Momma Told Me: 50 Years Of A Charlie Brown Christmas, Jill Schulz Interview, + Snoopy Snax Recipe

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50 Years Of A Charlie Brown Christmas, Jill Schulz Interview, + Snoopy Snax Recipe

Celebrate 50 years of A Charlie Brown Christmas With This Snoopy Snax Recipe!
Momma Told Me: Maybe it just needs a little love...

Does it seem to you that the holidays arrive earlier and earlier every year? Do you walk through the local Walmart and find yourself muttering 'Good grief!' every-time the linen department is taken over with seasonal patterns and prints? It certainly does seem like every last holiday has been over-commercialized; but let's not forget the true meaning behind these joyous events; remembrance, goodwill toward all, and celebration. 
A Charlie Brown Christmas 50 Years
When I was a little girl we were told we would be throwing a Christmas play on the very first day of school. Most of my classmates rejoiced, it was something they'd talk about at breaks and lunchtime with excitement. For me, the introvert with developing social skills, I lamented over the role I would be given, and how long I would have to stand on the stage. As the day grew closer I was assigned the task of one of Santa's reindeer. The day of our big opening Momma stood me before the mirror, tears welling up in my eyes. I wanted to be as pretty as Rudolph, why didn't I get a red nose?

Momma gave me a sharp hug, then disappeared, downstairs for a few moments. "Maybe it just needs a little love?" she said as she strong some bells from our Christmas tree around me neck, and carefully pinned a felt heart to my breast. It was a line I knew well, from a film we watched every holiday season, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).
50 years Charlie Brown Christmas
It's amazing, really to think how such a simple message, delivered by such structurally simple, yet internally complex, characters could resonate through so many generations, now 50 years later. The Peanuts crew, with Charlie Brown and his precocious dog, Snoopy, were a big part of connecting my parent's childhood with my own. And every Winter I'd visit my grandparents, grandma would pull out the VHS of the holiday specials and we'd all huddle by the fireplace reciting the lines.

I recently had a chance to sit in on an interview with creator Charles Schulz's daughter, Jill, and discuss what has made the beloved holiday special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, resonate so well after 50 years. She was quick to note "The themes are universal, everyone will continue to experience these themes....The thing with the football and Charlie Brown, everyone experiences losing." And she was right- how many times have I felt the anxiety of judgement over holiday decorations, or saving up enough to complete the items on my holiday shopping list?
Celebrate 50 years of A Charlie Brown Christmas With This Snoopy Snax Recipe!Celebrate 50 years of A Charlie Brown Christmas With This Snoopy Snax Recipe!
As the holidays draw near, it's important that I share these simple messages, and universal emotions, with Sabrina (11), who lives in a generation of computer generation and quick gratification. We recently sat down to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas together over the simple snack mix my grandmother and I used to make; a variation of muddy buddy mix, she'd call Snoppy Snax. As we sat munching on the peanut butter coated cereal Sabrina snickered as Sally announced she was asking for 'tens or twenties' this Christmas, "That's not what Christmas is about!" she noted- smart girl!
As we got to the iconic, and memorable, speech by modest Linus, I paid more attention than I ever had before, now knowing, as Jill Schulz had told us, "Linus' speech was very important to the special, but considered very controversial...it almost didn't happen..." knowing that A Charlie Brown Christmas would not be at all, without this simple moment of reflection made the words even more meaningful as we paused to remember what the holidays truly represent once more. And, while Mr Schulz was inevitably right in stating "Everyone is always more famous after they're gone," the Peanuts gang has been around through three generations of our family, and I suspect their timeless themes will have them sticking around much longer, whether Schulz was still writing, or kicking a pigskin around in heaven.

What Daughter Says: Sometimes the best words are ones that have been uttered a thousand times before.





One Momma Told Me reader will win a special Snoopy Collector's Plush (as shown in the post) and Be Joyful hardbound book by Charles M. Schulz.
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Celebrate 50 years of A Charlie Brown Christmas With This Snoopy Snax Recipe!
Snoopy Snax
**Click here for printable Snoopy Snax mix recipe

Ingredients:

8 C Chex, Or Other Rice Puffed, Cereal
1 C White Chocolate Morsels
1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 C Butter or Margerine
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C Powdered Sugar
1/2 C Roasted, Unsalted, Peanuts
1 C Chocolate Shell Candies (Yellow Preferred)

Directions:

1.) Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside.

2.) In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chips, butter/margarine, and peanut butter on high for 1 MIN. Stir. Microwave 30 SEC longer, or until mixture is smooth.

3.) Pour mixture over cereal- you may wish to do this in layers. Gently agitate with your hands to coat without breaking cereal.

4.) Pour some powdered sugar into a gallon sized bag. Fill halfway with cereal mixture and top with powdered sugar. Seal and shake to coat. Pour coated cereal onto parchment paper or a baking sheet to cool. Repeat until done. Toss with peanuts and chocolate candies. Store Snoopy Snax in a gallon sized bag, and refrigerate.

50 comments:

  1. You have a wise daughter. And I agree, this show just doesn't get old. Maybe I'll try making Snoppy Snax for the next time we watch it at home! :)

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  2. I love A Charlie Brown Christmas and I watch it every year. It makes me all warm and fuzzy.

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  3. A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my favourite Christmas movies! WE watch it every year! Its hard to believe that its 50 years old! Crazy! Thank you for this cool snack! We are going to try it the year when we watch it!

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  4. Wow, had no idea it's been that long! Love Charlie Brown.

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  5. I want to introduce my kids to Charlie Brown! I loved watching as a kid. That snack looks so good! I love your pictures so much- it makes me want to eat it off the page!

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  6. That Snoopy Snax Recipe looks so good. I think I'll make it this year when we watch A Charlie Brown Christmas!

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  7. I used to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas every year as a child, and I can't wait to watch with my own daughter eventually (at 16 months, she's not into TV yet).

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  8. One of our holiday traditions is having stockings on Christmas morning. It's one of my favorite things! I adore watching Charlie Brown, too.

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  9. A holiday tradition we have is putting up our big D56 Dickens village. The twinkling lights from the building are so beautiful

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  10. I love Charlie Brown & Snoopy! I grew up on it and plan and showing my kids all the greatness it is! Christmas is a crazy time for my husband and I we go to five family events in two days by the time Christmas is over I need a vacation! LOL

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  11. Our big tradition was driving around looking at Christmas lights together and then heading home to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. Christmas is a big deal in our house as most holidays are with 50+ in attendance.

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  12. Gotta love the classics - I bet this would be a great hit in my house in a few months

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  13. Every year we let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve!
    mcfallsk8er[at]aim[dot]com

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  14. This is one of my two all time favorite cartoons. The other one is It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!! LOVE!

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  15. Mmm! My mouth is watering just thinking about this. My kids have never "met" Charlie Brown before. Maybe this will be the year.

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  16. Oh how fun, my girls would love this! We just love Snoopy!!!

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  17. My family loves to make Christmas cookies each it is a fun tradition.!

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  18. I LOVE watching A Charlie Brown Christmas! It's something my husband and I both watched in our childhoods and love sharing with our kids. Thanks for the great Snoopy Snax recipe, too!

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  19. The Snoopy Snax look fun!! We love watching Christmas movies together starting December 1st!

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  20. We love Snoopy. I can't wait to try your Snoopy Snax recipe. That looks soooooo good!

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  21. Yum that snack mix looks amazing! I love Charlie Brown, we watch their Christmas movie every year, and Rudolph!

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  22. We are a huge Charlie Brown loving family!! I cant wait to make this snack with my son while we are watching all the holiday shows with Snoopy!

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  23. I love the Peanuts! Linus was my absolute favorite!

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  24. I love The Peanuts. I love all of their holiday specials.

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  25. The Peanuts are such an institution. Their holiday specials have been around since I can remember.

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  26. The Peanuts FTW! I LOVE them so much. I make sure to watch every special that airs.

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  27. My family goes to my mom's home every Christmas eve! We also make Christmas cake!

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  28. Awe... I have such fond memories of watching this with my family growing up. I try to remember to watch it with my kids, too

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  29. Awe, what a sweet story! I love this movie, and have for so long. I love watching it with my girls each year!

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  30. this is super cute. I have the little tree and it was my first xmas tree on my own. Cannot wait to watch it with my daughter.

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  31. I grew up a HUGE Snoopy fan. Love this snack idea. Yum! I love watching Charlie Brown.

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  32. My kids know as soon as it's Thanksgiving, "Charlie Brown Christmas" will be on soon. They LOVE it!

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  33. i adore charlie brown. and lucy, linus, schroeder... all of the gang. especially snoopy!

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  34. I want some Snoopy Snacks. The recipe sounds delicious and your photos are making my mouth water.

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  35. And now I'm going to listen a little more carefully to his speech when I watch it this season. And I will watch!

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  36. Those Snoopy Snax look yummy! My daughter just giggles at Snoopy each and every fall/winter when we watch all the shows!

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  37. Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my favorite Christmas movie. Hard to believe it's been 50 years! WOW I feel so old now! LOL!

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  38. Huge Shultz fans at my house! Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic, we watch it every year!

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  39. yeah how does not love Snoppy? My kids love all the holiday classics. The recipe looks fun and yummy!

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  40. We have no holiday traditions anymore. We haven't since my grandfather passed away in 1991.

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  41. We bake cookies together, its so much fun

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  42. we love to bake cookies

    freebiel0ve@yahoo.com

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  43. What a fun snack to eat while watching this classic!

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  44. My kids always loved this movie when they were little. Sounds like I need to watch it again.

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  45. Our holiday traditions are baking pumpkin pies and decorating Christmas tree early!

    Fiona N

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  46. We have a sleepover on Christmas Eve.

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  47. I have been a fan of Charlie Brown since I was a kid. I still watch the Charlie Brown Christmas every year. I love your Snoopy Snax idea.

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  48. every Christmas we take cookies and brownies to the veterans hospital!

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  49. On Christmas day dinner we gather together and each bring one gift that we received to be given to someone that really can't afford to have a Christmas . We usually get a family from the police dept that haves both boys and girls and we deliver a Christmas giftbasket prior to our eating of our meal. We have done this about 6 years now. We deliver a food basket to the same family prior to Christmas Eve .

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  50. We cut our own Christmas tree down every year and then come back to the house for cookies & hot chocoalte

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