Notes from Public School - Day 82

On this day before Christmas break begins, I wore my Charlie Brown shirt.

“Who is Charlie Brown?” my students asked on the Monday after Thanksgiving when I set up a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree in the corner of my classroom.

I was thunderstruck!

Most of my students don’t know the Peanuts gang, had never seen Charlie Brown’s little tree in A  Charlie Brown Christmas.

Now they know.

We watched it together as a part of our holiday party today.

Before we watched, though, I shared this small piece of my writing to them.

I share it now with you.

I will see you again on January 3, 2022 for Notes from Public School - Day 83!

I have a Charlie Brown heart. 

My family won’t let me go to a Christmas tree lot by myself because they know I’ll come home with a sad little Charlie Brown tree.

When I walk onto the lot and stand among the trees, I look at and listen to the people around me.

- Look at this one! It'll be the biggest tree in the neighborhood!

- This'll be the prettiest tree people have ever seen!

- Our Christmas  party will be the best with THIS tree!

- This one'll be HUGE!

But in the cold night air, under the starry sky, I'm not looking for a tree that can do something for me. 

I'm looking for what I can do for the tree. 

I'm looking for the smallest and most forgotten one. 

I pick that one to take home. 

I pick that one to put in my old, trusty stand, and wrap with strings of bright, colorful lights. 

I pick that one to decorate with ornaments my friends have given to me and my children have made for me. I pick that one. 

Though it’s the smallest and most forgotten tree, I give it some of the biggest and most remembered parts of me. 

Yep, I have a Charlie Brown heart.

Here is the great scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

Charlie Brown and Linus are on the Christmas  tree lot.

Linus: Gee, do they still make wooden Christmas  trees?

Charlie Brown: This little green one here seems to need a home.

Linus: I don't know, Charlie Brown. Remember what Lucy said? This doesn't seem to fit the modern spirit.

Charlie Brown: I don't care. We'll decorate it and it'll be just right for our play. I think it needs me.

In the end, Linus would say - 

I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.

In 2022, let's treat our world the way Charlie Brown treated that little green tree. 

Let's have a Charlie Brown heart for the people around us.

Maybe they just need a little love.

Maybe they just need a home.

Maybe we could be love and home to them.

Let’s have Charlie Brown hearts together.