Jingle Bells in a Minor Key: Advent #11

In 1965, CBS nearly pulled the Charlie Brown Christmas special because they believed that people would be turned off by a scene that sees Linus recite from Luke: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” He recites the gospel to comfort Charlie Brown, who has sunk into an existential and spiritual pit of despair as he searches for the ‘true meaning of Christmas’ amid all the commercial noise. Shy little Linus walks to the centre of the stage and, lit by a single spotlight, tells us ancient stories of a star and a baby who carried the hopes of the universe on his tiny newborn shoulders.

Christmas and the faith that underpins the Nativity is a beautiful enigma, aside from the central story of family and belonging (and weren’t Mary and Joseph searching for sanctuary for the birth of their son?) The Nativity is a story that sets an example: it espouses welcoming hearts, tolerance and peaceful acceptance. Linus knew this.

Fossicking around on Youtube, I came across a piece of film from Peanuts, set to Joni Mitchell’s The River. It nearly killed me, in part because I am not a fan of Mitchell at all and it is always startling to have one’s musical worldview challenged. The poignant genius of Jon Mitchell’s song is amplified by the power of ten when combined with stars and a skating dog. As someone in the comments says: “Could we make this song sadder? Apparently adding a dog will do it.” Listen to that minor key as the song closes. Jingle bells in a minor key is so very apropos for this year, isn’t it?

The original soundtrack of Charlie Brown’s Christmas is by Bay Area jazz artist Vince Guaraldi and it has become one of the best-selling jazz albums in history. I listen to it every December.

The other thing I do is visit my Bookshelf of Kitsch to seek out my copy of the Peanuts Holiday Cookbook and its recipes for Snoopy’s Gingerbread Doghouse, Slingshot Snowballs, Yule (Regret It) Log (what a fab-U-lous name -as Craig Revel-Horwood might say), and Kite-Eating Treebark.

(Americans do love a bark recipe and we’re catching on.) I’ve included three screenshots below. But you need this book. Peace to you all.