Every year on Halloween we watch Linus withstand intense ridicule for his beliefs and admire his unwavering convictions in the face of peer pressure. Every thanksgiving we are reminded by Peppermint Patty of how ungrateful we can be and how a little humility mends relationships. Every Christmas we reflect on what Christmas is all about.

If you’ve dismissed Peanuts as a child’s cartoon about a boy named Charlie Brown and his dog named Snoopy, you’ve missed the point. Peanuts originated as a comic strip and like most newspaper comics, it is satirical and brings thoughtful comic relief to adults who’ve just read the often grim headlines. Charles “Sparky” Shultz used his comic to entertain, enlighten, and educate through the years and the simple messages carried over into the animation.

Since 1965, there have been over 70 Peanuts television specials and five feature films. Among the most popular are “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” and “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” The timeless wisdom and cultural satire these specials bring every year are always relevant in our American culture. Americans are busy go-getters who sometimes lose sight of priorities and simple pleasures; but there is a deeply ingrained part of the American culture that always strives to be better. It makes us slow down and be reminded of what really matters.

I chuckle every Halloween when Linus is writing his letter to the Great Pumpkin and he declares, “There are three things I’ve learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the great pumpkin.” This line is delivered on October 31 every year including election years. When challenged by Charlie Brown, “When are you going to stop believing in something that isn’t real?” Linus quips back, “When you stop believing in the fella with the red suit and white beard who goes ‘ho ho ho!’” Then Charlie Brown sighs, “We are obviously separated by denominational differences.” How often do we as adults have similar sounding conversations about matters we feel are so serious and significant? Seeing small kids debate the realty of two fictional characters makes me wonder it that is how we look to God when we argue about politicians or church doctrine.

Then every Thanksgiving we see Charlie Brown in a predicament when Peppermint Patty invites the whole neighborhood over to his house for Thanksgiving and he can’t cook. He is tormented knowing that he has a family commitment in the afternoon but he doesn’t want to turn his friends away so he tries to have dinner with two different groups of people in one day. When the friends come over to an un-traditional dinner of popcorn, toast, and jelly beans, Peppermint Patty’s attitude of entitlement comes out as she expresses her disappointment. Marcy and Linus are peacemakers and voices of reason who remind everyone that Thanksgiving is about being thankful and being together; and Peppermint Patty has a change of heart. Everything works out in the end the way busy rushed holidays usually do. How often do we try to do too much on a holiday, wear ourselves and our pocketbooks down, then sit down with family and friends and find that those peaceful relaxing moments are all too fleeting?

When Christmastime is here, I relate to Charlie Brown’s exasperation as he is attempting to direct a play with a bunch of kids who are too excited to settle down and follow directions. I share his sentiment about the over-commercialization that drives more shopping than celebrating and admire his principled stand in spite of peer-pressure. Then I get chills when Linus directly quotes Luke 2 on the stage by himself and simply says, “That’s what Christmas is all About Charlie Brown.” Later Shultz’s wife would say that Sparky was sometimes criticized for writing scripture into his comics because people said that religious texts weren’t for crass comics. She said that Sparky found that very offensive because his comic was not crass and he believed that scripture wasn’t only meant for religious people, but all people. Bill Melendez also cautioned him about the Bible verses, saying that people just don't do that on public television; he said that Sparky told him, “If we don’t do it, who will?” I now get tears in my eyes when I hear Linus tell the story of the first Christmas, directly from the Bible, on ABC—EVERY SINGLE YEAR SINCE 1965!

I learned a long time ago that Peanuts isn’t just for children; it’s for all people. It’s an American Icon. No holiday season is complete without it.