Watching A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a tradition for millions since it first aired on December 9, 1965. While many love the iconic Vince Guaraldi score, the humor and the animation, one part of the special has always stood out and made it unique: Linus’s recitation of the Gospel of Luke.
In 2015, The Washington Post published a retrospective on A Charlie Brown Christmas. Michael Cavna explained Peanuts creator Charles Schulz’s mission in making the special:
Charles Schulz insisted on one core purpose: A Charlie Brown Christmas had to be about something. Namely, the true meaning of Christmas. Otherwise, Schulz said, “Why bother doing it?” To Coca-Cola’s credit, Mendelson says, the corporate sponsor never balked at the idea of including New Testament passages. The result — Linus’s reading from the Book of Luke about the meaning of the season — became “the most magical two minutes in all of TV animation,” the producer says.
Schulz stood strong, despite efforts to talk him out of quoting from the Bible. On December 5, 2005, USA Today recounted:
[Executive producer Lee] Mendelson and animator Bill Melendez fretted about the insistence by Peanuts creator Charles Schulz that his first-ever TV spinoff end with a reading of the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke by a lisping little boy named Linus. "We told Schulz, 'Look, you can't read from the Bible on network television,' " Mendelson says. "When we finished the show and watched it, Melendez and I looked at each other and I said, 'We've ruined Charlie Brown.' "
According to a recounting on MentalFloss.com, CBS executives told Schulz: “You can't read from the Bible on network television.”
Mental Floss writer Kara Kovalchik recounted what happened next:
But CBS had made a commitment to their sponsor, so they aired the special as scheduled on December 9, 1965. And, as often happens in the world of entertainment, the original gut reaction of the suits was completely wrong. A Charlie Brown Christmas drew in 15.4 million viewers, placing it second in the ratings that week after Bonanza. A few months later, Charles Schulz and Lee Mendelson found themselves onstage accepting an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program.
And so, the Charlie Brown creator persevered and created a Christmas classic that endures 52 years later.
In case you don’t remember the iconic moment, here it is:
It’s been more than 50 years since Charlie Brown’s Christmas became a holiday staple, a tradition passed down from one generation to the next. And no matter how much older fans get, the Peanuts Gang all remain frozen in time, perpetually 10-years-old—which may actually be a good thing. It’s a few years old, but the folks at Animation Domination on YouTube have imagined a Charlie Brown Christmas Reunion, set 20 years after the original. Well, it isn’t pretty.
Linus is a hoarder (and possible serial killer), Snoopy’s dead (because no dog on earth ever lives to be 20), Marcy and Peppermint Pattie are crazy cat ladies bemoaning the horrors of HPV, Pigpen is homeless and living out of his car, and Lucy is suffering from “Double Ds” (divorce and diabetes). It’s enough to make a guy want to off himself!
Give A Charlie Brown Christmas Reunion a spin below and let us know what you think in the Comments section! Hopefully, your day turns out better than this one. From all of us here at Horror Freak News: Merry Christmas!
Official Synopsis: The family’s favorite Christmas rerun is back. Celebrate the Holidays by catching up with the Peanuts gang, Louis CK style.
Writer: Heather Anne Campbell
Storyboard Director: Sean Solomon
Music/Composition: Mark Rivers
Voice Talent: Johnny Pemberton, Stephanie Allynne, Heather Anne Campbell, Brendan Hunt, Liz Beebe
Animation: Garrett Davis, Sean Glaze/LordSpew, Sean Solomon, Matt Marblo, Ben Holm
Design: John Pham, Sean Solomon, Ben Holm, Amanda Winterstein, Erin Kavanaugh, Miranda Tacchia
Editor: Al LeVine
About Animation Domination on YouTube: Animation Domination High-Def is a block of cartoons premiering on 1/22 at midnight on FXX & all over the Internet all the time for people that don’t have time to wait for their TV – who does anymore. Not me. Hi YouTubers I love you! Let’s touch the screen together. Ok now let’s kiss. Hi!
This image has been removed at the request of its copyright owner
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Complete with Linus' blanket and the lone ornament, this Peanuts Charlie Brown Christmas tree will remind you what's really important for years to come.
PRODUCT FEATURES
Christmas tree adds festive cheer.
Linus' blanket at base lends charm.
Durable construction ensures lasting use.
PRODUCT DETAILS
24''H x 8.875''W x 8.875''D
Plastic/wood/metal
Spot clean
Assembly required
Manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty
For warranty information please click here
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