Everything I need to know, I learned from ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’

I know that some people didn’t grow up watching or reading Peanuts / Charlie Brown, but I sure did. I am particularly fond of the Christmas special, but A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is quick, adorable, and super full of lessons. Plus, Snoopy and Woodstock are in it so what are you waiting for?

EINTKILF Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Never trust someone to hold a football for you

Per usual, the Thanksgiving special begins with Lucy convincing Charlie Brown that it is a big honor for someone to kick off the holiday football season. Charlie considers it and then realizes that it would be way ruder for him to deny a holiday tradition than potentially be tricked—again—by Lucy. We all know what happens next:

Everyone has something to be thankful for

Sally Brown is furious that she has to write an essay on “Stanley Miles” (or Miles Standish, as Charlie corrects her) and blames Thanksgiving for creating more homework for her. Though Sally is ridiculous for complaining about not having anything to be thankful for, I am super down with her complaint about having more homework. That’s the super worst.

Don’t just invite yourself over for Thanksgiving
Okay, two things:

a) Peppermint Patty does whatever she wants, which is kind of cool and kind of super rude. She literally invites herself and two other kids over to Charlie’s house. She doesn’t even ask his mom!

b) No parent would deny three random kids over for Thanksgiving and maybe she just knows that? Maybe she’s like, “Charlie’s parents can’t say no to this!!!” I mean, my mom isn’t all warm and fuzzy or anything but she would definitely let random kids come over if they didn’t have another option.

Dogs and birds are not great caterers

So Charlie gets into a pickle and is forced to host Thanksgiving for his friends because his parents won’t be home which is just ridiculous for like 45 reasons but whatever. For some reason, they decide that Snoopy, with the help of Woodstock, will help out. Snoopy is a very functional pet dog, but also maybe don’t put your dog in charge of anything regarding a dinner party. Or anything at all because he’s a dog.

The holidays happen too fast

Okay so A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving premiered in 1973 when holidays were handled in a much different way, or so I would imagine. That being said, we still get this incredibly relatable conversation between Sally and Charlie:

Right?? I mean, we haven’t even finished our Halloween candy before we start talking Christmas, so let’s be real. THINGS MOVE QUICKLY ‘ROUND THESE HOLIDAY PARTS. 

Being in charge is hard
When Charlie gets off the phone with Peppermint Patty and her numerous Thanksgiving self-invites, he exclaims:

Which is my general aesthetic so I’m feeling Charlie Brown tough in this moment.

Don’t have other people fight your battles

I have never quite known how to handle Peppermint Patty. As she claims, she is a bit “brusque and rough,” which is probably how some people would describe me so maybe this is one of those weird inception things.

Patty freaks out because she is not impressed with the toast, jelly beans, and pretzels that she is served by Charlie Brown. Marcie reminds Patty that she invited herself to Charlie’s house so she should probably apologize to him, to which Patty reminds her that she will ruin everything and she should probably go talk for her.

Because they are kids, I’ll let this slide. If I had a friend who asked me to go apologize for her, I’d tell her to try again. Speak for yourself, people!

Try not to fight on Thanksgiving

Though this is almost certainly an impossibility for me personally, I can still advise y’all to follow it. After Patty’s meltdown, and after she makes Marcie apologize for her, Patty realizes that life is too short to fight with your friends that you forced to spend time with you on this day.

That’s absolutely accurate. Especially this year, let’s remember that misunderstandings are not worth dwelling on.

Being together is the best

Listen, I am the first and loudest when it comes to complaining about the holidays. I love the Christmas season but when it comes to making a plan—a real, solid, let’s get all of these bodies into a room together plan–I get really frustrated. My family is hard to wrangle, everyone wants different things, and I always end up spending a billion dollars because I have to make everything. That’s all fine and well when you watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and realize that you’re being a major pessimistic jerk, am I right?

I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving too, Marcie. Maybe I should remember that this year. Good thing I’m writing this. Maybe I’ll complain less before Thursday.

(Probably not.)

Snoopy is the best dog in the world

Though I gave him a hard time above for not being able to cater Thanksgiving, it should be noted that Snoopy puts up with a lot of annoying children and also does a lot for Charlie Brown and still writes novels and stuff. We should all be thankful for him on this lovely day.
Happy Thanksgiving, guys!

[Featured image courtesy ABC. GIFs via here, here, here, and here]