Saturday, November 28, 2009

Snowflakes in the air

Nostalgia time at the Johnny Pez blog. For me, the one thing that says Christmas more than anything else is hearing "Christmastime Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas. I'm old enough to remember when CBS showed it every December back in the 60s. Along with the actual opening of presents Christmas morning, seeing this show was one of the high points of the season for me.

More recently, I was driving back to Newport from Philadelphia on the morning of November 3, 2004. I had spent the previous three days in Philadelphia working to get out the vote for John Kerry, and by the time I crossed the Rhode Island state line enough returns had come in to make it clear that Kerry had lost. I was pretty damn depressed, by the loss as well as by the knowledge that I'd have to report for work at Wal-Mart at 9AM. Then this song came on the radio, and for a moment I was a child again watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, and that helped to lift my spirits a little.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another blog I frequent recently got into a comparison of UK and US popular Christmas music and I was shocked, shocked I tell you, that we have nothing in common here.

One day I really must get around to watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special or whatever it's called.

Johnny Pez said...

I should mention that hearing "Christmastime Is Here" on the radio is unusual. It's not one of the more popular Christmas songs. And I honestly can't say whether you would enjoy "A Charlie Brown Christmas".

Rammi said...

At least the X Factor winning single won't be your Christmas No. 1.

Anonymous said...

Well, to be honest, I've always found Charlie Brown quite starkly depressing, which is why I haven't watched it before. But then I haven't sen the Grinch at Christmas either. Or a Wonderful Life.

Johnny Pez said...

In that case, be sure to avoid "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". "Starkly depressing" pretty much sums it up. Snoopy even gets shot down by the Red Baron.