‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ spotlights struggles of those who just don’t mesh with the holiday

It’s a crisp December evening, and I’m huddled in bed with a cup of warm tea as Vince Guaraldi’s delightful jazz piano rendition of “Christmas Time Is Here” fills the air with warmth. The time has come to relish my favorite holiday tradition: rewatching the iconic 1965 television special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

“Peanuts” holiday specials — with their witty dialogue, evocative music and lovely portrayals of childhood curiosity — are a great source of nostalgia for many Americans. They are a quintessential snapshot of 20th-century cartoon and television culture and the anticipation that came with the changing seasons. 

However, for me, the 30-minute “A Charlie Brown Christmas” has come to take on an entirely different significance — one that isn’t rooted in nostalgia or fond childhood memories, but in the lack thereof.

“I think there must be something wrong with me,” a morose Charlie Brown confides in his friend Linus as the opening credits roll away. “I just don’t understand Christmas.”

And neither do I. Christmas was never a major occasion for me growing up in India, and when I moved to the United States in 2018, the holiday fever was one of the biggest culture shocks I experienced. Christmas magic, an essential part of American childhood, has always felt alien to me. I’ve never felt the thrill of fighting off sleep on Christmas Eve, of watching “Polar Express” with classmates (I’m told that’s a core elementary school memory), of waking up to full stockings by the fireplace and of giant Christmas family reunions à la “Home Alone.” Most of my Christmas memories involve waiting around in airports for a convenient flight on the 24th.

So when Charlie Brown complained about not “getting” Christmas, I found myself in wholehearted agreement. The special does a brilliant job of highlighting both sides of American Christmas culture: Charlie’s main gripe with Christmas is the ugly commercialism taking over the holiday magic like his little sister Sally sending a greedy letter begging for a catalog of gifts from Santa. His disillusionment with Christmas brings about skepticism from the rest of the gang. Conversely, the episode’s tone presents Christmas as a magical experience and Charlie’s aversion to it as an obstacle he must overcome by directing the annual play.

The episode itself is a masterpiece of cartoon television, with simple yet dynamic hand-drawn animation, a lovable cast of characters and one of the best soundtracks to grace television. But Charlie Brown, the most misunderstood and mistreated character of them all, is the one who resonates the most with me. 

As someone who’s admittedly never felt the childhood Christmas spirit, it’s heartening to see a protagonist going through the same experience — not a hatred of the holiday season, like the Grinch or Scrooge, but a disconnectedness from the “Christmas magic” the holiday is so famous for. 

So what does Charlie Brown do? He makes his own magic.

This is what makes the episode so poignant: Within the playful childhood dynamics of the Peanuts gang lies a much deeper message about rejecting the idea that there’s a “right” way to celebrate Christmas. For Charlie Brown, that means turning away from commercialization by bringing the gang together and decorating their own tree to revive the spirit of community. For me, it means creating my own traditions, whether it’s buying myself a present or rewatching my favorite Christmas movies. 

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” is one of the most important episodes of Christmas-related media — and not just for me. Despite being just a children’s cartoon, it’s an iconic piece of television history well ahead of its time and its target audience. Its themes of consumerism, seasonal depression and social isolation are timeless — what resonated with audiences in the ‘60s remains even more relevant today. And whether or not you see yourself in Charlie Brown and his gang, their misadventures are always a delight to experience. 

But if you’re like me, and you have a complicated relationship with Christmas, I encourage you to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special. It might just inspire you to create your own beautiful traditions.