"Lights Please."

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Linus Van Pelt (Luke 2:8-14)

That's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown

#15 of 31 Things I Love About Christmas: A Charlie Brown Christmas.

That speech has got to be, bar none, my favorite moment of any Christmas special. Maybe even. The Greatest Christmas Special Of All Time.

CBS first aired the special on 12/9/65 (the 2nd longest running Christmas special, only behind Rudolph, according to my quick consideration) and it has been a fixture on network TV ever since. This was the 1st televised Peanuts special. Grand. Slam.

This special always has a warm and cozy feel to it. There is a timeless magic in this special that only grows deeper as the Christmas pass. Like many of the great cartoons, the kids laugh and enjoy what they see, the adults laugh and enjoy because of what they here and it is only once you are old enough to understand the message that it all begins to fit.

The soundtrack to said special is mandatory listening on Christmas eve. I look over to my right and look at our official Charlie Brown Christmas tree, only missing the blue blanket, my Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Linus, Woodstock and Snoopy stuffed dolls, and consider the Charlie Brown Nativity Scene I would like to pick up after the post Christmas sales. This special has struck a deep nerve with me and folks all around the globe.

There are scenes that elicit the same laughs and smiles this special gave me as a kid. Scenes that have become the stuff of legend. This, like all the great specials of the past, look simple and dated now. But therein lies the charm. Poor Chuck watches everyone around him get sucked in by the commercial beast Christmas has become, and he struggles to celebrate Christmas in a way that seems right to him and he then asks in a fit of desperation "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"

Insert Linus' speech of a lifetime. In 2011, that scene would have NEVER made it onto network TV. I'm waiting for the networks to cut this speech out. Just waiting for it....

After that, it all comes together. Chuck comes to grip with what Christmas has become, but is still able to keep the deep spirit of how it used to be alive.

That's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.