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

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

Andy Glorioso plays Charlie Brown opposite Allison Granat as Snoopy in Chicago Street Theatre’s 2025 holiday run of the live stage telling of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” playing through Dec. 21, 2025 in downtown Valparaiso. (Photo provided by Chicago Street Theatre)

However, don’t try to find a network broadcast this year of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

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

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” traditionally ran 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 limited streaming windows on other platforms for the tech-savvy.

Last weekend, on Dec. 13 and 14, was the exclusive stretch of free Apple access to revisit Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and the rest discover “the true meaning of Christmas.”

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

Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso is celebrating this holiday season with a stage adaptation of the TV holiday animated special classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with fun live portrayals of Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang with performances through Sunday, Dec. 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 decked out in holiday flair.

I would never have realized that “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was celebrating 60 years if it hadn’t been for a short history included in the tiny religious reflection booklets published each year by a tiny parish in Michigan with the help of nun Sister Nancy Ayotte.

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

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

“On Dec. 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 flop, became an instant hit. The iconic character Charlie Brown, as the young boy who feels depressed by the commercialization of Christmas, is on a search to find the true meaning of the season. In a bold move at the time, the cartoon’s high point 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 proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’ (Lk 2:10) Including Scripture in the script was considered risky, but ‘Peanuts’ creator and cartoonist Charles M. Schulz insisted. He was teaching Sunday school at the time, and is famously quoted as saying ‘If we don’t, who will?’ And note, when Linus emerges onstage to share the real meaning of Christmas, he does so with his trusty blanket in hand. But when he says the words ‘fear not,’ 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 won over the critics, too, and in 1966, was recognized with an Emmy and a Peabody Award. Its greatest legacy, however, is that 60 years later it continues to proclaim good news of great joy to the millions who watch it annually.”

This holiday season, the series called “The Little Blue Books” and “The Little Black Books” is also celebrating an anniversary since it was launched in 2000 and published 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 further details, visit www.littlebooks.org.

Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and weekly radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at philpotempa@gmail.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/potempa-a-charlie-brown-christmas-celebrating-60-years/