Why A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Appeals To Me Even Though I'm Not A Big Fan Of The Holiday
For those of us in the United States, Thanksgiving is upon us once again. It’s pretty safe to assume that most people are busy researching when to start defrosting their turkeys or preparing themselves to deal with distant family members. Whatever the case, you may not be thrilled about the Turkey Day celebrations. I can’t say I blame you. In my opinion, the holiday has always lacked the festive spirit so many other holidays have. I’ll spare you the details as to why, but I’m just not a fan of the food and football-driven celebration. I’m not a total Grinch (or whatever this holiday's alternative is), though. I do find some joy in it, especially when it comes to A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving — which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
It’s no secret I’m a fan of the Charles M. Schulz-produced cartoon characters I think It’s The Great Pumpkin is a must-watch during Halloween even though it no longer airs on TV. Despite the fact that it highlights the boring and somewhat problematic holiday, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (which you can still watch) continues to deliver on the zany shenanigans of the Peanuts gang, which is just one of the reasons why I watch it year after year.
The Entire TV Special Is A Masterclass In Miscommunication
Nothing represents a holiday get-together better than a miscommunication. In my opinion, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving absolutely nails the trope.
The 25-minute production begins with Lucy’s iconic football gag, but the actual story starts when Charlie Brown gets a call from Peppermint Patty. Alone on Thanksgiving, she invites herself over to his house for dinner (one that he had no idea he was supposed to host). To make matters worse, she invites several of their classmates to the impromptu gathering, stressing him out.
Of course, Patty is disappointed by how the gathering turns out, but she has no one to blame for that but herself. And that's a fact she learns at the end of the cartoon.
I think many of us have a family member (or two) like Peppermint Patty, who may invite themself over at the worst possible times. That theme is part of what makes this holiday special so entertaining. To put it simply, it's fun to laugh at Charlie Brown’s dilemma (while possibly avoiding our own complicated plans).
There’s Not A Turkey In Sight At The Dinner Table
While Snoopy and Woodstock do devour a turkey at the end of the story, the actual friend gathering doesn’t feature one. Instead, the Peanuts gang gathers in Charlie Brown’s backyard and are welcomed to a miscellaneous feast put together by the aforementioned beagle. Buttered toast, popcorn, pretzels, and a handful of jelly beans are plated and passed around, with no turkey or cranberries in sight!
This might seem like an odd reason to love A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, but it’s honestly the biggest reason I keep watching every year. Something about eating the same foods as a majority of other families on the same day has always grossed me out. It’s probably why my own family meals on the holiday often deviate from the turkey or ham festivities. We often opt for less traditional meals (with pizza often being our feast of choice). All in all, the mismatched Peanuts feast always makes me feel represented in some weird way.
Charlie Brown’s Dry Humor Still Makes Me Laugh
The Peanuts franchise's brand of humor isn’t for everyone, but it certainly works for me. It’s a shame about the former point, because of Charlie Brown's ability to nail his dry-witted jokes in this holiday special.
Toward the end of the special, Brown’s grandmother invites all his friends to her house for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. As the gang piles into the car, they start singing “Over the River and Through the Woods.” It’s a cute moment that comes to a hilarious end when Charlie informs them all that the song is incorrect because his grandmother “lives in a condominium.” Oh, painfully literal Charlie Brown, how I love you.
It’s a joke that definitely went over my head as a kid, as most dry humor did. But now that I’m older, I appreciate it so much and practically tune in just to hear him deliver that line. This element is just one of the many reasons why I think this small-screen tradition remains a timeless classic that can be enjoyed by even those who aren't into Turkey Day like myself.
Unfortunately, as A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and other Peanuts holiday specials won’t be airing on TV again (despite fans petitioning to get them back), but active Apple TV+ subscribers can catch the special which is streaming now. If you're not yet a subscriber, maybe you should be since there are some great shows on the streaming service, including Ted Lasso.
