From Snoopy and Woodstock wearing pilgrim outfits to Snoopy getting snapped between the ping pong table, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has long been a favorite among all generations of Americans, not just Generation X.
Still, this TV special debuted in 1973, and so the children who first watched this were Gen Xers. In the days before VCRs, we got to see it once a year, and nothing can quite compare to the excitement that surrounded this annual TV event. If the show aired on a Wednesday my father let me stay home from church. That was a big deal, and demonstrates just what a big deal Charlie Brown specials were to the modern American family.
Here is a YouTube promo link of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and here is Linus’s prayer and all his the gang gathered ’round the Thanksgiving (ping pong) table.
Linus’s Prayer
“In the year 1621, the Pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving feast. They invited the great Indian chief Massasoit, who brought ninety of his brave Indians and a great abundance of food. Governor William Bradford and Captain Miles Standish were honored guests. Elder William Brewster, who was a minister, said a prayer that went something like this: ‘We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land. We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world for freedom and justice.'”
Whose table will you gather around this Thanksgiving? Please share. I really want to know!
Jen, charlie brown brings back so many great thanksgiving memories. Seeing snoopy eating punkin pie reminded me of eating a whole one while waiting for the turkey to be done. Rob
@OKLAHOMA GIRL – Best to avoid the chaos! You should come to OKC and we should all go to the China Buffet. Next year, we’ll plan a bloggers dinner!
@ANDI -I can’t STOP thinking about you and SPLAT!! and all this Twilight stuff. I have really missed out. I don’t know what I thought it was. Twilight Zone!? Andi, you’re out in front on this stuff!!
@JOY – I know exactly what you mean about the rare day off. It’s not to be spent making food for hours to be enjoyed for only 20 minutes. Your day sounds inspiring – especially the games, parades and crafts. You’ve given me something to think about!
@YOGI – What a blessing that you still have your dad and your MIL. Blessings on you and yours, Yogi! You’re a blessing to this Okie Blogosphere.
SO true, life before VCRs really made you covet and look forward to those types of events. Kind of like when you live in a place that gets 4 real seasons, you look forward to each and every one for its own uniqueness, you can’t fast forward time yet, so that is still something to enjoy.
We are gathering around my Mother-in-Law’s table here in Tulsa. My Dad is flying in from Idaho to join us as will a single coworker of mine.
We’ve been through a lot this year so we have lots to be thankful for.
I love the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving show! Thanks for the memories. Isn’t Youtube great, somethimes?
My Mom & Step-dad do not celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas with a family gathering. But, I haven’t had Thanksgiving or Chrismas with my Mom for 3-4 yrs anyway. Mark’s Mom always welcomes me to her table on the Holidays. Since he is an only child & she is widowed (she was on only child also) it is just the 3 of us. She still seems to enjoy cooking for us & Mark wants her to do so as long as she is able. So, I will be off to Sulphur on Thanksgiving. Then back home to spend the long weekend with the furkids & enjoying some much needed time to myself. I am really looking forward to just being able to do things around the house. My son & his family spend the day with my daughter-in-law’s family (she cannot be separated from them for any holiday) & since I do not care to do that (too much intensity & chaos) I stay in OK but always check in with them by phone.
One day I will take over the cooking of holiday meals again. I do make a mean turkey & dressing if I do say so myself. LOL
I, too, love all the Charlie Brown specials. Watch them even now by myself. It is fun!!
Love you, dear girl!! Hugs to all with many blessings for a very Happy Thanksgiving. You are a blessing for which I will give thanks this year.
blessed be…
A few years ago, but not as many as you would think, I went out with my sister on Black Friday and bought my family’s first DVD player. The very first DVD’s I bought were a set of the Charlie Brown specials–Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I just knew that I loved them and wanted to share them with my kids, but a friend pointed out that Charlie Brown’s Christmas is the only cartoon special that tells the story of baby Jesus. (Although Santa Claus is coming to town does mention Christmas Eve as the most Holy of nights.)
We’ll be gathering with family this year–one family tomorrow and another next Sunday. We’ll actually spend our Thursday at home with a nontraditional meal, parades, football games, and Christmas crafts. It’s not often that I have a day off to spend at home–even weekends are spent running here and there. So I am looking forward to it.