It's very difficult to choose a favorite among them, but I can narrow the list down based on what was near and dear to me as a kid. We used to have this VHS tape that had three Christmas specials taped from some grainy-tastic early-'90s cable: How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowman. I would watch it practically every Christmas Eve (most notably giggling with delight when the Grinch appropriately declared, "Tomorrow is Christmas. It's practically here!").
Those are all favorites, and I love them. But I also love A Charlie Brown Christmas.
The version we had wasn't a tidied-up, store-bought VHS. It was a hastily-taped endeavor that was an addendum to our taped-off-the-TV version of The Wizard of Oz (are you sensing a theme here?), but I watched it like it was my job, often incorporating it into the trilogy of also-taped-off-the-TV versions mentioned above on Christmas Eve.
You've got to love A Charlie Brown Christmas. There's something for everyone here, whether you like your Christmas specials to have a bit of scripture-reading going on, or whether you like the smooth, rich sounds of the Vince Guaraldi Trio rocking out some "Linus and Lucy."
Perhaps you just tend to identify with ol' Chuck, who has a chronic sense of emptiness regarding the holiday season.
"I don't know, Linus. I know it's all about the 'Christmas spirit,' but if I have to hear The Band Perry sing '25 Days of Christmas' one more time, I might hurt myself and everyone I care about."
Spoiler alert: Charlie Brown decides that Christmas is really all about all that awesome stuff Linus quoted from the book of Luke, Snoopy wins first prize in the lights and display contest, and the little scrubby tree Charlie Brown adopts suddenly grows a lot of branches and ornaments as soon as his "friends" realize he wasn't such a total blockhead after all. Cue a rousing rendition of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," roll credits, and there you go.
Biblical citations, witticisms out of the mouths of kids ("If it seems too complicated, just make it easy on yourself. How about tens and twenties?"), jazz piano, warm fuzzies about being nice to people, down-with-hypercommercialized-America themes - there's something for everyone here.
Oh, and Snoopy. I can't forget Snoopy. His "bleah" noise will perk me out of any bad mood at any time, any day.
Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas when you get the opportunity. Don't overlook those little scrubby, unnoticed trees on the lot (and by "trees on the lot," I mean "people at the grocery store checkout"). Don't let the over-commercialized American Christmas get your spirits down. Don't forget to give your therapist a nickel.
And most importantly, don't forget to take the time for a DANCE BREAK WOOHOO.
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