Top Ten Gift Ideas for the Peanuts Fan

Throughout my entire childhood Christmastime was the best part of the year. One big reason for this was because of my love for everything Peanuts. I would eagerly wait for the night when "A Charlie Brown Christmas" would air on television, reciting the entire program word for word. To this day, I still have the entire show memorized. If you have somebody in your life who loves Peanuts as much as I do, here are ten gift ideas that can't miss.

1. It has become a holiday tradition for my grandmother to give me a Peanuts ornament from Hallmark. Every year there are roughly ten or so ornaments of all varieties; some have the entire Peanuts gang, while others have only the individual, such as Linus and his trusty blanket, Schroeder and his piano, or Lucy…usually with her mouth wide open. This year for Christmas in July my wonderful girlfriend bought me a musical ornament. I have almost three dozen Peanuts ornaments for my Christmas tree, and by the end of Christmas 2006 I will definitely have a few more. These gifts always put a smile on my face.

2. Another gift that I seem to receive every year is at least one compilation of Peanuts cartoons. I have found that usually the most books at the best price happen to be at Borders during the holiday season, but any bookstore will have at least some of the Peanuts books. These come in all sorts of varieties. My favorites are the books that contain the older comics from the late fifties.

3. Anybody who loves Christmas knows the classic song "Linus and Lucy" from "A Charlie Brown Christmas." That cherished holiday favorite, along with others from the television special, can be found on the album A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This great album has the original versions of the songs from the show, and is one of my favorite holiday CDs.

4. A great gift that I received for Christmas last year was a pair of flannel pajama pants with Snoopy on them. Not only is this a cute Christmas gift for somebody who loves the most recognizable beagle in the world, but the pants are incredibly comfortable and warm. What is nice about a gift like this is that it is relatively easy to find. Almost any department store at the mall will have Peanuts clothing, especially at Christmas time when "A Charlie Brown Christmas" merchandise flies off the shelves.

5. Something that I am looking forward to receiving this Christmas is The Peanuts Holiday Collection on DVD. This set is made of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," and "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." Now these holiday favorites can be enjoyed no matter what time of year it is. These are the original classics in DVD quality, and are a must-have for any Peanuts fan.

6. A great stocking stuffer is Peanuts fruit snacks. Each individual snack is a character from the comics. These are a cute present that any Peanuts fan will get a kick out of on Christmas morning. It also doesn't hurt that they taste really good.

7. While playing on my phone the other day I found something quite remarkable. For three dollars every month a Verizon customer with V-Cast could have a different Peanuts comic sent to his or her phone everyday. Purchasing this for somebody is a wonderful gift idea. After all, it is the gift that keeps on giving 365 days out of the year.

8. A Snoopy 3-Ring photo album is a special way to save Christmas memories for a lifetime. This book holds 100 4" x 6" photos, so it's perfect for that loved one who kills numerous rolls of film on Christmas morning. Of course, there is no rule stating that the book must be used for Christmas photos. No matter what pictures go into the book, any Peanuts and picture fan would be thrilled to receive this.

9. What better gift could there be than the original Charlie Brown shirt? I mean, of course, the yellow shirt with the black zig-zag on it. I've seen these at Hot Topic before, but if not there then they can be found online. I personally don't have one of these, but I think it would make a great gag Christmas gift.

10. Even at age 23 I still love my stuffed animals. One of my favorites is my plush Santa Snoopy. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like Snoopy in a Santa outfit. Every December, Santa Snoopy makes his way from his spot on top of my dresser all the way to the top of my Christmas tree. Some people decorate with a star; I decorate with a beagle.

These ten gift ideas will keep anybody from calling you a blockhead this Christmas. Of course, this is just a first step in your Charlie Brown Christmas experience. The best gift I could think of is to sit with your "sweet baboo" on a cold December night with hot chocolate in hand while "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is on.