SPOILER ALERT with Jimmy Nichols

Thankful for this Tradition

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, but it is typically overshadowed by Christmas. This is evident at retail stores that are starting holiday deals, radio stations that are starting to play Christmas songs and houses putting up decorations. 

There is nowhere that shows the shadow cast by Christmas over Thanksgiving better than in film. Hundreds of movies and specials to watch about Santa coming to town or a Hallmark movie where the big-shot corporate woman falls in love with the small-town man, but there are very few Thanksgiving films. 

One of the very few centered on the holiday is “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” It has two stories with both teaching lessons about the purpose of the holiday. 

Growing up, my family would watch the three Charlie Brown holiday specials every year. Each one had its own rituals and times when we had to watch it. 

For the Thanksgiving special, my mom and I would watch it on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving because the day of Thanksgiving was reserved for the Macy’s Day Parade, football and obviously cooking. 

Often, we would forget about the other story in the film, with one year having me remember the Pilgrim story and my mom remembering the Friendsgiving one. It would start with my mom being right, and then, me being vindicated when mine played 20 minutes later. 

The Friendsgiving one is a story told very well. It starts with the old classic of Lucy pulling the football out from under Charlie Brown before it transitions to him in his house, getting ready for the day. 

Charlie Brown and Sally, his sister, are preparing to go to their grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving. However, before they can leave, Peppermint Patty calls and invites herself, Marcie and Franklin over to Charlie Brown’s to eat dinner at his house. 

Unable to tell her what is happening, Linus tells Charlie Brown to just cook something for the group coming over, then leave for his grandmother’s place afterwards. With the plan in place, Snoopy comes in and starts cooking the “Thanksgiving meal” for the group. 

Buttered toast, pretzel stick, popcorn, jellybeans and milkshakes as refreshments; dinner is ready to be served. Snoopy and Woodstock then go to set up the table and chairs for the group, which leads to some hilarious hijinks between the very small bird and the dog. 

When she arrives at the dinner and sees what is being served, Peppermint Patty is hysterical and yells at Charlie Brown for not being a good host. He walks off, which leads to Marcie getting on Patty for going on him and inviting everyone over without asking.  

Patty apologizes to Brown for being rude and hopes they can still be friends. Brown accepts her apology and realizes the time. He quickly calls his grandmother, telling her he will be late, before she invites the whole group over for dinner. 

This half of the movie ends with the kids on the way to her house, and Snoopy and Woodstock revealing an actual Thanksgiving meal they hid away from the rest. 

While this part is silly and goofy, it does teach great lessons in friendship and the holiday itself. We need to be thankful for the friends we have and the people in our lives, and we should not disrespect them with our actions. 

The second half of the special is a history lesson told with the beloved characters about the Pilgrims' journey on the Mayflower and how the first Thanksgiving came to be. 

In it, we follow the ship leaving England and sail across the Atlantic Ocean on a nine-week journey. The audience watches as it shows the people doubting whether they should continue after the ship was damaged, and a person is saved after being thrown overboard. 

When they land in the New World, the people are ecstatic. Charlie Brown narrates and informs the viewer that only two people died on the journey and a baby was born on the ship.  

He also informs the audience that while the journey is done, the hardships are just setting in. The cold New England winter arrives and makes most of the new settlers fall ill. 

The number of Pilgrims dwindled from over 100 to just barely over 50. Luckily, all the children have survived and have started helping do the work that the sick adults can no longer do. 

Once they survive the winter, the Native Americans come to their aid in the spring, showing them how to farm and fish in the New World. 

With the help of the natives, the Pilgrims have a bountiful harvest and invite their new friends over for a feast, which is now known today as Thanksgiving. 

This special holds a very special place in my heart and will always pull on the nostalgic strings of when I was younger, watching it with my family. I still make an effort to watch it every year. 

It helps remind us to be grateful for those we have in our lives, our good health and another day to live our lives to the fullest.