WEEK ONE: A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

It’s amazing how much one small TV special (only 25 minutes in duration) has remained so dear to us in our culture and Christmas traditions for almost 60 years. A Charlie Brown Christmas serves as a reminder to the audiences (then and now) of what Christmas is really all about. Each character has a different perspective on the holiday, and we can see little glimpses of some of our own struggles as we find amusement in the “Peanuts” cartoon children. One character named Sally seems to have an attitude about Christmas that we see often when this time of year comes around. She asks her big brother Charlie Brown for help writing a letter to Santa, then as she prepares to rattle off a gigantic list of things she wants for Christmas, she starts with the instructions, “Please note the size and color of each item and send as many as possible.” When Charlie Brown abandons her in exasperation, she comments about just wanting her “fair share.”

It can definitely be easy to fall into the trap of commercialism at any time of the year, but it’s especially prevalent in the Christmas season. The first Christmas commercial I saw this year was in mid-October! And the reason this can be such a struggle is that the gift-giving aspect of Christmas isn’t all bad… In fact, being generous and choosing gifts for our loved ones can be a really fulfilling part of the season. Even receiving gifts doesn’t have to feel like greed or entitlement; there’s something really special about opening a present that you know someone put a lot of care into and chose just for you. And if you think about it, Sally’s just a kid! We all remember that feeling of giddy anticipation when we walked into the living room early on Christmas morning when we were young. And we shouldn’t lose that! Christmas should bring out the kid in all of us!

But one of my favorite parts of this story is an image that is still popular today: the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I’m sure you can picture it in your head right now… a tiny wilted stem with just a few pine branches on it, weighed down by a single red ornament. Somehow, this sad little tree became so iconic that it is actually now sold in stores and is a pretty popular decoration! This tree shows a big contrast to the long Christmas list that Sally wanted to send to Santa. Sometimes, going back to simplicity can be a good thing. Sometimes, just a little Christmas cheer is enough. Maybe if you’re feeling overwhelmed and overloaded by the demands of this Christmas season, remember the simple joy of a single red ornament. And like Linus showed us when he told the story of Jesus on the stage, the real reason for Christmas—that baby in a manger surrounded by shepherds and angels—is what really matters.