RJ Writing Ink

On this day, a hundred years ago, a little boy was born in Minnesota. That boy held a lifelong interest in drawing, and as he got older, he got really good at it. So, after serving his country in World War II, that boy, now a man, decided to turn it into a career.

The man started drawing comic strips for newspapers, and over time, people began to take notice of him. Eventually, he asked a big comic strip syndicate if he could do a strip for them that everyone could see. They said yes, and on October 2nd, 1950, his strip appeared in seven newspapers across the country. It started out small, but it kept growing and growing as more people learned about it. 

As the years went by, the man continued to work on his strip, and more people started to like it. Eventually, his strip got adapted into dozens of animated specials watched by millions all over the world. Everyone loved what the man drew. He even got a pair of spaceships named after two of his characters. The man became more successful than he ever thought possible.

The man loved drawing his strip, so much so that he kept doing it for fifty years. But eventually, the man grew old and tired, like many people do. Thus, he finally decided to retire…but he never got to enjoy it. He died hours before the final strip was published in thousands of newspapers worldwide. 

That man’s name was Charles Schulz, and the strip he created was named Peanuts.

Happy birthday, Charles Schulz!

Click here to see the tributes done to the late Charles Schulz 

Jay’s Month of Screams, Day 22- Peanuts

Today’s choice for a Halloween special is by no means scary. Nonetheless, it’s so well-known that watching it is as big a Halloween tradition as Trick-Or-Treating. I’m talking, of course, about the Halloween classic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Ever since it first aired back in 1966, the Great Pumpkin has aired every Halloween. It’s one of the first Halloween specials I ever remember seeing, and as a big Peanuts fan as a kid, it holds a special place in my heart. I daresay it, but next to A Charlie Brown Christmas, the Great Pumpkin’s the most famous Peanuts special.

Linus’ Annual Struggle

Most of us know the plot, so I won’t bother trying to avoid spoilers. We know how Linus spends Halloween night in a pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin. Nonetheless, he refuses to give up on seeing the Great Pumpkin. We know Linus’ engaging in an exercise of futility, yet we can’t help but admire his determination. 

The nature of the Great Pumpkin’s debated by scholars and philosophers for years now. Some see it as symbolic of unshakable belief, while others see it as an example of people believing in something foolish. Charles Schulz, though, says there’s a greater meaning to the Great Pumpkin. He thought it would be funny for a kid to confuse aspects of Halloween and Christmas, which are both popular in America. I think Schulz’s right, that we’re over-thinking things, and yes, I do find it amusing. Flying Ace Snoopy

Flying Ace Snoopy

The real reason I keep coming back to a special I’ve memorized by heart, though, is Snoopy. I loved Snoopy as a kid, and so did many kids growing up. Watching his various antics in the Charlie Brown specials was half their appeal, and the Great Pumpkin is his most memorable appearance. 

World War One Flying Ace scene’s one of the best moments in the history of animation and my favorite part of the special. It only uses moving backgrounds and changing colors, but its simplicity is incredibly effective at attracting viewer’s eyes.

I Love The Great Pumpkin

I’ve seen the Great Pumpkin special several hundred times now, and I’ve memorized every part of it. Yet it’s the special that I keep coming back to every Halloween. It may not have the same appeal as an adult, at times, but I enjoy the nostalgia. In addition, I can pass that love on to my kids one day. So whether you believe in the Great Pumpkin or not, Happy Halloween, everyone!

Click here to see the FANDOM Article I did for Halloween last year. Click here to see my other animation stuff. Or here to see all holiday related posts.

Growing up, A Charlie Brown Christmas had always been a staple of Christmastime, as it was with many kids in America. This special, alongside It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, is what introduced me to the Peanuts. I actually went through a phase in my childhood where I read, watched, and played anything related to the Peanuts. But I think I like their Christmas Specials the most out of all of them. There are, in fact, more than one, like Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales.

I actually missed most of this year’s broadcast of A Charlie Brown Christmas, but I was able to watch the follow up, Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales. It’s not as classic as the first Peanuts Christmas Special, being released in 2002, but it’s still a fun little special to watch. 

There is no overarching plot to the special: it’s just the kids and animals preparing for Christmas. But I think this actually works to its advantage. It hearkens back to the comic strip from which Peanuts was born. It’s Peanuts at its simplest, but also it’s most entertaining.

Peanuts Are the Best

I will always like Peanuts, and I hope that they manage to stick around for a long, long time. This is a brief blog, but that is because I don’t think I can say anything that hasn’t already been said about the Peanuts. I like Charlie Brown, and no matter how many times I may see his specials, I will always want to watch them once more when the holidays come around. They are timeless classics and staples of the American Holiday Season.

I hope that Charlie Brown and his friends stay popular well into the future, as they help to tie generations of people together through a common interest. And if The Peanuts Movie proved anything, its that the gang still has some stories left to spare. Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

Click here to see my other animation stuff. Or here to see all holiday related posts!