By Kelly Boggs, special to the Baptist Message
DALLAS (LBM) — “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the beloved animated television program, turns sixty this year, and it is hard to imagine that it almost did not air.
Network executives thought it moved too slowly for a Christmas special. They also were convinced that the absence of a laugh track, a staple of 1960-era comedies, would be the kiss of death. To further complicate matters, the man behind the cast of animated characters insisted upon using real kids for the voiceovers, and as a result, only a couple of the children who were cast had any acting experience.
However, what most concerned the executives at CBS was the religious content. The climax of the 30-minute program focused on a main character quoting Scripture, and the executive producer insisted that the Bible could not be read on network television. But the creator of what has become a Christmas classic staunchly refused to edit or otherwise water down the content.
Despite network executives’ concerns, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” made its television debut on Thursday, Dec. 9, 1965. The result: More than 15 million homes tuned in and it captured nearly half of the possible audience. Indeed, the week it aired, the show was No. 2 in the ratings (behind the long-running western, “Bonanza”), and it went on to win critical acclaim (an Emmy Award for outstanding children’s program and a Peabody Award for excellence in programming).
CBS broadcast chiefs were stunned about the program’s success. In fact, Lee Mendelson, executive producer of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” once told USA Today, “When I started reading the reviews, I was shocked…. They actually liked it.”
This year marks the 60th anniversary of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” that features the Peanuts characters created by Charles Schultz. The storyline decries the crass commercialization that characterizes too much of American Christmas and extols the real “reason for the season” — and after six decades it continues to be popular.
The so-called experts are still scratching their collective heads over the success of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and explanations for the show’s longevity abound. Some suggest the popularity is due to the genius of Schultz and the popularity of the characters he created. Others insist that it is the craving for nostalgia of the baby-boom generation that fuels the seasonal success of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” However, contrary to the expert speculation, I believe the popularity of Charles Schultz’s story about the round-headed boy’s search for the true meaning of Christmas runs deeper than superficial sentiment for characters or the desire to reminisce. I contend that the success of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is anchored in truth.
In a society that struggles with the concept of absolute truth, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” dares to declare the truth that the only reason for the Christmas season is the birth of Jesus Christ. When Charlie Brown shouts in desperation, “Isn’t there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?” his friend Linus responds, “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you.” and takes center stage to quote verbatim the King James Version of Luke 2:8-14. With simple eloquence, the blanket-clutching character unashamedly announces, “For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
Linus’s response stands in stark contrast to a popular culture that does its best to ignore the Guest of Honor during His own celebration. Moreover, Linus’s words ensure that the message of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the supernatural reality that God sent His only begotten Son into the world so the world might through Him be saved.
During the sixty years since Charles Schultz first communicated the simple truth of Christmas through his beloved Peanuts characters, American culture has grown even more secular. However, the hearts of individuals still yearn for truth and meaning. Fortunately, in the secular desert that characterizes much of the American Christmas experience, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is an oasis of truth — and year after year, it offers thirsty souls a refreshing drink of profound truth that God became a man in order to redeem mankind.
Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!
Kelly Boggs is a former executive editor of the Baptist Message, 2006-2015.
