Product: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Rating: 4.0
Commercialism VS Compassion
As with most of the PEANUTS episodes, we may find this more profound than we were expecting it to be.Charlie Brown is sad because Christmas is coming up: "I know no one likes me. Why do we need a holiday to emphasize it?" Whether we are willing to admit this or not, Charlie Brown's attitude towards Christmas here is quite common. Lucy seems to be just a bit nicer in this episode. She offers to help Charlie Brown find involvement by having him direct a Christmas play.From here, Charlie seems to get upset about the commercialized aspects of Christmas. (Even Sally wants $10.s and $20.s from Santa.) Later, we go to the play being rehearsed. Charlie feels that no one has the spirit of Christmas. (Though Charlie himself is not quite sure what it is.) The gang needs a tree, and Charlie and Linus go to get one. It is interesting that Linus all of a sudden backs Charlie's feelings: "Christmas is not only getting too commercial, it's getting too dangerous." They find a tree that looks on the frail side, but Charlie does not hesitate for a moment to pick it. It is interesting that Linus DOES NOT rebuke Charlie for his choice, but he DOES WARN Charlie that his choice may not be appreciated.(In other words, 'You're doing a nice thing, but don't expect to be popular for it.')Naturally, Charlie is mocked and scorned for his compassion rooted choice. At this point, Linus reveals the true meaning of Christmas. (A fragment of "Luke" 2:1-20 which is usually used for the Christmas mass.) This is when the gang starts to realize that Charlie did a wonderful thing (showing compassion) that kept with the spirit of Christmas.My one slight complaint is that a comment Linus makes at the start seems inconsistent with his character: "Charlie Brown, you're the only one I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem." Throughout the episode, Linus seems aware that Christmas has become too commercialized and in some ways has gotten dangerous. To say nothing of the true meaning being lost, and someone may be scorned (as Charlie Brown was) for trying to uphold the true meaning of Christmas.