While the Getting is Good

By FCS | December 21, 2017
  

“All I want is what I… I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share.” – Sally Brown, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

 “Christmas is getting all you can while the getting is good.” – Sally Brown, “It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown”

Sally Brown doesn’t get any credit. Her big brother, Charlie Brown gets all the recognition and his name in the movie titles. Our hero deals with insufferable judgment from the neighborhood kids and learns the true meaning of Christmas. There’s a feeling of joy as the credits roll, but little sister Sally Brown may actually be the most-important character in these classic movies.

Sally Brown is the personification of the commercialization of Christmas. While characters bemoan “over-commercialization” in each of the Charlie Brown movies, Sally’s character reminds us of that little devil standing on one side of our shoulders, whispering that every holiday is about more stuff, more decoration and more of “my fair share.” Dressed in an adorable outfit and bow in her blonde hair, she is your favorite store lit up with bright lights and “Sale!” signs, but you couldn’t have “A Charlie Brown Christmas” without her.

How many of us approach a holiday season with a “What’s in it for me?” or “All I want is my fair share” thought process? For kids it may be that huge list that was mailed to Santa and is updated daily. For adults, it may be an expected Christmas bonus or a gift from a spouse. Or it may not even include receiving gifts. It may be: “What feelings will I feel?” “How much time will others spend with me?” “Will this holiday be exactly what I want it/remember it to be?”

Maybe we approach a holiday wondering what it is going to take out of us. How much time do I have to devote to others? What’s the least I can do at the family dinner so that I can go home? Did my wife buy all of the gifts so that I can just relax this holiday season? Doing the bare minimum for others during the holiday season is akin to asking for everything for yourself.

Linus’ message is clear – the original Christmas is about Christ. What you do with that information depends on your belief system. It is the moral of the story but Sally’s more overt “in-your-face” message must be present to give the entire picture. Sally is the antithesis of Linus (who is her love interest – analyze that one!) and through her self-centered philosophies, she reminds us the holidays are about giving of yourself; your time, money (if you can), interest, effort…she is a wake-up call that not even a high-energy Old Navy commercial can deliver. Sally’s antics give us the opportunity to evaluate what we really expect out of a holiday and to make adjustments. The “getting” really is good during a holiday season when you give and don’t expect anything in return.

 

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