"'Snoopy’s Christmas' must be in the running for cheesiest holiday ditty
of all time, but if you listen carefully, it holds an unlikely prompt to
peace. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the conclusion of World
War I, which is maybe why it's sticking out to me when I hear it
everywhere in the stores and radio. . . .
"The Royal Guardsmen recorded the song in 1967 and based the story in the lyrics on characters in Charles Schulz's Peanuts
comic. . . . . It's Christmas Eve, and
Snoopy's World War I nemesis, the Red Baron (a Peanuts version of the
real WWI ace, Manfred von Richthofen), was on the move. Reluctantly, the intrepid beagle takes to his doghouse to meet him in imaginary aerial combat.
"As the bouncy tale unfolds, conflict gives way to comity, as reflected
in the chorus. 'Christmas bells, those Christmas bells, ring out from
the land' (cue the horns and glockenspiel). 'Asking peace of all the
world, and good will to man.' The Red Baron, unexpectedly, foregoes a
strategic advantage and allows Snoopy to escape. And when Snoopy has to
land on enemy territory, he is both welcomed and toasted by his
erstwhile foe.
"My son knows all the words and he sang along full-throated in the car
one day. I did too, at least on the chorus, and then a light went on. 'This is about the Christmas truce!' I thought to myself. Sure enough,
when I later tracked down the history of the song, I found out that
others had made that connection as well."
In a recent commentary, writer Rick Becker reflected on the meaning of the Christmas Truce that took place during World War I (December 1914).
To access Mr. Becker's complete post, please visit:
Grotto Network: The Inspiring Story of WWI's Christmas Truce and Its Call for Peace
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