Christmas Specials

We all know the holidays are upon us when we start seeing those Christmas specials. When I was growing up I was fascinated with the specials of Charlie Brown's Christmas, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. I sat in front of the television enraptured with Charlie Brown wondering why the holiday has come so commercial, or the meanness of the Grinch, or Rudolph and his red nose saving the day.


Nowadays, one can watch these shows any time, any where. I personally have them on DVD, or I can take them out of my public library. I can even find complete episodes online with a little searching. What makes me a little sad is that part of the magic of the season slipped away with all this new technology. Don't get me wrong. I love the convenience, the speed and the opportunites new technology presents, but having to wait a whole year to see the Christmas specials again left me filled with anticipation and joy. Of course I knew how everything would turn out, seeing them the previous year. But that's not the point. Like Christmas morning, the feeling of anticipation; that anxiousness all chrildren get when they are waiting for something, is something I remember fondly.

So, the next time that you pull out that movie or book, think back to when you were young. The time when Christmas seemed full of magic, full of hope, and full of anticipation. Watch the movie, or read the book, with a new sense of wonder. It's still there, inside you, waiting to be rediscovered.