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Quote of the Day: What Christmas is all about
Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?
Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.
[moves toward the center of the stage]
Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please.
[a spotlight shines on Linus]
Linus Van Pelt: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock 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:”
[Linus drops his security blanket on purpose]
Linus Van Pelt: “for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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.'”
Linus Van Pelt: [Linus picks up his blanket and walks back towards Charlie Brown] That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
Quoted in Town and Country Magazine, from A Charlie Brown Christmas.
CBS aired A Charlie Brown Christmas on 20 December this year, having aired it annually since its debut in 1965.
A Charlie Brown Christmas was executive-produced by Lee Mendelson and created and written by Charles M. Schulz. Bill Melendez is the producer and director, and Vince Guaraldi is the music composer.
Unmentioned by CBS is their executives’ failed hijacking of the production in 1965. They objected to: the Bible reading (King James version scripture reading from Luke 2: 8-14), the use of actual children as voice actors, the jazz music score, and the lack of a laugh track. They were fabulously wrong on every point. Thankfully, Charles Schulz had complete creative control and it was too late for the network to just cancel the project.
As we dash about, prepare for large scale entertaining, perhaps attend evening services, or settle in for a quiet Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it is worth reflecting on the wisdom imparted by Peanuts. For my family, across the country, it is a low key season, as our first Christmas season without our youngest sister. For others not feeling oh so merry, the words Linus recited still comfort.
I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Whether shepherd or wise man, we are invited to join the angelic host, proclaiming:
Published in Group Writing‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’
Yes. Perfection. That’s how you do it.
Very good and moving post, Clifford.
C.A.B.–The most important thing that any regular Ricochet reader of yours should do is express sympathy and support in a tough year when you lose a family member.
The other thing is: your cultural history is fascinating. I wish we had writers like you in the heyday of my “old” American Cinema Foundation, when we needed every articulate American media historian we could get. That’s not to say we won’t argue, of course. The stuff about jazz music wasn’t night-and-day; it’s not like the sound track was Miles Davis driving the voodoo down. Kid’s voices had been heard in TV cartoons before, so they probably weren’t a deal breaker, so the Biblical issue is what we’re really focusing on here.
Let’s go way out of our way to be fair to these nervous, mid-level network executives of the mid-sixties: they were middle of the road. We should note at the outset that the religious content we’re talking about was approved, produced, and aired; it’s not like a hypothetical Christian-based Mission: Impossible team broke into CBS and tricked them into running the God tape instead of the anti-God tape.
Fair enough. Now if you want articulate, listen to Mike Rowe’s telling on his “The Way I Heard It” podcast, episode 120.
Even in 1965, The Left ran CBS
I like Mike Rowe’s version, even if it’s not fastidiously accurate. And I’m glad Sparky stuck to his guns.
And that’s the way it is …
It was a different (not perfect ) country back then. I miss and grieve it.
Thankfully, indeed. If CBS had been in charge of creating the Mona Lisa, they would have told da Vinci, “Put some eyebrows on her, and give her more cleavage.”
That culture wasn’t finished in 1965. Fifty years ago in 1968, Frank Borman read from Genesis as Apollo 8 circled the Moon. But it started on its downward slope then.
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When was the last time someone created such a timeless and sweet cartoon or holiday movie? Merry Christmas and God bless all of you and your families!
I read a very good biography, Schulz and Peanuts by David Michaelis. When he lived in Minnesota and for a number of years after he moved to California he was very involved in church activities. As time and California wore on him he began to call himself a “secular humanist.” Like Carson, his private life was largely concealed from the public, yet it spilled into the strips unbeknownst to the public. The biography was published after Schulz’s death, which is a good thing. I couldn’t look at Peanuts the same way afterwards. A Charlie Brown Christmas, is, however, a masterpiece.
Good post. Am I the only one who thinks Linus grew up to be a pastor?
No. You’ve got it all wrong. Just watch TV today – and you will know: Christmas is clearly about falling in love with someone you meet in a snowstorm, and/or buying one’s spouse an insanely expensive new car…
(Wonderful post, btw.)
Must be why California and Texas have such a shortage of families and kids – not enough snow in which people can meet and fall in love.
Wonderful. May the bright light of Christ fill each and every one of you, this day and every day. Merry Christmas.
Dreaming of a white Christmas?
Yes, Mike Rowe is a marvelous storyteller, carrying on in his own style a form made famous by Paul Harvey.
He’s the gang’s ‘resident theologian’…Robert L. Short – of The Gospel According to Peanuts fame – alludes to this. :-)
Thank you for this holy reminder of the Reason for the Season, @cliffordbrown! And may the Holy Spirit bring you and yours Peace, Comfort, Joy – and the gift of one another.