Religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin

There he is! There he is! It's the Great Pumpkin!

I don't expect you young whippersnappers to understand, but Momma says there was nothing like the yearly anticipation of watching annual holiday TV shows.

Nothing.

According to Momma (who is of A Certain Age) television schedules would be scoured, memorized and marked for the yearly events. Meals would be planned around it.

Woe be unto the child who missed the yearly event and had to wait a whole year for another chance to see it since there were no videotapes or DVDs to watch.

And. Then. It. Happened.

At Halloween it was It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, a  Halloween special that first aired on Oct. 27, 1966.

(Not to date herself, but Momma says she's watched it every year since it first started airing.)

We have it on DVD and have been known to watch it at other times of the year, but Momma still claims nothing beats watching it on TV, complete with commercials.

Sometimes I just don't understand nostalgia.

What's my favorite part? Snoopy, of course!

Lucy: What kind of costume is that?
Charlie Brown: He's a World War I flying ace.
Lucy: Oh, brother. Now I've seen everything.

When assuming this personality, Snoopy dons goggles, a flying helmet and a scarf and climbs on top of his doghouse, which he claims is a Sopwith Camel. (The Red Baron's presence is indicated through the bullet holes that riddle the doghouse.)

To make room for modern commercial breaks, ABC cut two scenes which were later restored:

1. Lucy begging Charlie Brown to kick the football, and subsequently pulling it away as he tries to do so.
2. Snoopy (as the World War I flying ace) prompting Schroeder to play World War I era songs.

So what WWI songs does Schroeder play on that amazing toy piano of his?

• It's a Long Way to Tipperary
• Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag
• There's a Long, Long Trail
• Roses of Picardy

Sniff. I think I'll go hoist a root beer in Snoopy's honor.

And watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with Momma for the 45th time. At least.