Boo: I Got a Rock

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Even at age 40, I still look forward to watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" every year on TV.   It's been a tradition in my family since I was a kid.  The Halloween special has aired each October since 1966, almost seven years before I was born (for the record).

I'm going to make the assumption that you've seen The Great Pumpkin at least once in your life, so I'm not going to go into the details of what happens in this 30 minute animated classic.  The takeaway has remained the same, if there's something you believe in, keep on believing, no matter how silly it seems to others.  At least, that's what I've always gathered from Linus and his desire to catch a glimpse of the mysterious and elusive Great Pumpkin.

I got a rock

While keeping the faith is one piece of this cartoon, it's filled with plenty of great laughs too.  I love the lovable loser, Charlie Brown in this special.  As he and the rest of the Peanuts gang prepare to go trick or treating, Charlie ends up with a sheet filled with holes.  Then while his buddies are getting popcorn balls, candy, and other sweet treats, Charlie Brown proclaims, "I got a rock."  House after house, that's all he ends up with, a collection of rocks.  

Girl vs. Dog

There's also the Halloween party where his head is used as a model for jack-o-lanterns and Lucy and Snoopy struggle over an apple during the bobbing contest.  Speaking of Snoopy, he gets into the spirit of Halloween by dressing as the World War I flying ace, the Red Baron.  It's a nice tribute to veterans.

Keeping the faith

All three story lines are woven together to make this a memorable part of my childhood and something I'm glad I've been able to share (and continue to share) with my kids.  Linus may never get to see that Great Pumpkin, but I love his optimism and spirit of the holiday.  I think the world needs more of that today.