“I know what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” It seems that most Americans are familiar with the Christmas special A Charlie Brown Christmas. It debuted in 1965 and has aired annually since then.
A simple story
The storyline is simple. Charlie Brown, the lovable loser of the comic is disillusioned with the hype and commercialism of Christmas. Even Snoopy, his dog, is caught up in the hubbub and enters a Christmas decoration contest with a cash prize.
Charlie is asked to direct the Christmas play. And no one wants to follow his direction. Frustrated, he and Linus, the blanket carrying philosopher of the group, go to find a Christmas tree. Ignoring his instructions to get a pink aluminum tree, Charlie finds a haggard tree with a propensity to shed more needles than it seems to possess and brings it back to the gang with predictable results.
Can’t someone tell me what Christmas is all about?
Embarrassed by the taunts of his so-called friends and fed up with the materialism he sees all around him, Charlie howls, “Isn’t there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?” And Linus comes to the rescue.
“I can tell you what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown”, he says. He walks on the empty stage, calls for stage lights, and recites the Christmas story.
“There were in that same country shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God, and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” Luke 2:8-14 KJV
“That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Too much to do
If you grew up in church, you probably know the Christmas story. You may have even memorized it. But have you ever felt like Charlie Brown? Have you ever wanted to yell to whoever might listen, “What’s Christmas all about?”
The month of December can seem more like a carnival ride than a religious holiday.
We buy gifts and wrap them, address Christmas cards and write news letter. We bake cookies and watch Hallmark movies. We eat too much and sleep too little and stagger into the New Year bleary eyed, bloated, and bemoaning our bank balances while vowing to simplify next year.
But, we often forget why we celebrate. The Baby in the manger gets lost in the shuffle, just like He did the first time. We forget what Christmas is all about.
What’s our excuse?
At least the inhabitants of Bethlehem had an excuse. There was a census going on, after all. The reason there was no room for Mary and Joseph was
n’t an overall lack of hospitality, but a simple problem of logistics. You can only fit so many people into a given space, and the tiny town was bursting at the seams that night.
We shake our heads and cluck our tongues when we read those words, “there was no room for them in the Inn.” Because we think we would have done better. But we don’t do better. We crowd out Jesus just like they did.
A commercial quagmire
In 1965, when Charles Schulz created A Charlie Brown Christmas, he bemoaned the evils of commercialism. Charlie Brown’s little sister, Sally is writing a letter to Santa asking him for money – tens and twenties – and his friend Lucy tells him no one ever gives her what she really wants – which is real estate.
The commercialism that Schultz criticized in 1965 pales in comparison to our current situation. Not so many years ago, people would camp out on cold streets just to have the chance to purchase the latest electronic gadget or toy. And Black Friday sometimes turned violent, even deadly, as people were crushed in the rush to grab their prize.
The Global Pandemic may have sounded the death knell for that kind of Black Friday shopping, but people continue to crowd stores and crash websites to get the best bargains before they disappear.
What Christmas is all about is commercialism
Sadly, even A Charlie Brown Christmas is not immune from commercialism. I drank coffee this morning from a beautiful mug depicting Linus’s soliloquy. You can even buy replicas of Charlie Brown’s “sad little tree”. I know. I almost bought one last year.
And you can no longer expect to watch the special on Network television. The rights were purchased in 2019, and unless you subscribe to a particular service, you can only watch the special free on a limited number of evenings. This is hardly the vision that Schultz presented with that first simply drawn cartoon special. It seems it fell victim to the very thing he despised.
Linus was right.
It’s hard to imagine A Charlie Brown Christmas without Linus’s soliloquy. But it was a controversial scene. Even members of Schultz’s team thought it was best to leave it out, believing that religion was best kept private. But Schultz was adamant. The scripture would stay.
Few people, the producers included, expected the program to succeed. But it was the number 2 program on television the night that it aired. It continues to rank among the most beloved Christmas specials of all time.
I think one reason we continue watch
the program is because we know it’s true. We know that all of the fancy presents, the fat laden food, the pretty lights and paper do not satisfy. They are empty and meaningless.
Most Christmas decorations in retail stores are secular. You might find a nativity scene or an Advent wreath among the blow up Grinches and gigantic reindeer. But it will be the exception.
You can find Advent calendars of all sorts, filled with action figures, chocolate, wine or even ink. They mark the days until Christmas. But they don’t mention Christ.
Keeping it simple
Jesus arrived without fanfare in the place that would make room for Him. God gave the greatest gift that has ever been given in the simplest of settings. If we complicate it, we miss it.
I have tried to simplify my Christmas observance in the last few years, have tried to focus more on Jesus and less on everything else. 
Sometimes I’m successful. Sometimes not so much. Like everyone else, I’m a work in progress. I did resist the urge to buy the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. But my mantle sports new Christmas stockings this year. Yes, the dogs and I have matching stockings; red and black plaid adorned with a truck, and our names.
I have begun observing Advent. Each evening in December, I light the candle on the wreath, read a devotion and some scripture, and then meditate on the week’s theme. It’s a simple reminder of what’s really important.
I buy at least one gift for someone who can’t reciprocate. That’s the essence of Christmas. God loved us when we were helpless.
Like Charlie Brown’s choice of a tree, it’s not much. But it’s a start.
I want my neighbors and friends to know that I know what Christmas is all about.
Merry Christmas!
