A Christmas Classic

At Christmas-time I love watching the timeless and treasured classics like Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas. This year celebrates the 53rd anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas and I learned some of the history of how the classic came to be. The special–a collaboration between Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, producer Lee Mendelson, and director Bill Melendez–first aired on december 9, 1965 and was loved from the start. One of the most moving moments in the show is when Linus explains the meaning of Christmas by reciting the story of the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke. Schulz did not have the support from the other executives who wondered if an animated special was the right place for the religious text. Director Bill Melendez told Schulz (whose nickname was Sparky), “Sparky, this is religion. It just doesn't go in a cartoon.” But Schulz had a simple response: “Bill, if we don't do it, who will? We can do it.” The passage stayed in — and we are glad it did.
Another unique part of the production was that Schultz insisted on using real kid's voices in a time when it was standard practice to have children's roles performed by adults. Fortunately, they were able to find the right children to voice all of the characters even though a few were so young they couldn't read or understand the script! Jazz musician and composer Vince Guaraldi wrote the original music for the show, which was the first animated network special to feature jazz. The score includes “Linus and Lucy,” otherwise known as the Peanuts theme. Guaraldi also wrote the music for “Christmas Time Is Here” (the song's lyrics were penned on the back of an envelope by Mendelson in just 15 minutes). Schulz didn't even like jazz but fortunately for us he didn't let his dislike stand in the way of an iconic score.
Then there is the small, struggling tree that Charlie Brown picks out with its uneven, almost bare branches. In 1964, Mendelson read the Hans Christian Andersen story The Fir Tree — about a tree desperate to grow to match its taller brethren — to his children. When work started on A Charlie Brown Christmas, Mendelson mentioned the Andersen tale to Schulz, which prompted the cartoonist to dream up Charlie Brown's tree. And though it was mocked, things turned out okay for that tree in the end. As Linus says, “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” Executives at CBS didn't think the show would be a hit. The expectation was that it would make its debut, then disappear forever — and if there had been a programming alternative the special might not have made it on the air at all. Fortunately, it was shown — and about half the country watched Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang celebrate Christmas. Now, 53 years later, it remains as popular and beloved as ever. *

Author Info: Peggy Roberts

Chaplain Peggy Roberts is Vice President of the spiritual life Department here at beatitudes. Peggy was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served in pastoral ministry as well as being a hospice chaplain.