Yahoo Lifestyle Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! Where to Watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” This Holiday Season
'A Charlie Brown Christmas' first premiered in 1965 and more than 15 million households tuned in
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Charlie Brown and Linus in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'Remember what Christmas is all about with the Peanuts gang this December.
It's been nearly 60 years since CBS first aired creator Charles M. Schulz's A Charlie Brown Christmas on Dec. 9, 1965. To the surprise of network executives, more than 15 million households tuned in that day, per Smithsonian Magazine, and the half-hour animated TV special went on to win a Peabody and an Emmy.
A Charlie Brown Christmas ran annually on CBS for 35 years before the Peanuts franchise, which to date includes 45 TV specials, was acquired by ABC in 2001. They continued the tradition for the next 18 years.
“The continued success of the special has surprised me as much as anyone,” Schulz told TV Guide in 1985. “A lot of the drawings are terrible.”
In 2020, Apple TV+ obtained the rights to the beloved Peanuts catalog, meaning Charlie Brown and their friends would no longer make annual appearances on network television.
Keep reading to find out where you can watch A Charlie Brown Christmas this holiday season, including the 48-hour window where audiences can watch it for free.
What is A Charlie Brown Christmas about?
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Charlie Brown and friends in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'What is Christmas all about? That's the question a deeply depressed Charlie Brown seeks to answer in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
The titular character is discouraged by the commercialism of Christmas — decorating contests, presents and expensive aluminum trees — and he can't quite pinpoint why he's in "sad shape" while all his friends are filled with glee.
To bring Charlie Brown out of his holiday slump, Lucy suggests he needs involvement and appoints him director of the school Christmas play. She also tasks him with finding the perfect tree. Meanwhile, Linus takes a different approach and shares the nativity story with Charlie Brown.
The 30-minute animated special brings to light the true reason for the season and Charlie Brown ends up teaching the gang a thing or two about friendship and gratefulness.
How can I stream A Charlie Brown Christmas?
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Snoopy and friends in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'A Charlie Brown Christmas is exclusively available to stream on Apple TV+.
Where can I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas for free?
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Charlie Brown and friends in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'For those who don't have an Apple TV+ subscription, you're in luck! A Charlie Brown Christmas will be available to stream for free on the platform for two days this holiday season: Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.
Will A Charlie Brown Christmas air on network TV?
A Charlie Brown Christmas will not air on network TV in 2024.
After Apple TV+ acquired the rights to the Peanuts franchise, the streaming service struck a deal with PBS, and the holiday classic aired on TV in 2020 and 2021.
Read the original article on People
