‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ celebrating 60 years

This holiday season marks the 60th anniversary of the first broadcast of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

While some mistakenly credit the 30-minute Peanuts Gang 1965 Yuletide special as the first animated special ever broadcast, that distinction is held by the myopic Mr. Magoo for the December 1962 broadcast of “Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol.”

However, don’t try to find a channel showing “A Charlie Brown Christmas” this year.

The last time “A Charlie Brown Christmas” aired on traditional television was on ABC in 2019.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” traditionally aired annually on the CBS network for 35 years before the Peanuts franchise, which to date includes more than 50 specials, was acquired by ABC in 2001, and the network continued the annual broadcast for the next 18 years.

After Apple acquired the rights in 2020, it now only streams on Apple TV+ with a few free and limited streaming windows on other platforms for the tech-savvy.

Last weekend, December 13 and 14, was Apple’s exclusive free access period to revisit Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and the others to discover “the true meaning of Christmas.”

But another opportunity to share the holiday moment continues for a live version this weekend in Northwest Indiana.

Valparaiso’s Chicago Street Theater is celebrating this holiday season with a stage adaptation of the classic animated holiday TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” featuring fun live performances of Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang with performances through Sunday, December 21. Tickets are $25 for adults and special rates for children; call 219-464-1636 or visit www.chicagostreet.org. Located at 154 W. Chicago St. in downtown Valparaiso, the theater company’s intimate stage space is decorated with a holiday ambiance.

I would never have realized that “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was celebrating its 60th anniversary without a short story included in the tiny religious reflection booklets published each year by a small Michigan parish with the help of religious sister Nancy Ayotte.

“The Little Blue Book” for the 2025 Lenten devotions mentioned this wonderful milestone in pop culture and the faith-filled reasons why “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz wrote the screenplay.

According to my little booklet distributed at my All Saints Catholic Church in our small town of San Pierre, here is the story behind the story:

“On December 8, 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” debuted on national television. Nearly half of all available American households tuned in, and what executives thought would be a complete failure, became an instant hit. The iconic Charlie Brown character, as the young boy who feels depressed by the commercialization of Christmas, is searching for the true meaning of the season. In a bold move at the time, the cartoon’s climax features the character Linus sharing the announcement of Jesus’ birth by reciting verses from the Gospel of Luke: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news that will be for all people (Luke 2:10) Including Scripture in the storyline was considered risky, but “Peanuts” creator and cartoonist Charles M. Schulz insisted. He was teaching Sunday school at the time and reportedly said, “If we don’t do it. who will? And note that when Linus appears on stage to share the true meaning of Christmas, he does so with his trusty blanket in hand. But when he says the words “be not afraid,” he drops his false sense of security, his trusty blanket, symbolizing that Jesus frees us from our fears. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” resonated with viewers who appreciated its message and sincerity. It also won over critics and, in 1966, won awards. by an Emmy and a Peabody Award, however, is that 60 years later, he continues to proclaim good news that brings great joy to the millions of people who watch it each year.

This holiday season, the series titled “The Little Blue Books” and “The Little Black Books” also celebrates an anniversary since its launch in 2000 and publication by the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan. They are based on the original writings of Bishop Ken Untener, who died in 2004, and Sister Nancy Ayotte and are now edited and compiled by Erin Looby Carlson with illustrations by MaryBeth O’Connor. For more details, visit www.littlebooks.org.

Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and weekly radio host on WJOB 12:30. He can be contacted at philpotempa@gmail.com.