By Tyler Smith
As the song says, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. For some, however, it is exactly the opposite. It is a time of increased stress, resentment, and depression. A time of year that was previously associated with ideas like ‘peace on earth and good will toward men’ has very quickly become synonymous with shopping, obligation, and deadlines. In the midst of all this hustle and bustle, the origins of Christmas can begin to fade from view; turning the holiday into one of weariness instead of hope. It would seem strange to base an animated children’s TV special around these very grown up ideas, and stranger still that this special would go on to become a perennial Christmas favorite, beloved by kids and adults alike. But Bill Melendez’s A Charlie Brown Christmas manages to pull all of this off in a way that has much more resonance with audiences than even some of the most sentimental dramas.
The story—which is really more of a series of vignettes—would appear simple, but is actually surprisingly complex. A young boy named Charlie Brown is having a hard time making merry himself at Christmas. Observing the increasing commercialism of the holiday, along with the perfunctory traditions that go along with it, Charlie Brown makes it his mission to discover “what Christmas is all about.” Along the way he is met with cynical attitudes, opportunistic schemes, and empty symbolism. The rest of his community appears to be perfectly fine with the vanishing of their Christmas spirit, but Charlie Brown soldiers on, feeling confident that the true meaning of Christmas is real and worth searching for.
And search he does, asking friends and family (even his pet dog) their opinions about the holiday season. He is continually disappointed, however, as, over and over, his cynicism is confirmed. Money, presents, decorations and all the other superficial elements of Christmas seem to be all that anyone cares about. Charlie Brown becomes the director of the local Christmas play, hoping that this will reignite his holiday spirit, only to find that the stress and pressure of the project just make things worse. It turns out that the Christmas spirit is not something that can be manufactured; it is something to be experienced naturally, which makes it frustratingly elusive.
Finally, Charlie Brown throws up his hands in exasperation, yelling the question, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?!” His friend Linus calmly takes center stage and quietly recounts the angels’ message to the shepherds about the promise of Jesus. One might expect this moment to be full of sentiment, bolstered by increasingly inspirational music but it is not. It is simple and straightforward, allowing Charlie Brown and the audience to quietly contemplate Linus’ words. At first, Charlie Brown seems mildly satisfied at best. But soon the full weight of the Christmas story–which is about reconciliation and redemption–begins to take hold. This is seen when the puny Christmas tree that Charlie Brown has picked out is at first mocked by his peers but is soon transformed into a beautiful display. And what was responsible for the transformation? As Linus says, “A little love.”
It is all so deceptively simple. The animation, the voice acting and the dialogue would appear to be something out of a middling kids’ Christmas special. But underneath it all is something that only becomes more resonant the older the audience gets. Christmas is a promise of hope and redemption. No matter how alone we feel or how melancholy, there is always the possibility of renewal and transformation. None of us is beyond redemption. We can change. All because God looked at us in all of our brokenness and said, “Maybe it just needs a little love.”
Experience this wonderful classic on ReDiscover Television!
