A Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic. Since its release in 1965, the TV special, along with the soundtrack composed by Vince Guaraldi, has become a staple in many households to celebrate the holidays.
Recently, Guaraldi’s soundtrack has gained a devoted following from my generation, the post-Millennial twenty-somethings known for their rampant cellphone usage. Due to its prevalence on social media, this album has become many youths’ introduction to jazz. As more people discover music through social media, as they begin to find and build communities around this art, we must look back to these pieces of art.
A Charlie Brown Christmas rails against the consumerist twinge that is ever-present during Christmas, a problem we, in the twenty-first century, know all too well.
Rewatching the special this year, I found sorrow in the words Charlie Brown said years ago. I seemed to lose the Christmas spirit. Learning the original voice of Charlie Brown died this year only made it even worse.
But, after hearing the refreshing soundtrack and remembering the memories I made watching this special as a child, I recovered the true meaning of Christmas.
It is a time to express the love we have for others; we cherish those who are here and mourn those who are not. Now that Christmas has come and gone, I begin to miss it and look forward to next year, but the love behind it all, the Christmas spirit, is still inside of me.
I’m Nick Glover, and that’s my perspective.
