Lucy van Pelt: Isn’t it peculiar, Charlie Brown, how some traditions just slowly fade away?
Category: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the tenth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M.Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on November 20, 1973, and won an Emmy Award the following year. As of 2011, the special is aired every November in prime time on the ABC network.
Charlie Brown: I think I’m losing control of the whole world.
Linus van Pelt: Now what’s wrong?
Charlie Brown: Now she’s bringing Franklin, too. Peppermint Patty’s invited herself, Marcie, and Franklin over for Thanksgiving dinner. And I’m not even going to be home. I’m going to be at my grandmother’s.
Linus van Pelt: Why don’t you just call her back and explain it to her?
Charlie Brown: You can’t explain anything to Peppermint Patty because you never get to say anything. I’m doomed. Three guests for Thanksgiving, and I’m not even going to be home. Peppermint Patty will hate me for the rest of my life.
Charlie Brown: Good grief, it’s 4 o’clock! We’re supposed to be at grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving by 4:30. I’d better talk to her and explain my dilemma.
Lucy van Pelt: Charlie Brown! Oh, Charlie Brown!
Charlie Brown: I can’t believe it. She must think I’m the most stupid person alive.
Lucy van Pelt: Come on, Charlie Brown. I’ll hold the ball and you kick it.
Charlie Brown: Hold it? Ha! You’ll pull it away and I’ll land flat on my back and kill myself.
Lucy van Pelt: But Charlie Brown, it’s Thanksgiving.
Charlie Brown: What’s that got to do with anything?
Lucy van Pelt: Well, one of the greatest traditions we have is the Thanksgiving Day football game. And the biggest, most important tradition of all is the kicking off of the football.
Charlie Brown: Is that right?
Lucy van Pelt: Absolutely. Come on, Charlie Brown. It’s a big honor for you.
Charlie Brown: Well, if it’s that important, a person should never turn down a big honor. Maybe I should do it. Besides, she wouldn’t try to trick me on a traditional holiday. This time I’m gonna kick that football clear to the moon!
Sally Brown: Do you know what we have to do? We have to write an essay on Stanley Miles.
Charlie Brown: You mean Myles Standish.
Sally Brown: I can’t keep track of all those names.
Marcie: Don’t feel bad, Chuck. Peppermint Patty didn’t mean all those things she said. Actually, she really likes you.
Charlie Brown: I don’t feel bad for myself, I just feel bad because I’ve ruined everyone’s Thanksgiving.
Marcie: But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by ‘Thanksgiving,’ Charlie Brown.
Peppermint Patty: What kind of Thanksgiving dinner is this? Where’s the turkey, Chuck? Don’t you know anything about Thanksgiving dinners? Where’s the mashed potatoes? Where’s the cranberry sauce? Where’s the pumpkin pie?
Charlie Brown: I can’t cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.
Linus van Pelt: That’s right. I’ve seen you make toast. You can’t butter it, but maybe we can help you.
Sally Brown: Anyway, why should I give thanks on Thanksgiving? What have I got to be thankful for? All it does is make more work for us at school.
Charlie Brown: Holidays always depress me.
Sally Brown: I know what you mean. I went down to buy a turkey tree and all they have are things for Christmas.
Charlie Brown: For Christmas? Already?
Sally Brown: What’s the matter, big brother?
Charlie Brown: Nothing. I was just checking the mailbox.
Sally Brown: What did you expect, a turkey card?
Linus van Pelt: 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.”
Peppermint Patty: Amen.
Peppermint Patty: You’re holding my hand, Chuck, you sly dog.
Charlie Brown: Well, there’s only one thing wrong with that.
Linus van Pelt: What’s that, Charlie Brown?
Charlie Brown: My grandmother lives in a condominium.
Linus van Pelt: What are you going to do on Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown?
Charlie Brown: My mother and dad, and Sally and I are all going to my grandmother’s for dinner.
Sally Brown: Why don’t you come along, Linus? We can hold hands under the table.
Linus van Pelt: Blah.
Charlie Brown: We’ve got another holiday to worry about. It seems Thanksgiving Day is upon us.
Sally Brown: I haven’t even finished eating all of my Halloween candy.