I was 11 when ‘It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown’ debuted on TV screens all over America. Most kids my age were already familiar with Charlie Brown and with Christmas specials of every kind, but this was the first special for my favorite holiday, Halloween! Back then shows were on one time, just one night, and you’d park yourself in front of the television at precisely the right moment or you’d miss it. I’m not embarrassed at all to admit that I looked forward to that night even into high school, and The Great Pumpkin is still a great story!

Minneapolis native Charles M. Shultz, imagined a world around the life of a kid that we could all identify with, one who always tried really, really hard and more often than not wound up flat on his butt. There was invariably a lesson of kindness and friendship in Charles Shultz stories. I loved them, my kids loved them, and I love it that my grandchildren are now into the ingenious world that he created.

So today’s Thank You Thursday goes out to the late Charles Shultz for creating life for a character that has endured for over 50 years. Thank You, Mr. Shultz.