I am having an inordinately early Yule. And its not just the Andy Williams special reruns on PBS - though, bouy the Jaysus, them Osmonds can sing. I've got most of the shopping done. I've been to a Christmas concert already. I have worn a brighter sort of tie to work. Madness of the northern European winterfest sort has struck and the office party is not even until Friday.
I put it down to one thing. I know that tonight is A Charlie Brown Christmas night. I usually don't know. I turn the channel and catch the last 12 minutes, cursing my luck, or I miss it altogether after coming in from from a late meeting to be told how fun it was...as my frozen shoulders slump a little more. I can't think of another TV show that I have a stronger emotional link with so we do not watch it for the sake of the children - it's for my childhood. "Get out of the way", I'll shout if they pass for a moment before the screen. "Out! You're Out Of This Room NOW!" if they speak or even giggle. This is just about me as far I am a concerned. After all - it's Christmas and that is an animated drawing of Linus.
This year there appears to be an hour long version being shown, maybe interviews with the stars of the show that sort of thing. It's on at 8 but just to make sure turn on your TV at 7.
Comments
GR - December 6, 2005 8:49 AM
Glad to hear I am not the only one who MUST SEE Charlie Brown and Snoopy, or it just isn't Christmas. Last year I played the rather excellent soundtrack so often the wife was starting to make some dark threats....
She says I can play it once a day, but then again, when she's not around I can play it repeatedly, along with my Van Halen cassettes.
Alan - December 6, 2005 8:54 AM
That piano tune is the best and I am a little ticked that it has been licensed off for a TV car ad this year.
cm - December 6, 2005 9:24 AM
I missed the show itself, but I did catch the ad you're referring to. I wonder what Linus would have to say about it?
Alan - December 6, 2005 9:46 AM
No, it is tonight, cm, tonight. Little lisping Linus reading from St. Luke.
GR - December 6, 2005 12:07 PM
Yeah, that car ad stinks. What's next, Led Zeppelin on Cadillac ads???? Sting for Jaguar?? That will never happen!
Alan - December 6, 2005 1:08 PM
The Ramones for a cell phone...
Marian - December 6, 2005 2:16 PM
Surfin' on Heroin (Forgotten Rebels -- hey, everyone *has* forgotten them!) for Dristan?
We have the Vince Garibaldi CD as well. It's great. I also listen to the Von Trapp Family Christmas album called rather stupidly: "The Sound of Christmas" which before you jump all over it is nothing like the Sound of Mucous. It's just some nice old fashioned Viennese carol singing.
Today is Mikulás (pronounced me coup lash) Nap (which is a day where children receive one small gift in their shoes or a switch). In Hungary, there are two key Christmas figures: there is Mikulás (St. Nick) and Krampusz. St. Nick is a nice-ish tall thin guy who dresses in either red or white and gives out candies or presents. He also has a sidekick named Krampusz who punishes bad children by beating them or taking them away. It's interesting to see that Hungarians have not done away with badness completely as has been done in North America. Also, it's still possible to suggest in public that a bad child might get beaten (or taken away) which, as we know, is not possible in Canada. So that's how my yule is going. I've done some shopping and I'm herding my children towards a relatively tame (read domesticated) early childhood with these stories about good being rewarded and bad being punished though we are decidedly not in favour of beatings ourselves, of course (parenting is so ambiguous). Meanwhile, in my other life, I am thinking about an alternate and more altruistic virtue which precludes some if not all of this self-interest.
Marian - December 6, 2005 2:28 PM
I mean Vince Guaraldi.
cm - December 6, 2005 3:21 PM
Guess I'll be watching, even though it always makes me cry.
Five things about the show.
UknowWho - December 6, 2005 4:47 PM
I haven't -- Forgotten Rebels are 4ever - "Bomb the Boats, Feed the Fish".
SayNay? - December 6, 2005 10:04 PM
Don't concern myself with shopping until I accidently click through "It's A Wonderful Life" on two or more stations, simultaneously - then I realize it must be close - time to start.
Mike - December 6, 2005 10:15 PM
I watched Charlie Brown this evening; we probably enjoy it more every year.
The thing that aired in the second half hour, however, well, I guess my TV critic quote would be "utterly magic-less".
Alan - December 6, 2005 10:29 PM
We sent the kids to bed after the 1965 show. I guess there were 15 Peanuts shows with Guaraldi soundtracks and likely a bunch like thing that after.<p>Best line in the 1965 show? "Real Estate".
Alan - December 7, 2005 9:28 AM
Interesting to note as well that even though they said "new scenes" in some promotional stuff I saw that there was still the break in the initial dancing on the stage scene where the soundtrack takes a jump.