Thursday, December 17, 2009

Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum . . .




It's the darndest thing . . . I got all caught up in a Charlie Brown fever and messed around until too late to trot outside and DO something about it. If you will forgive a bit of a mild rant, hang in here with me and I'll explain.

It sort of started with this YouTube video. Go ahead and watch it. [Idiot Alert! Sorry, Coffee Mates. I did not double check that link. Fortunately, Becky let me know what I had put in wasn't working and she even sent me the correct one! Thank you, Becky. So, okay -- now the link works. ] I'll keep the coffee warm until you're done. Really. Might even have some more of that cranberry shortbread laid out for you. (I know. I could have done the embed thing but, for some reason, it wasn't working tonight. Thus, I'm letting you click over to YouTube for the viewing -- and bribing you with coffee and cranberry bars so you'll click back.)


Okay. Now you have the idea.That's what got me going. Before you could say, "Sic 'em, Snoopy!" I was Google-gallivanting through assorted trivia about Charlie Brown and his famous Christmas tree. Now, if you've never seen the special, Wikipedia has an excellent synopsis. And you've just got to cheer the little guy for seeing the beauty in that pathetic, scraggly tree and, in effect, striking a solid blow against the commercialization of a holiday.

It doesn't much matter whether you're celebrating the season from a religious perspective, a secular one, or both. The point is that all our celebrations have mutated into some weird kind of pressure cooker roller derby, driven by a frenzied cash register drum beat.We've lost sight of the simple, warm, GOOD things we need to reaffirm so we can balance and restore our poor, harried selves. Thus Charlie Brown's Christmas tree has become a symbol of rejecting the glitter and gloss for the humble and real.

Well, sort of. Because -- here's the dose of irony -- a second glance at some (many) of those Google links were for (gasp) store after store selling (not cheaply) fake Charlie Brown Christmas trees! Remember, in the video clip how Linus wrapped his precious blanket around the bottom of the tree to give it a little love? Well, folks, if you pay a bit extra, you can have your fake Charlie Brown tree with its own blue blanky.

I applaud the folks in Concord who opted for their version of the CB tree. Good ON them! And, by golly, as a show of support, I'm putting up my own Charlie Brown tree this year. Yuppers. I'd have hauled in what I needed earlier this evening but it got dark before I realized it was so late. (sigh) So -- tomorrow, tomorrow. Yes. Daughter Patti will be down tomorrow and she's giving me one of the red balls from her own tree -- because the CB tree has to have a red ball, don'cha know?

All together now, Coffee Mates: "O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, your branches green delight us."

7 comments:

John Bailey said...

Yay for CB!

The Old Guy said...

I blame it all on the proximity of Thanksgiving to Christmas. It doesn't seem right to decimate the turkey population twice within a month's time. But I suppose it's just another leftover custom.

Dee said...

You've got it right, John. Charlie Brown is a pretty kewl kid.

"Leftover" custom, Bill? Uhmmm . . . did you just make a pun? I think you made a pun. You rascal. (grin)

Bonnie said...

When I saw 'mild rant' and then watched the clip I thought "well I agree with the town so why doesn't Dee?" Then I came back and finished reading. :-)

You have a great holiday with your CB tree and let's see a picture of it OK?

Dee said...

Thanks, Bonnie. Maybe a pic tonight -- but you have me confused. (Easily done, I'm afraid.) You said you agreed with the town but the clip showed folks who thought the tree sucked and folks who thought it was cool. Hmmmmmm.

kate et jim said...

I loved this! I think all the towns should do that - it would sure save a ridiculous amount of money, wouldn't it!

Can't wait for the pic, Dee!

Maggie said...

Let CB deck the halls. You have a good holiday, and I will check back with you when we get home....yes we are running away from the holiday. Hugs.....