Tag: linus

Holiday Road

I’ve said here before and I will proudly say it again: I LOVE Peanuts. I love the characters. I read the strips as a kid, I have books for my son, and I love the specials and movies. This year marks the 50th anniversary of one of America’s favorite animated Christmas programs, A Charlie Brown Christmas. I watch it just about every year, or at least read the story to my son.
charlie and linus
Charlie Brown and Linus chillin’ at the wall (in the snow).

A Charlie Brown Christmas, which debuted on December 9, 1965, is an animated television special based on Charles Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. It opens with shots of the children ice skating while the song, “Christmastime Is Here” plays. Charlie Brown and Linus walk together on the VERY snowy roads to chat at their favorite wall. Side note: am I really the only one thinking these conditions look way too bad for these kids to walk around, alone? Maybe I am. At the wall, Charlie Brown confesses to Linus that he’s just not feeling the holiday cheer, although he knows he should. Normally, Linus has some words to perk him up but even he has to admit that Charlie is bringing him down.

charlie brown mailbox_zpsyk1ldbc0
No Christmas cards?!

When Charlie checks his mailbox, he sees no cards. He sarcastically tells Violet thanks for her card and she tells him she didn’t send him one (Rude!). When he tells Lucy, at her psychiatrist booth, that he feels depressed about the holiday, Lucy suggests he direct the Christmas play at school. Right away, Charlie hopes this plan could boost his spirits. As he heads home, he becomes even more frustrated about the commercialization of Christmas when he sees Snoopy decorating his doghouse to win a contest for money. Soon after, Sally asks for help with her letter to Santa Claus, where she requests cash in “tens and twenties.” Even his baby sister!

It’s worth mentioning that my son repeatedly reminded me that he does NOT like Violet, and dislikes Lucy even more. He would walk up to the TV and point just so I wasn’t confused. I’m pretty sure he thought they were the same mean girl but anyway…

dancing
Jammin’ to some tunes during rehearsal.

When the other kids find out Charlie is directing the play, they immediately show their disappointment. Snoopy even boos him when Charlie arrives. He has little control over the other kids and is shown no respect. Most of them would prefer a modern take on Christmas, with dancing and upbeat music. In an effort to set “the proper mood,” Charlie Brown decides they need a Christmas tree. Lucy offers to take over while he looks for a “big shiny aluminum tree” so Charlie takes Linus with him.

At the tree market, there are many trees that fit Lucy’s description but Charlie Brown wants the one real tree, which happens to be VERY small. Knowing his sister, Linus is reluctant about showing up with the tree Charlie Brown likes. He tells him it doesn’t fit the “modern spirit” but Charlie is convinced that after decorating it, it will be just right for the play. When they return to the auditorium with the tree, the children and Snoopy mock and laugh at Charlie Brown, as they call him names (much to my son’s chagrin). Hurt, Charlie Brown challenges everyone, asking if anyone knows what Christmas is all about.

picture-181
Linus droppin’ knowledge.

Linus stands center stage, requests a spotlight, drops his beloved blanket (!), and explains Christmas, as told in the King James Bible. “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Charlie Brown picks up the little tree and walks out of the auditorium. Inspired by Linus’ speech, Charlie decides to show them all what this tree could do with a little decoration. He passes Snoopy’s award-winning doghouse and takes an ornament. Due to the weight of the ornament, the top branch flops to the side. Feeling sad, Charlie says “I’ve killed it. Everything I touch gets ruined!” He runs off, more upset than before.

Linus and the other kids arrive near Snoopy’s doghouse. Linus admits he liked the tree, gently returns the branch to an upright position and wraps his blanket around the base of the tree.  The kids help him spruce it tree up as Lucy also admits it was a nice tree. When they start humming “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Charlie returns asking what they’re doing.  Excitedly, they all shout “Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!” then they all sing together as a group, next to Charlie’s gorgeous Christmas tree.

55330-Charlie-Brown-Christmas-Tree
“I got you, CB!”

The special was a primetime hit, and even won the Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program in 1966. As the story goes, no one was a believer when Schulz pitched his idea around. He knew no one thought it would be a success but he pushed forward anyway. In 1965, America was not moved as much by religious messages on TV. The nation was on the brink of a cultural revolution as people continued the fight for Civil Rights, protested war, and pushed for women in the workplace. Who was looking forward to a cartoon with a child preaching from the Bible?

I do understand the skepticism but if we just return to innocence for a moment, it’s hard to deny there is something special about Linus bringing everyone together to honor the meaning of Christmas. Christmas is indeed a commercial holiday so it’s nice to have a reminder that we should appreciate the good things and good people we have in our lives. A Charlie Brown Christmas brings out an innocent feeling in me and I am happy to say 50 years after it premiered, I sat on the couch and watched it with my 21st century son and he enjoyed it as much as I always have. I think Mr. Schulz would be proud.

OK, he really really doesn’t like Lucy!

Read Full Article
Holiday Road

My favorite thing about Halloween is the classic Peanuts special, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. It’s magical for me. I am a HUGE Peanuts fan. I remember when I was a kid, I would get so excited every time I saw Snoopy and the gang on TV. So much in fact that any time I saw the “A CBS Special Presentation” logo swirl onto the screen I just knew I was gonna see that wonderful beagle (ABC has had TV rights since 2000). My dad would record all of them, and I would watch them repeatedly.

Sadly, most of them were on BetaMax and when that machine died we just had a collection of tapes collecting dust. Oh BetaMax. Well, fortunately ABC is looking out for me and I can still enjoy this wonderful special every year. I’m so excited to share this tradition with my son, who is exactly the age I was when I realized how much I love that Peanuts gang. I have a collection of Peanuts stories based on the holiday specials, so I built the anticipation by reading the story with him last night.

I always get so excited to hear the “Linus and Lucy” theme song play as the titular sister and brother walk to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin for their home. Much to Linus’ surprise (and chagrin), Lucy had plans to carve it into a jack-o-lantern, leaving him very upset as he screams, “You didn’t tell me you were gonna kill it!” That whole sequence gives me such a sense of nostalgia and reminds me that this is Fall.

In the show, most of the kids are excited about going trick-or-treating then heading to Violet’s Halloween party, but Linus has bigger plans. With Sally’s support, he decides to forego the standard kids activities in hopes of seeing the Great Pumpkin! No one has any idea why this is so important to him but Sally, a fool in love, stands by his side. Even Charlie Brown wasn’t going with this silly idea.

letter

 

Its-The-Great-PumpkinI only remember trick-or-treating once as a kid, but seeing Lucy lead her pals around the neighborhood to collect goodies always felt close enough. The friends dress as ghosts, wearing sheets with holes cut out for the eyes, but not Lucy. She wears a witch mask to match her personality.

 

Poor Charlie Brown had a hard time with the scissors and ended up with too many holes out of his sheet. I always feel so sorry for him as they excitedly talk about the candies and other goodies they receive, but he somehow manages to get a rock…more than once!

 

its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-ghost-costume-rock
“I got a rock.”

 

At the party, the kids use his head to practice drawing a jack-o-lantern! How is this his life?? Even Snoopy has more fun, escaping into his imagination as a World War I Flying Ace battling the Red Baron.

Its-the-Great-Pumpkin-Charlie-Brown-2-600x450
Charlie Brown as a “model” at the party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, at the most “sincere pumpkin patch” he could find, Linus awaits his beloved Great Pumpkin, with Sally slowly losing interest and patience. When a shadow appears, and leaves begin to rustle, an overly excited Linus passes out from possibly seeing the Great Pumpkin at last! He opens his eyes to an angry Sally notifying him that there was no Great Pumpkin! It was just Snoopy goofing around. She can’t believe she chose to stay with Linus, causing her to miss out on “tricks or treats.” Linus still doesn’t give up as he spends the rest of the night on the ground waiting for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin.

snoopy
Is it the Great Pumpkin?!

As an adult raising a small child, I have to ask the obvious question: “Where are his parents??” Why was it okay for him to sit in that pumpkin patch, then go so far as to sleep there until Lucy finally came to get him at 4:00 in the morning??! I love a child with an imagination but we have to draw the line somewhere. I guess that’s not the case for the Van Pelts!

Even after not getting to see the precious Great Pumpkin, Linus doesn’t give up on his dream. He yells at Charlie Brown the next day insisting that he will try again next year. As crazy as it may seem, this is why I love Linus. He stays true to himself and what he wants out life. If kids can believe in Santa, why can’t he have that magical pumpkin?

While my favorite moment is the opening scene with Linus and Lucy, my favorite nugget is when Lucy is reading a TV Guide with a picture of herself on the cover. Gotta love it!

If you haven’t seen this special I don’t know what rock you live under but do yourself a favor and watch it! ABC aired it Thursday night at 8pm ET so you’re on your own now but hey The Peanuts Movie comes out next weekend (November 6). Yes I will be there!!

 

Read Full Article