The jolly truth behind “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Photo+Courtesy+of+ABC.com

Photo Courtesy of ABC.com

Diego Cruz, Reporter

It’s pretty clear that almost everyone who celebrates Christmas has seen the episode of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Well, many don’t realize what the true meaning is for Christmas.

The episode starts off with Charlie Brown and him saying that he is supposedly depressed. He explains that he doesn’t understand the true meaning of Christmas and what it is all about while other kids are having fun. The other kids then allow Charlie Brown to run the Christmas play and become the director.

He then gets help from his friend Lucy. She directs Charlie to find a big tree that represents Christmas for the play, he then comes back with a very small tree. This shows as a protest against trees being the commercialization of Christmas by bringing a real sapling tree rather than buying an aluminum tree that he was directed to come back with. This causes him to receive hate from his friends. As he tries handling this situation, his friend Linus goes up on stage and speaks about what he thinks the true meaning of Christmas is. His bible scripture quote was trying to explain that the meaning of Christmas is to show and praise love for the lord himself. After the speech, everyone listening was to the other children went to Charlie Brown’s tree and decided to decorate the tree to show that even a small tree can show the spirit of Christmas.

This story is a classic Christmas movie and shows what the true meaning of Christmas can be. Some things you may have not known is what the message the director is trying to spread in this 25 minute episode.

The short film was made by Charles M. Schulz. His goal in this film was to show everyone that a tree or different decorations don’t at all represent the true meaning of Christmas. With references to the Bible when Linus was explaining to the group of friends what his definition of a true meaning of Christmas is. This Christmas story gives viewers a sense of reality what the Christmas spirit is as well as taking in facts from religion.

For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

— Luke 2: 8-14

Although Schulz may have been trying to refer the meaning of Christmas in a religious way by quoting a Bible scripture, there is another way to explain what the holiday episode was trying to interpret. The theme Schulz manages to teach the viewers is that Christmas isn’t all about spending money for people and having a big tree and decorations. This can be shown when Charlie Brown picks up a small tree instead of a big aluminum one and after the kids listen to Linus’s speech, they accept Charlie’s decision of picking the smaller tree. He makes the story seem focused on teaching younger audiences the importance of the meaning of Christmas.

Especially with this time era right now, the importance of Christmas needs to be spread among kids and teenagers more evidently. Most kids and teenagers want money and expensive things for Christmas but applying the effect the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” carries with its meanings, it will give them a sense of reality on what the spirit of Christmas should be.

To wrap up the true meaning of the story, Schulz did an amazing job trying to spread his beliefs on the main idea of Christmas by giving different meanings such as a religious meaning and a more brief meaning from the story. All in all, the meaningful holiday film “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is one that speaks the truth behind Christmas spirit.