people gathered that first year to watch the tree-lighting and sing carols together. The tradition continued over the years with Coolidge making the first public remarks in 1928. All presidents since have followed suit.

Spalding says appealing to America’s Christian foundation makes the presidential Christmas tree lighting particularly important and unifying.

SPALDING: There's always been this healthy relationship, if you will, between America’s political institutions and America's cultural institutions in the broad, non-sectarian form that still recognize a theological grounding, not only of the nation itself, but in its culture. And something like a Christmas tree or having Christmas celebrations are great examples of that throughout America.

And over many decades many presidents have drawn on that religious meaning to unify the country through moments of national anxiety.

FDR: Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas Day signifies-more than any other day or any other symbol.

Christmas Eve, 1941. President Franklin D. Roosevelt—alongside British Prime Minister Winston Churchill—addresses the nation for the 18th lighting ceremony, roughly two weeks after the Pearl Harbor bombing.

FDR: Against enemies who preach the principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love and in God's care for us and all men everywhere.

[…]

We have joined with many other Nations and peoples in a very great cause.

[…]

One of their great leaders stands beside me. He and his people in many parts of the world are having their Christmas trees with their little children around them, just as we do here. He and his people have pointed the way in courage and in sacrifice for the sake of little children everywhere.

CRONKITE: From Dallas, Texas … the flash apparently official… President Kennedy died…

Then in 1963…

LYNDON JOHNSON: We turn on, in your Capital City, the lights of our National Christmas Tree…

The ceremony continues even after 30 day of mourning for Kennedy.

JOHNSON: When we are all reminded that mercy and compassion are the really enduring virtues…

In his address, President Lyndon B. Johnson appeals not only to the birth of Christ, but also to his resurrection to unite the nation.

By 1987—deep into the Cold War—presidents were using the tradition to project meaning beyond the ceremony itself. President Ronald Reagan pointedly used the tree lighting as an example of peace.

RONALD REAGAN: Two hours ago, General Secretary Gorbachev's plane touched down on American soil. I invited him to come and discuss ways in which we can reduce the tensions between our two countries.

[...]

I hope the General Secretary is watching this on TV. I'd like him to see what we're celebrating, because for us, Christmas celebrates the cause of peace on Earth, good will toward men.

Peace on Earth, good will toward men -- I cannot think of a better spirit in which to begin the meetings of the next several days. As a small reminder of that spirit, the Star of Peace atop the National Christmas Tree will be lit day and night during the time our Soviet guests are here. And as we look out from the White House during our discussions, let the star remind us why we've gathered and what we seek.

Then finally 2001...

BUSH: Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America…

… three months after delivering that September address to the nation, President George W. Bush used the tree lighting ceremony to encourage the nation.

GEORGE W BUSH: The history of this event has included some memorable moments, including 60 years ago, less than three weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when Prime Minister Winston Churchill made an appearance with President Franklin Roosevelt to light the tree.

Now, once again, we celebrate Christmas in a time of testing, with American troops far from home. This season finds our country with losses to mourn and great tasks to complete. In all those tasks, it is worth recalling the words from a beautiful Christmas hymn -- in the third verse of "Oh Holy Night" we sing, "His law is love, and His gospel is peace. Change ye shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in His name all oppression shall cease.”

Over the century, presidents have continued the tradition of the National Christmas Tree through times of war, anxiety, and grief—to point the American people toward peace and a unifying gospel.

But Historian Matthew Spalding says the power of this ceremony is that it transcends politics.

SPALDING: What it does is it recognizes, among the American people, the symbol that for a lot of Americans, that that Christmas tree represents the hope of Christmas and a more joyous understanding with deeper religious meaning.

The words change. The circumstances change. But the ceremony continues.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

MUSIC: Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. As we end this Christmas edition of the program, one final Advent reflection from pastor Peter Mead and his 2014 book titled: Pleased to Dwell: A Biblical Introduction to the Incarnation, available from Christian Focus publishers.

Today, Peter moves beyond the gospel accounts of the birth of Christ, to the teaching of the apostles.

PETER MEAD: Having traced the Person of Promise throughout the Old Testament and witnessed the historical certainty of the birth of Immanuel, we now arrive at the deepest question of all: Cur Deus Homo—Why did God become man? The Apostles and early church leaders offer us profound, essential reflections on the necessity of the incarnation in the final sections of the New Testament.

Paul, writing to the Galatians, places Christ’s arrival in context. In chapter 4 he tells us that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.” This powerful language ties directly back to the original promise of the Seed of the woman in Genesis 3.

Paul’s letter to Titus reinforces this truth, describing Christ’s first coming as the epiphany—the spectacular appearance—of Grace personified. And what does this grace do? It is this grace that “teaches us, trains us, changes us,” transforming us so that we renounce ungodliness and live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.

We must also ponder God’s humility. The early hymn quoted in Philippians 2 shows the astonishing, downward journey of the incarnation. Though He was in the form of God and equally God, Christ did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. He became as nothing, traversing the great divide between the divine and the human. He went farther still, humbling Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. The truth is the manger was the direct route to the cross. His self-humiliation was the perfect presentation of the nature of God the Father.

In the Apostle John’s first epistle he confronts those denying that the Christ took on flesh. He affirms that the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. Everything the devil stands for—darkness, sin, lies, and separation from God—is opposed by Christ. And by believing in Christ, we are given the right to become children of God. This is not merely a legal standing, but a genetic transformation. The word of Christ which dwells with the believer by the Spirit is like divine DNA—transforming us from the inside-out. It becomes evident which family we are in by our practice of righteousness, and by our love for one another. We start to resemble our Father!

Finally, John’s Gospel is perhaps the best summary of the incarnation. He explains that no-one has ever seen God…for God the Father is God invisible. Sounds profoundly disappointing. However, Jesus has done something profoundly wonderful for us. John puts it this way: “He has made Him known.”

Surely this is the right place to finish our reflection on the Incarnation. Ever since Adam and Eve were cast from the garden mankind has longed to see the God who made us. To know Him. But there is no way that we can know Him unless He should choose to come to us, and become one of us…and that’s exactly what He did. The only God, who is at the Father’s side, He took on flesh and pitched His tent among us. He came to where we are. He has let us all see His glory, which means we have been able to receive grace upon grace.

He was God manifest in the flesh. He did not come as a coach, intent on helping us function more effectively. He did not come as a police officer, intent on helping us function within the bounds of the law. He did not come as a lecturer, intent on informing us of that which we need to live successfully. He came as a groom intent on wooing a bride. Anything less could never achieve the goal of godliness. Once wooed and captured, our heartfelt response would far exceed any self-determined commitment to self-transformation.

The need on our side was deathly desperate, and the love on God’s side was abundantly overflowing. The forever focus of the Father’s delight was sent to earth for us. He revealed God the Father to us as He dwelt with us. We can know the Father, revealed to us by the Son. We can know the fellowship of the Father and Son, by the Spirit purchased for us by the Son.

Christmas is not about you. It is not about me. It is all about Him. And in the Incarnation, He came to us!

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus our Immanuel!

I’m Peter Mead.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Tomorrow: John Stonestreet is back for Culture Friday, as we review the biggest cultural stories of 2025. And, your listener feedback. That and more tomorrow.

I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

The World and Everything in It comes to you from WORLD Radio. WORLD’s mission is Biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires.

The Psalmist writes, “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” —Psalm 145:1-3

Merry Christmas! And go now in grace and peace.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.