We here at Casa Silverfiddle love "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It is a beautiful and timeless classic.
Michael Cavna has written a most excellent story in the Washington Post about how this little cartoon came to be. And how it came to be an iconic American Christmas tradition.
Charles Schultz keeps Christ in Christmas with Linus' famous speech quoting the birth narrative from The Bible, ending with "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
Far from offending non-Christians, many love that scene for it's unabashed sincerity:
In writing about the "Peanuts" special in "Manhood for Amateurs," Chabon -- a self-described Jewish "liberal agnostic empiricist" -- waxed: "I still know that chapter and verse of the Gospel of Luke by heart, and no amount of subsequent disillusionment with the behavior of self-described Christians, or with the ongoing progressive commercialization that in 1965 had already broken Charlie Brown's heart, has robbed the central miracle of Christianity of its power to move me the way any truly great story can." (WaPo - Michael Cavna)
How about that music?
You can get that song and many more jazzy tunes by buying Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It's full of beautiful Christmas music, some with singing, some just instrumental. It makes great background music your your Christmas festivities.
11 comments:
I tear up every time I watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
Linus's voice telling the story from the Gospel of Luke. The simple voice of a child gives a special meaning to the story. A powerful Christian witness!
Merry Christmas, Silverfiddle.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Classic and thoughtful,,a Merry and Blessed Christmas to you and yours Siver!
I don't like jazz. I do, however, have two exceptions:
1) Dave Brubeck's 'Take Five', and, of course:
2) Vince Giraurdi's 'Linus and Lucy.'
Both great stuff.
Silverfiddle: It's an inspirational story, IMO, regardless of one's "beliefs".
Merry Christmas to you and the Silverfiddle Family!
You can never go wrong with Snoopy and this is a perenial favorite of mine too. It just ain't Christmas if I haven't seen this!
I'm a little surprised that some nutbag hasn't called for this special to be pulled from the annual lineup because of the bad parenting examples it sets. I mean really, c'mon, little kids going off to select a Christmas tree all on their own? And putting on a Christmas play without adult supervision? Reckless and irresponsible! The helicopter parents must be reeling in their Birkenstocks.
I too love A Charlie Brown Christmas. Odd that cartoons can be so very powerful.
Silver, I'm wishing you and yours all the blessings of Christmas, with many merry, merries.
Nice touch to a perfect day, thanks to Silver, with this!
Merry Christmas to you, your family and everyone here on Western Hero!
What a wonderful post!
Linus' beautiful explanation of the meaning of Christmas is among the most all-time brilliant writings and performances for film or TV. We that are lucky enough to have grown up watching that every year will never forget it.
Shultz was everything Silver says when he wrote those great works, and though he died a secular humanist, as am I, there's nothing about this telling of Christmas that offends anyone. As Silver reminds us, "Far from offending non-Christians, many love that scene for it's unabashed sincerity."
It has become a requisite ritual for Christmas. Every person, especially Christians, should watch this old TV special every year (preferably every day).
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! (It's more fun if you scream it at the top of your lungs!) ;)
JMJ
Merry Christmas to you too, Jersey. I am not offended by those who believe differently than me either, Jersey.
The problem today is that everybody is so sensitive and just loves to nurse grievances.
One thing I admire about you Jersey, you can get into a rollicking argument and not take it personally. I wish everybody were like that.
That brings back some great memories.
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