“In 1965, Charles Schulz, a devout Christian and creator of the Peanuts comic strip, was asked to create a Christmas special for CBS featuring the Peanuts Characters. He agreed with one requirement, that they allow him to include the story of the birth of Jesus. Although the stations executives were hesitant and tried to convince him otherwise, Schulz was insistent. As a result, for the past 50 plus years, millions of people have watched and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and heard the story of Jesus and “what Christmas is all about.”
It wasn’t until a few years back that I realized a “hidden message” in the film. Linus, a child who seems to have some insecurities as he carries a security blanket with him at all times. In fact, Linus NEVER drops his blanket, except once....
While sharing the message of “what Christmas is all about,” Linus drops his blanket at the exact moment he says the words, “fear not!”
In this seemingly innocent moment, Linus delivers a powerful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. We are to “fear not”, for Jesus is born. We needn’t rely on material things for security, we have God with us, “Immanuel”, (Matthew 1:23) Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior - the true meaning of Christmas.
Awhile back, someone informed me, indignantly so, that Linus picks up his blanket at the end of the speech so my interpretation must be wrong. Well, he was right, Linus does pick up his blanket at the end of his speech. However, he “drops” it again later...
Amid big, bright, colorful, shiny artificial trees, Charlie Brown chose the least of these, a little, wooden tree with just a few branches. Shortly thereafter, Linus uses his blanket to wrap about the base of the tree and says, “Maybe it just needs a little love”. In that moment, the tree “awakens”, stands tall and firm. A reminder that no matter who we are, how many mistakes we’ve made, a “little love” can make all the difference.
Let’s strive to “fear not” (Luke 2:10) and “love one another” (John 13:34), not just at Christmastime, but the whole year through.”
My family grew up with 'all things Peanuts'; my mom just loved Peanuts which of course guided the rest of us! A holiday did not happen in our house without some reference to Charlie Brown and the gang. Books, Sunday cartoons, cards, TV and of course the Christmas Special... 'all things' Charles Schulz. One Halloween, after we put 6 pumpkins on our reverse dormer roof, we even got a card signed by the Great Pumpkin, congratulating us on our amazing display!
Did the Peanuts cartoon play into your life at any point? Did you have family traditions? For my family (the Brady Bunch recreated), traditions were something my mom did year after year: it was one way that she enhanced and strengthened family bonds. They were times of the year we could all 'count' on something happening. And today they are times that we, as siblings, can recall as warm, positive memories, giving us a sense of family identity and belonging. A tradition becomes a memory as it is played out year after year, reminding us of past nurtured moments.
There is plenty I don't want to recall about growing up, but there is plenty I do want to remain in my memory bank. I want to recall:
- After church Sunday dinners
- Ordering subs at 4pm on Sunday for Sunday supper
- Sleep away camp for all and preferably for the same timeframe. I'm not certain, but I think I was the only one of the six of us who tolerated the school year to get to go to camp... then carried on by niece Cam. While the masses were at camp the parents were at Basin Harbor Club on Lake Champlain in Vermont.
- A kid's Christmas tree in the den, set up on December 21st, Ron's birthday to help make a birthday so close to Christmas special. (Liz reminds me that we had to wait for Andy to get home from college)
- A grown-up tree in the front hallway, adorned with antique ornaments, bubble lights AND real candles, lit when we were standing right there and never left alone.
- Christmas dinner 'poppers' at everyone's place, complete with a fortune
- At Christmas we always got a book, a game and a record. There was always a multiple clue 'treasure hunt' for our big gift. One person at a time would try to solve the clues with a little help from us if they got really stumped.
- Making Gingerbread cookies and decorating them
- Opening the pool on Memorial Day, usually with Ron being the brave one to 'test the waters' (frigid!)
- And the famous 500 miles! We each had to drive 500 miles ALONE before we were allowed to have passengers in the car with us. The thinking was to adjust to both the responsibility f being a driver and to make mistakes alone (hopefully very few) and become confident.
- Sugar on Snow party preparation was left up to Ron and Pete. During the winter they would fill trash bags with snow and deliver them to Worcester Cold Storage. There they sat until summer when they were brought to Chestnut Street Congregational Church for a Sugar on Snow Party.
- A planned tradition that didn't come to fruition was a girls trip and then a boys trip to NYC. The girls trip happened (theater, dinners out, room service, shopping, buying fabric in the garment district) but all 3 boys did not apparently mature enough to make the trip together.
- Summer vacations to Cape Cod
- Sea Gull Beach
- Miniture Golf
- A visit to an 'unnecessary shop' filled with 'unnecessary memorabilia' and salt was taffy (necessary)
- UNbirthday presents
- Birthday cakes decorated with 'the personality' of the birthday person. Mom would gather miniature figures and pieces throughout the year
- Two I remember in particular:
- My 16th birthday cake was divided in quarters...1) a girl lounging with a telephone to her ear 2) a girl cheerleading 3) a girl in a messy room 4) I can't remember the 4th quarter... but it the whole cake was very 'me'
- A cake for Pete was an Angel Food. Over the center hole was a bridge. On the bridge was a boy with a fishing pole dipped into the blue frosting (presumably catching a zillion fish!)
- Two I remember in particular: