It’s that time of year again. One day it’s nearly 70 degrees outside, the next it’s snowing. Good old Boston weather. However, it is also the time of year when many of us begin to think about Christmas and all of the rituals that come along with it. There are all sorts of family traditions that spring to mind for me: the five of us haphazardly decorating the Christmas tree with no real plan, the fifteen minute window when my brothers and I enjoy making Christmas cookies, and watching numerous Christmas movies/TV specials, just to name a few. Of these Christmas shows, none are as memorable or important as A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Originally airing on CBS in 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas has become one of the most revered holiday specials that still airs annually. For those unfamiliar with the show, the plot revolves around Charlie Brown, a depressed young boy, struggling to make sense of the holiday doldrums, while he and his friends stage a production of the first Christmas. Between Charlie, Lucy, Linus, Sally, and numerous others, each character has his or her own idea of the true meaning of the holiday season.
Unlike many other animated features of its time, Charlie Brown did not utilize a laugh track and hired actual children, many who could not read, to voice the characters. Surprisingly, it is also a fairly deep and thought-provoking story that falls just short of a half hour. In its running time of twenty-five minutes, the show supplies heavy doses of laughter, sentimentality, and questionable dance moves.
Ironically, it is Snoopy, a favorite character for many viewers, that ends up being the closest thing to a villain in the show. While it would appear that the bossy, critical Lucy is Charlie Brown’s primary antagonist, it is Snoopy who laughs hardest at his owner’s failings and runs most counter to the true meaning of Christmas. Obsessed with winning a house-decorating contest, Snoopy transforms into the very embodiment of holiday commercialism. Nevertheless, the beagle never becomes unlikeable or menacing and actually provides for some of the show’s biggest laughs.
What separates this Christmas special from all the others is its adamant reminder that the holiday is rooted in a significant, religious background. Toward the end of the show, Charlie Brown desperately questions the true meaning of Christmas. Never one to let a friend down, Linus, his most trusty companion, launches into a monologue that draws heavily from the Bible to explain the holiday’s significance. Regardless of how you feel about religion, it is still a bit of a marvel that such a popular show could be so overtly Christian.
No discussion about old “Blockhead’s” Christmas festivities would be complete without mentioning the show’s excellent soundtrack, composed by The Vince Guaraldi Trio. Guaraldi’s virtuoso jazz interpretations of holiday classics provides for one of the most pleasantly relaxing listening experiences imaginable. Traditionally a soundtrack to Christmas mornings at home, it has also become my go-to playlist while studying for finals in college.
Perhaps A Charlie Brown Christmas has already been on TV this year; I’m not entirely positive. Insulated within a hefty cocoon of 25-page papers and endless study guides, it has been difficult to fully tune into the holiday spirit a la Charlie Brown. Alas, though it is easy to get derailed from enjoying the activities and spectacles of the season, it is important that we all find a way to embrace the holiday cheer, lest we regrettably become a Scrooge or a Grinch. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!
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