Wednesday, December 02, 2009

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Kicking off A Shady Glade Christmas today is one of my all time holiday favorites, A Charlie Brown Christmas. I've probably talked about this before on the blog (can't find the post now), but it merits another visit.


Yes, Christmas just wouldn't be the same without the Peanuts gang. I've watched this movie every year at Christmastime for as long as I can remember. Even longer than Rudolph or Frosty the Snowman for that matter. Why you ask? Well, I had the tape of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and I didn't have the other two. So Charlie Brown got played year round, where I had to wait for all the other Christmas specials to come on TV.

But really, if you haven't seen this movie you need to stop reading and go watch it. It's on TV all the time this time of year and I'm sure you can find the whole thing on YouTube too. Really though, it's un-American. Which makes me think of something. For all those of you who are international readers, do they play this movie around Christmas in your neck of the woods?

When I was about 8 years old we ended up getting It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown. Doing some research it looks like this one is still only on VHS. Which is understandable. Although I loved spending another Christmas movie with Charlie Brown and crew, it just didn't have the magic that the original had.

So the bottom line? Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas this holiday. If you haven't seen it before, now is a good time to start.

Before I go, here's a bit of a Charlie Brown Christmas anecdote for you. When I was in 6th grade our elementary school decided to do A Charlie Brown Christmas for our winter play. I tried out for Lucy, but unfortunately didn't make it. I would have made a good Lucy. But one of the other girls already had the entire part memorized, and how can you compete with that?

Anyway, I digress. Although I didn't get my desired part, I DID end up in the play. Know which part I got? I was the Christmas tree. What Christmas tree you ask? You know. THIS one:
I've killed it...

Yeah. The scrawny one. My part consisted of standing in a corner of the stage until the end where I would "fall" over before getting spiffed up by the other characters. And I have a special treat for you. I only have one picture of me in my costume from this play. And I've decided to share it with all of you. But you have to promise not to laugh...

TA-DA! Sorry for the poor quality, it's a scan of my elementary school yearbook. Which is why there is also a banner behind my head. Yeah, my elementary school didn't have a huge yearbook budget. If you can't tell from the photo the costume consisted of a sandwich-board Christmas tree cutout shape and a cone hat. The back side was plain and had all these scraggly branches sticking out all over the place. And then as you can see, the front was all decorated with glitter and sequins to make it look like I had been decorated. So yes, I did spend most of the play with my back to the audience. Hey, it's a tough job, but someone had to do it. ;)

Anyway, anyone else out there count this among their favorite Christmas traditions? Leave me a comment and let me know!

8 comments:

Wrighty said...

I LOVE this show and it brings back such great memories! It was one of those favorites that you waited all year for (No VCRs, DVDs, TIVOs then - just one show, once a year) and it really meant that Christmas time was here.

It's so funny that you mentioned the tree. I was just getting ready to write a post about it. You can buy the Charlie Brown trees now for $9.99 at Walgreens! You can probably get them lots of places now but I hadn't seen them before this week when I was in the store. It's quirky, like the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, but where do you put it? And it's suppose to be a one-of-a-kind! I do love Charlie Brown... :)

ShadowsTomes said...

I guess I'm not cool. I've never watched any Charlie Brown! I might have to start this year so I can be awesome huh? :)

queen of entropy said...

I love A Charlie Brown Christmas! Its music is some of the most Christmas-y music there is, even though there's no actual words to it! It's a great movie. It was one of the three Christmas VHS tapes we had (Rudolph and Frosty were the others) so it's one of the Christmas movies I remember watching again and again as a child. :)

queen of entropy said...

PS: Kudos to you for including your elementary school yearbook photo of yourself as Charlie Brown's Christmas tree! If it makes you feel better, when I was in kindergarten I was cast as the mouse in the eighth graders' "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" school play - which means my entire part consisted of tiptoeing across the stage, curling up in front of the fireplace, and sleeping there for the rest of the play. Yeah.

Jenny N. said...

I guess I might have watched Charlie Brown when I was little but now I don't even remember what its about now. Might just watch it this year if I can catch it on TV.

brizmus said...

SO FUN! I also watch a Charlie Brown Christmas every December. I haven't done it yet this year, though. I think it's time to get around to that.
Love the adorable picture of you in the school play!

CeeCee said...

I'm in Australia and they do not play 'A charlie Brown Christmas' at all from what i've seen- I think I may have seen it once. Though it would be great if they did- Charlie and the Peanuts gang are much better than other TV shows.

Seahn

throuthehaze said...

That is so cute! I love Charlie Brown Christmas :)