Snoopy's Christmas.

Much tends to be written at this time of year about the lamentable secularization of Christmas and even about the War on Christmas. I won't enter into any of those debates in this post, the first of two that I have planned for Christmas Eve. Instead, I'd like to make some space for a 'secular' Christmas song that I always look forward to hearing at this time of year: "Snoopy's Christmas" by The Royal Guardsmen, which can be heard in the above YouTube video.

My reasons for liking "Snoopy's Christmas" are easy to explain. My fascination with the First World War is such that I can't help but enjoy a song that mentions the Red Baron and pays indirect tribute to the Christmas Truce of 1914. I'm also hopeful that the yearly playing of this song may lead at least a handful of listeners to be more mindful of a period of history that I think is worth caring about. At the same time, I also believe that a cheerfully silly but ultimately earnest song like "Snoopy's Christmas" can help prepare us for the joy of the Nativity in a way that many other secular 'holiday' songs cannot.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! AMDG.