BY RALPH COUEY
STARSHIPPACIFICA@HOTMAIL.COM
Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year.
– Vince Guaraldi.
In 1965, CBS debuted an animated Christmas show starring the characters of Charles Schulz’s wildly popular comic strip “Peanuts.”
The premise was familiar, a tale of how the true spirit of Christmas is hijacked by ego, greed and materialism.
The animation, while colorful, was simple, and compared to today’s computer capabilities, downright primitive.
Yet, 44 years later, the show still touches hearts.
For a month, we are blitzed by a plethora of holiday-themed shows.
Some good, most probably should have been left in the can.
But “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is not just a television program.
It is a call to the conscience, a reminder that in the head-long rush between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, we need to stop, take a breath, and seriously consider the true motivation for the celebration:
The birth of Jesus Christ.
For many, the season has degenerated into an excessive indulgence of material gain, and quid pro quo gifting, starting with that long, cold morning of Black Friday.
But Christmas is so much more.
It is a time for redemption, forgiveness, generosity and love – the things that give our lives depth and meaning.
In the story, Charlie Brown longs for a Christmas with sincerity, instead of the glitz and gimme he sees.
He takes control of the Christmas play, hoping to produce a meaningful experience for the cast and audience, only to see his dreams hijacked by those of shallow mind and vacant spirit.
At the climactic part of this drama, the everyman Charlie Brown, drowning in the insincerity of those around him, cries out in anguish, “Isn’t there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?”
In the breathless silence that follows, Linus responds:
“Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you. Lights, please.”
With that, the world’s smallest and arguably most famous philosopher and theologian walks to the center of the stage, security blanket in hand, and faces the empty auditorium. In a voice that still resonates deep within us all, he speaks:
“And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
“And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not! For behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
“And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’
“And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
“ ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace; good will toward men.’ ”
As the echoes of his voice fades, Linus turns to his friend and in a voice soft with compassion and understanding, says:
“That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
We all need that moment, that reminder.
It is, after all, love that fulfills, not video games, laptops, big-screen televisions, jewelry, or cashmere socks.
We could have a mansion full of material goods and still feel empty inside.
The things of man are temporary.
Technology breaks or becomes obsolete. Clothes wear out and jewelry becomes tarnished. But the love of God, as expressed through the gift of his son, Jesus, is forever.
This year, as you pass out the gifts, take the time to communicate your love and friendship.
As 9/11 so starkly taught us, life is uncertain; none of us knows how many days we have left.
Christmas is an opportunity for us to tell others why we value them.
Don’t wait for “later.” Take this opportunity. Celebrate Christmas the way it was meant.
With your heart.
Editor’s note: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” airs locally at 8 tonight on Channels 4 and 23.
