The recent appearance of snow got me thinking about Christmas, but it was tonight’s airing of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” that really put me in the mood.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the special’s airing. Age wise, that puts it a year behind “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964), but older than “Frosty the Snowman” (1969).
Looking at the content of the special, which reveals in it’s anti-commercial message and seeks to replace it with a Christian moral, it’s amazing that it even got on the air, let alone continues to remain a family blockbuster each year.
Yeah, it’s a bit ironic that ABC was selling 30-second commercial spot at $200,000 a pop, which is decided on the pricier side of the pricing spectrum. Since it is traditionally such a huge ratings draw, ABC turned away several sponsors simply for lack of available spots.
Of course, I don’t think the marketing decisions of the Charles Schulz’s heirs shouldn’t outshine the more important legacy.
It’s remains a powerful program that inspires people to flip your head side to side as you dance, adopt a sappy tree, and remember the true meaning of Christmas.
With that final contribution, I am surprised the Christmas special still gets aired. Of course, such a decision was tricky when it was made back in ’65.
The producers were set against it; and they didn’t live in a culture half as tense as our current social environment (we can save the talk of non-specific holiday greetings and the labeling of decorated trees for another day. There are simpler, more important issues at hand). Of course, unique factors were in motion that made it easier for Schulz to maintain his position.
The special wouldn’t have even existed if corporate pressure hadn’t grown to sponsor a Peanuts special. One of Schulz’s business partners agreed to create the special without consulting Schulz.
He was later quoted in an interview, "Once I said it, I couldn't take it back, so I called Schulz and said: 'I just sold "A Charlie Brown Christmas.' And he said, 'What's that?' "
With nothing to lose, the group worked to put together the atypical anti-commercial, pro-Christian special. Being driven to stick true to his principles and to the basics of the strip, wanted Linus to quote from the Bible.
His collaborators were worried about pressing the boundaries of what the public would accept, but Schulz a simple, irrefutable reply.
“If we don't do it, then who will?”
If you look back over the last 40 years of Christmas specials, you’ll find very few who chose to walk in the footsteps that Charles Schulz blazed all those years ago.
In conclusion, I’ll let his characters speak for themselves, and repeat the words that continue to illuminate humanity even after all these years:
Charlie Brown: Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?
Linus: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you. Lights, please. (Quoting from Luke chapter 2, verses 8 through 14) "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'". That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
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Yeah! Screw all of these anti-Christian jerks who would rather hear "Happy Holidays" than "Merry Christmas"! Wah! It offends non-Christians though. Oh yeah? Well guess what! It offends me, a Christian, to have the birth of my savior trivialized. Suck it America. Long live Charles Schulz! What's that? He's dead? Oh. Well, Merry Christmas anyway!
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You're right, Cory, they SHOULD have to say "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Chanukah, Festive Eid, Thoughtful Kwanzaa, (hold on, I'm out of breath; give me a sec), Shiny Solstice, ......."
I can't believe anyone would be so lazy that they'd need to shorten all that to "Happy Holidays".