Christmas Day – A Charlie Brown Christmas
Perhaps the most iconic of all Christmas specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been played on TV every single year since it originally aired in 1965 on CBS. Although the entire special chronicling Charlie Brown’s search for happiness during the Christmas season is a masterpiece, there are a few specific things that stand out to make this one of the best, if not the best, Christmas special of all time.
Vince Guaraldi’s score is as iconic of a Christmas soundtrack as will ever be made. His version of “Für Elise” has somehow become a Christmas song, even though the original is far from it. That shows just how impactful it all is. “Linus and Lucy” is obviously as much of a theme song for the entire Peanuts series as it is for this specific special, but the first notes inspire feelings of Christmas joy nonetheless. “Skating” is also a masterful composition, painting vivid pictures in the mind of the scene from the special, even when you haven’t seen the special in years.
Linus’ telling of the Christmas story is one of the most emotionally touching and grounding moments of any Christmas special ever. Charlie Brown is distraught by the commercialism of the season, and doesn’t even know what the most wonderful time of the year is about, but Linus, a mere child, has the insight and wisdom to properly tell the Christmas story, complete with spotlight and a haunting silence other than his echoing words. After this is when Charlie Brown walks away from the theater, taking his sad Christmas tree to its proper place beside Snoopy’s dog house.
The final scene where the rest of the children have fixed up Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree and they gather around for a rousing rendition of Hark The Herald Angels Sing is the perfect end to the special and the perfect cap to the Christmas season. Pop this one on the TV Christmas night, dance around to Schroeder’s piano, and then enjoy that touching final scene. If that doesn’t make for a merry Christmas, then I don’t know what can.
Happy Christmas everyone! I hope these Christmas movies and specials have been able to bring you the joy of the season, as they have for me.