It is interesting to note that even upon its first airing in 1965 CBS producers were reluctant to air the program due to the fact that Linus recites the Christmas account from Luke 2 and Mr. Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts characters, had to stand his ground and require the show be aired as it was written.
In December of 1965 the first airing of the Charlie Brown Christmas special saw fifty percent of American televisions tune in. (It probably helped that there were only a hand full of networks unlike the seven hundred channels we have today!) The show was met with great reviews and it received and Emmy and Peabody award later that year.
The point the song always brings to my remembrance when I hear it is that Christians at times, and I certainly include myself in this, miss the opportunity afforded us at Christmas. Think of the Christmas account in scripture, all who were told of the birth of Christ. The angels bringing the message to Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. The celestial star pointing the way for the wise men to find the small child. God wanted people to know he had sent redemption to them. He did then and he still wants them to know today. We are surrounded by the "world", each one around us needs to hear the good news of Christmas. Yet we, as believers, allow ourselves to be so consumed by the events of the season that we miss the reason of the season.
There are certain current event issues of the day that I, as a regular American citizen, can not change, however I can change a life by introducing them to Jesus. And when it is all said and done, isn't that what Jesus wants each of us to do...just simply tell others about Him. That's the true Joy of Christmas...year round.
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