It's Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown

VHS, PARAMOUNT

Snow covers the ground and goodwill fills the air. Sally frets, writes a letter to someone named Mary Christmas and frets some more. Linus reads aloud from the second chapter of Luke. Lovestruck Charlie Brown puts his prized comic book collection on sale to raise money for a special gift. Peppermint Patty worries about the book she's supposed to read during the holiday break. A sidewalk Santa looks a lot like a bearded beagle. What does it all mean? It means "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown." It also means - good grief! - it's time for the Christmas play. The good: it's a very fine and funny play. The grief: Sally must come up with the perfect delivery for her one-word part as an angel. She blows it hilariously, of course. Leave it to Linus, however, to put the perfect capstone on all the mirth and mishaps: "Joy to the world.".