A Charlie Brown Christmas Trivia

By Paula Green

Good grief! Can you believe A Charlie Brown Christmas turns 60 this month? Premiering on CBS on December 9, 1965, this holiday classic was the first animated adaptation of Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic. The show follows Charlie Brown, who, struggling with depression, searches for the true meaning of Christmas amid the season's commercialism and superficiality.

The Coca-Cola Company commissioned and sponsored the holiday show. Written over several weeks and produced on a small budget in six months, this special came together through the collaboration of Schulz, television producer Lee Mendelson, and animator Bill Melendez.

The 25-minute program featured a few risky highlights, such as the voices of children instead of trained adults. Melendez and Schulz wanted to cast children in the special in order to preserve their innocence and voice because they believed it would not only make the cartoon more realistic but also funnier and edgier. 

Including a Bible passage was also a remarkable feature. The show's producers wanted to remove Linus's scripture speech, which depicts the Nativity scene and the birth of Christ, but Schulz insisted it stay. 

Choosing not to add a laugh track, which was unconventional for animated television specials at the time, further set the program apart. So canned laughter was shelved for the show.

The program’s musical style was cutting-edge. Vince Guaraldi, an American jazz pianist and composer, created a bubbly, childlike tone for A Charlie Brown Christmas with his compositions, including the famous “Linus and Lucy.” These tunes have become synonymous with the Peanuts franchise. Ironically, Schulz was initially leery of featuring jazz music, as he didn’t care for it.

  Producers and the network, uneasy about the musical choice, tone, pacing, and animation, predicted disaster. Despite their apprehension, the project defied expectations and became a hit. Nearly half of American television sets—over 15 million households—tuned in for the Peanuts debut.

  A Charlie Brown Christmas received high ratings and acclaim from critics. In 1966, this beloved holiday classic won a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award for outstanding children’s programming.

After its initial 1965 airing, the special ran annually for 35 years on CBS. In 2001, ABC acquired the rights, one year after Charles Schulz died. A Charlie Brown Christmas then made its way to video and DVD formats. Today, you can stream this holiday hit exclusively on Apple TV+, where it will remain through 2030.

Since we have reminisced our way through A Charlie Brown Christmas, we must now see how “yule” do on this holiday query. Get set to think cheerful thoughts because it’s time to get a little trivial.

1. In the opening scene, what wintry activity is the Peanuts gang participating in?

2. During Charlie Brown's psychiatric session with Lucy, it’s discovered that he suffers 

from pantophobia. What is that?

3. Instead of getting a lot of stupid toys, what does Lucy really want for Christmas?

4. What important job is Charlie Brown given in the Christmas play?

5. Which Peanuts character creates a dismal, gray snowman?

6. Lucy asks Schoeder to play what Christmas song on his piano?

7. What interesting gift does Sally want Santa Claus to bring her?

8. When Linus eats some snowflakes, he comments that it needs what?

9. In what month does Lucy like to start eating snowflakes?

10. Which contest does Snoopy receive a first-place honor in?

11. Regarding the Christmas play, Shermy notices that every year he gets asked

          to play this character?        

12.  Lucy starts to yell that she wants hot water, iodine, and disinfectant because this

        character kissed her.

13.  What type of tree does Lucy tell Linus and Charlie Brown to buy?

14.  Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas, which is one of the four Gospel

          writers does he quote?

15.  At the end of the special, what Christmas song does the whole gang sing together

         around the tree?

Sources: christmas-specials.fandom.com/wiki/A_Charlie_Brown_Christmas, smithsonianmag.com/history/charlie-brown-christmas-special-history-television-classic-cbs, animatedprojections.com/a-charlie-brown-christmas-the-heartwarming-story-behind-a-holiday-classic/, xmasfun.com/ACharlieBrownChristmasTrivia.aspx, funtrivia.com, www.usefultrivia.com/holiday_trivia/ a_charlie_brown_christmas_trivia.html

Answers: 1.  ice skating 2. the fear of everything 3. real estate 4. director 5. Pig Pen 6. Jingle Bells 7. cash—ten & twenties 8. sugar 9. January 10. Christmas Lights Display 11. a shepherd 12. Snoopy 13. a shiny aluminum tree 14. Luke (2: 8-14) 15. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing