Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez’s animated short “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” based on the comic strip by Charles Schultz, made its debut on CBS on December 9, 1965. With an Emmy and a Peabody under its belt, the film continued to air on broadcast television every Christmas season for 56 years–that is until Apple bought the exclusive rights to all of the Peanuts holiday specials for their Apple TV premium subscribers in 2020. Still, the film is available for all to watch, free of charge, during the holiday season.

In this film, Charlie Brown is tasked with directing his school’s annual Christmas play, which he finds exciting  until his friends pressure him to take a highly commercialized approach. Frustrated, he seeks the guidance of a small tree that serves as a symbol of the spirit of the holiday season.

The film features a much beloved jazz score by pianist Vince Guaraldi, a score certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America after selling over 5 million copies. This astounding commercial success earned the film’s score the second best-selling jazz album in history, second only to Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue.”

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a timeless holiday classic, winning over generations of viewers with appealing characters and heartwarming narrative. The simplicity of the animation and color palette enrich this film with a nostalgic charm. A lovably insecure Charlie Brown and his fellow Peanuts furnish the story with a great deal of relatability and more depth than one might expect. 

The film’s persistent popularity speaks to its seemingly universal appeal and its place as a treasured tradition for those who grew up with it and new generations who want to discover its magic.