Last night, before I put Ashton down to sleep, we started a new Christmas tradition in our household: we watched a brief television special that I purchased on Blu-ray DVD. At the beginning, a song I hadn’t heard in years played as the television special opened. My eyes started to water just a little bit before I regained my composure and spent the next 25 minutes or so taking in a moment from Christmas past. The song, if you haven’t clicked on the aforementioned link, is “Christmas Time Is Here”, which was performed by the choristers from the San Rafael St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The television special: well, that brings me to this week’s moment in the Flashback Friday series: A Charlie Brown Christmas.
How I first came across this moment? I first came across the special way back in my youth. If I’m being safe, I’d say December 1992 is when I first took note. It was part of the rotation of Christmas television specials, alongside Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Garfield Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, A Goof Troop Christmas, and Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too.
What it meant to me then? Back then, it just meant that Christmas was near. This particular special only came on in early-to-mid December about 1-2 weeks before Christmas Day.
What it means to me now? As a now 36-year-old man, this particular television special resonates. I mentioned how my eyes started to water a little bit. The lyrics to that song get me every time…that whole “Christmas time is here/Happiness and cheer/Fun for all that children call/Their favorite time of the year” part does something to my soul. Anyway, the special is still special. Linus’ “annunciation to the shepherds” is still one of my favorite scenes in all of television.
