Stream ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ this holiday season. Here’s how

In 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” first aired on national television and instantly became a classic.

Since then, watching the animated feature has become an annual tradition for many families and holds a special place in the hearts of both kids and adults.

If you don’t already own the holiday movie on DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS, you might be wondering where to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” this holiday season.

Unlike many other Christmas movies like “Elf,” “A Christmas Story” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the Peanuts special isn’t available to stream on popular platforms including Netflix, Hulu, Disney or Amazon.

In fact, there’s only place to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and we’ve got all the details below including how to watch the iconic movie for free.

But first, a bit of background on the classic Peanuts’ movie.

Based on the characters from Charles M. Schulz’s popular “Peanuts” comic strip, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” chronicles Charlie Brown’s search to find the true meaning of Christmas.

Though he encounters some bumps along the way, it’s a quest that ultimately has a happy ending and you’ll be hard-pressed not to shed a tear or two watching Charlie, Lucy, Sally, Linus and the rest of the gang gather ‘round the tree at the end and sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” in celebration of Christmas and friendship.

Whether it’s your first time watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or your 50th, see below for all the details on how and where to stream the special this year and how to view the animated feature for free.

Where to watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ in 2024

Though the holiday movie was on television for many years, in 2018, Apple acquired the rights to “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” as well as the rest of the “Peanuts” catalog, including classics like “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”

Because of that, Apple TV+ is the only streaming platform to offer the holiday special this year. That means you won’t find the Christmas movie on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney or any other streaming service.

If you’re an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch the TV movie anytime you’d like. If you aren’t, see below for how to view the special free of charge.

Apple TV+ free viewing window

Apple TV+ offers a free-viewing window each year, so families can watch the show in celebration of the season.

According to an Apple TV spokesperson, the free viewing window for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was on Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15, which means it has already come and gone.

But not to worry if you missed it. You can still watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” free of charge by signing up for Apple TV+’s 7-day trial, which you can find more information about right here.

So, get ready to join Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally, Lucy, Snoopy, Woodstock and the rest of their friends as they celebrate the holiday in typical Peanuts fashion.

What is ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ about?

The first of many animated specials made from Charles Schulz’s comic strip “Peanuts,” the story follows Charlie Brown as he searches for the meaning of Christmas.

Feeling depressed over how materialistic the holiday has become, Charlie Brown agrees to direct a Christmas pageant but is mocked by his friends after he picks a humble Christmas tree that everyone considers a “disaster.”

But all ends well after Charlie and the rest of the Peanuts gang realize that Christmas isn’t about glitzy decorations or fancy decorated trees, but the love of friends and family instead.

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ trivia

If “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is one of your favorite flicks, here are a few bits of trivia you might not know about the Christmas classic.

• When “A Charlie Brown Christmas” premiered on Dec. 9, 1965, roughly half of the United States tuned in to watch.
• “A Charlie Brown Christmas” producer Lee Mendelson wanted to add a laugh track to the animated feature, but creator Charles Schulz refused.
• Despite concerns over alienating the viewing audience, Charles Schulz insisted on having Linus recite a passage from the Gospel of Luke.
• According to Recording Industry Association of America, the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” has sold more than 5 million copies to date.
• In 2011, Vince Guaraldi’s iconic soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was inducted into the Library of Congress Music Registry for its cultural significance.
• In 1966, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” won an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program.