Charlie Brown Makes Holidays Bigger and Brighter This Year

Is it my imagination or are the holiday light displays more Insta-worthy this year: bigger, brighter? The Halal food truck near our office is decked out with neon tracers, and we're seeing decor fever on every street corner.

In New York City, we are treated to over-the-top store windows all year long, but I'm not sure any can beat the Peanuts characters who are occupying Macy's.

Broadway side windows of Macy's Herald Square decked out with huge Peants characters. 

Bravo! to Macy's Herald Square, who began their holiday windows in the 1870's and have kept up the magic, as have many of the public holiday lights around the country, ever since.

At Macy's, the famous Charlie Brown and friends are showcased in each of the six Broadway at 34th Street windows through January 4, 2016. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” Macy's-style follows the plot of the animated film. Each of the windows is capped by a larger-than-life version of one of the Peanuts characters peering out over Broadway Plaza, and tells a story that you'll have to read aloud to little ones. Bundle up, it's worth it.

Window 1 at Macy's Herald Square, New York City c. Peanuts

For example, in Window 1:
"Christmas time is here, 
Happiness and cheer, 
Fun for all that children call 
Their favorite time of year."
Charlie Brown: "I just don’t understand Christmas, I guess. I might be getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that."

According to Roya Sullivan, Macy’s National Director of Window Presentation who worked a year on this project, “This year’s Christmas windows celebrate Charles Schulz’s 50th anniversary of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' We are proud to have maintained the integrity of the original animated television special while also acknowledging today's tech-savvy child with the addition of highly technological and interactive elements.” The interactivity comes after the last window, when visitors can upload their favorite Peanuts character to their smartphone, which then appears in the window. 

Charlie Brown is upset that Snoopy has entered a "Best Holiday Decorations" contest. c. USPS 2015

Friends + Snoopy, an aviator by avocation, are also helping the Post Office deliver mail this season. That gives us high hopes for getting Christmas cards out on time.

We thank the U.S. Postal Service for the new line of Peanuts stamps, but did you realize that they have more than a billion Holiday-themed stamps in stock from previous years?

Charlie and Linus fret about the holiday season. c. USPS, 2015

Our postal service went ahead and printed 800 million more this year, so forget those e-cards. Use up stamps and keep postage rates low by ordering at usps.com/shop or by calling 800/782-6724.

And please share with us your own favorite memories of Peanuts and special holiday traditions.