The Charlie Brown Christmas special has always been one of my favorites. I even had the vinyl version of the story, complete with turn the page prompts, that I keep tucked away safely to this day among my favorite Christmas memories.
It has become one of our family's traditions to watch this special EVERY year (there are a few others that make the cut as well, but none for the sheer nostalgia as this one). One of the things I have always loved about this story is that it actually incorporates the REAL story of Christmas, leaves santa completely out of it, and quotes the King James Bible! I also might add that Linus has always been one of my favorite characters.
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of this special. I have read that Charles Schultz was against his producers who tried to persuade him to leave the Bible reading out of the special but he was quoted as saying, "If we don't do this, who will?" Love that man! So an iconic special was born. But wait, last year I was alerted to something I have never noticed in the 35 plus years or more that I have been privy to this special. I have watched this special so many times that it was probably an integral part in my own memorization of that bible passage in Luke, however, I never noticed what one author pointed out and I read this year. It was another blogger that noticed this...
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of this special. I have read that Charles Schultz was against his producers who tried to persuade him to leave the Bible reading out of the special but he was quoted as saying, "If we don't do this, who will?" Love that man! So an iconic special was born. But wait, last year I was alerted to something I have never noticed in the 35 plus years or more that I have been privy to this special. I have watched this special so many times that it was probably an integral part in my own memorization of that bible passage in Luke, however, I never noticed what one author pointed out and I read this year. It was another blogger that noticed this...
I had never read his blog before but his observations began popping up all over social media in 2015...
The blogger, Jason Soroski, details the following on his blog:
I am a fan of all things nostalgic and all things Christmas, and so when the two are combined I am hooked, and the Charlie Brown Christmas special falls squarely into that category.
I was in the first grade back when they still performed Christmas pageants in schools (less than 50 years, but still a very long time ago), and our class performed a version of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Since I was kind of a bookworm and already had a blue blanket, I was chosen to play the part of Linus. As Linus, I memorized Luke 2:8-14, and that Scripture has been hidden in my heart ever since.
But while working so diligently to learn those lines, there is one important thing I didn’t notice then, and didn’t notice until now.
Right in the middle of speaking, Linus drops the blanket.
The blogger, Jason Soroski, details the following on his blog:
I am a fan of all things nostalgic and all things Christmas, and so when the two are combined I am hooked, and the Charlie Brown Christmas special falls squarely into that category.
I was in the first grade back when they still performed Christmas pageants in schools (less than 50 years, but still a very long time ago), and our class performed a version of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Since I was kind of a bookworm and already had a blue blanket, I was chosen to play the part of Linus. As Linus, I memorized Luke 2:8-14, and that Scripture has been hidden in my heart ever since.
But while working so diligently to learn those lines, there is one important thing I didn’t notice then, and didn’t notice until now.
Right in the middle of speaking, Linus drops the blanket.
Charlie Brown is best known for his uniquely striped shirt, and Linus is most associated with his ever-present security blanket. Throughout the story of Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy, Sally and others all work to no avail to separate Linus from his blanket. And even though his security blanket remains a major source of ridicule for the otherwise mature and thoughtful Linus, he simply refuses to give it up.
Until this moment. When he simply drops it.
In that climactic scene when Linus shares what ‘Christmas is all about’, he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, “fear not” (at :38 seconds).
Until this moment. When he simply drops it.
In that climactic scene when Linus shares what ‘Christmas is all about’, he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, “fear not” (at :38 seconds).
It is so brilliant really, something I surely never noticed but am so glad that someone did! We are not to be afraid, we are to trust in God and with him on our side, there is no reason to fear because he is always with us and will never leave us.
In this world we live in it is amazing that a cartoon from 50 years ago was able to nail a truth so clearly, so profoundly, and so tellingly. This cartoon will always remain a part of our family's Christmas tradition, now for more reasons then ever, the messages in it are so clear, and so simple, and so true.
In this world we live in it is amazing that a cartoon from 50 years ago was able to nail a truth so clearly, so profoundly, and so tellingly. This cartoon will always remain a part of our family's Christmas tradition, now for more reasons then ever, the messages in it are so clear, and so simple, and so true.
