Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Thankfulness Challenge - Day 25

Tomorrow is the most annoying day on the planet. It’s the day that ABC shows A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (at 8/7 central). While I love Charles Schulz and the care, love, and creativity he gave to his Peanut characters I have to admit my least favorite of all the Peanuts TV specials is the Thanksgiving one.


It completely stresses me out, Peppermint Patty is a bitch, everyone is mean to Snoopy, Charlie Brown needs to be punched in the face, and why in the world is Linus even involved? The gist of the story, cause I think at this point in the game there are no spoilers, Peppermint Patty finds out that she isn’t going to get Thanksgiving Dinner, and invites herself and Marcie over to Charlie Brown’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. Charlie Brown, who is planning to go to his grandmother’s with his family, stampers and has no backbone to say hey Peppermint Patty get your own turkey I’m not going to be home! Then for some reason Linus is all don’t worry I’ll help you then bosses Snoopy and Woodstock around for the rest of the show and never once appears to appreciate it. Then as they are getting ready for Peppermint Patty and Marcie, Peppermint Patty calls and says hey Franklin is going to come too cause that totally makes sense. Charlie Brown again instead of saying um ..yeah no … just says come on over. Then tells his “crew” hey set another chair while I walk around being completely useless. Then Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Franklin, Charlie Brown, Sally, sit down to dinner (I can’t remember if Lucy was there) and then Peppermint Patty has the audacity to complain about the dinner that Snoopy and Woodstock prepared for them. At that moment instead of Charlie Brown saying you know what you stupid bitch I didn’t even want you to come over, I had plans and now you are going to be mean to my DOG and his bird friend who made you dinner ? You know what get out just get out now! …. No he didn’t do any of that. He got so upset, was mean to Snoopy and walked away from the table. Sulking about how “stupid” he was. I’ve never hated him more in my life then at that moment. Then Peppermint Patty goes to apologize to CHARLIE BROWN … not Snoopy but “Chuck.” Then as the two of them are having a moment Charlie Brown’s grandma calls to say what time they need to come over and he’s all but my friends are here so I don’t think we can come and she’s all bring em so they all pack up into the station wagon and leave Snoopy and Woodstock behind. They then sit down and have a proper quiet dinner and finally seem happy. Then it goes off as Charlie and his friends are singing “To Grandmother’s House We Go.”

So as you can tell it’s my least favorite Peanuts special. I usually end up watching it anyway but by the end of it feel like I need a drink or a nerve pill. Over the years watching my family Thanksgiving dinners I’ve come to see the genius that is Charles Schulz. Peppermint Patty is the auntie who invites herself to dinner, not cause she really wants to be there but because it’s Thanksgiving and she feels like she should.  Charlie Brown is the family member who wants to please everyone not matter how it makes him feel. Snoopy is the mom who slaved over a hot stove/oven to very little appreciation. Linus is the family member who comes in and takes over hoping that the day will go smoother with their direction but not really helping anything actually come together. Charles Schulz perfectly captures the feelings and thoughts of a Thanksgiving dinner and placed it into a children’s program. Even at the end with the kids singing as they drive to Grandma’s is perfect cause no matter what’s going on in the house the kids usually have a blast and never realize there was tension.

I’m thankful that as an Adult I can fully see the genius that is Charles Schulz and where he was going with this story and thankful that he’s taught me how to act on Thanksgiving through it. So sit down tomorrow night and enjoy A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving at 8/7 central on ABC and then on Thanksgiving Day take a moment to tell the cook thank you, to tell the host you appreciate them letting you come over, and give thanks for having a place to go and people to be with. Then have a drink.

PS have you heard ... there's going to be a new Peanuts movie this time next year ! I'm so excited !!!
 
 
--Marcy

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