OP-ED: Peanuts Thanksgiving special still delivers important message
The unkickable football, the skimpy (but meaningful) Christmas tree and the Great Pumpkin are all reminders of Charlie Brown.
As families celebrate Thanksgiving, many in a different way than they’d prefer, today day is also designated Good Grief Day, to honor Charles M. Schulz, creator of “Peanuts.”
The comic strip starring Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and their cast of friends was the inspiration for iconic holiday cartoon specials that have spanned generations, warming viewers’ hearts with messages of hope and love in the face of challenges.
Schulz, an Army veteran, wrote “Peanuts” for five decades, telling the tales of Charlie Brown and his pals in a comic that was syndicated in over 2,600 newspapers worldwide.
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” was the 10th prime-time animated special based on “Peanuts,” and originally aired in 1973.
The characters famously dine on pretzel sticks, popcorn, jelly beans and ice cream before heading to Charlie Brown’s grandmother’s for a more traditional dinner.
In a speech before the junk-food dinner, blanket-loving Linus talks of the first Thanksgiving:
“In the year 1621, the Pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving feast. They invited the great Indian chief Massasoit, who brought 90 of his brave Indians and a great abundance of food. Gov. William Bradford and Captain Miles Standish were honored guests. Elder William Brewster, who was a minister, said a prayer that went something like this: ‘We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land. We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world for freedom and justice.'”
This year, the pandemic likely created a number of first-time Thanksgiving cooks as public health officials urge people to stay home and avoid family gatherings with those who don’t live in their homes.
The special is a nice reminder that the day isn’t about what ultimately ends up in your belly; it’s about remembering there are bigger- picture things for which we should be thankful.
Incidentally, Apple TV+, which has the rights to “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” is airing the special for free through Nov. 27.
Jennifer Garofalo is managing editor of the Uniontown Herald-Standard.