Opinion: The Story Behind ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Nearly Not Airing

ocumentary without the scene. After all, the special was set to air just ten days later.

Initially, the higher-ups planned to show “A Charlie Brown Christmas” once and never again. They assumed viewers would react poorly to the jazzy score, Bible verse, minimal laughter and stark animation. Clearly, this cartoon – a cross between a holiday special and avant-garde experiment – wouldn’t last. But it was scheduled to air just days before Christmas, when sponsors wouldn’t want to waste valuable ads for a rerun.

The special did ultimately almost get preempted – but by a football game, not by critics. CBS sports didn’t have to give up time for “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and the cartoon pulled in high ratings. Viewers took to the wholesome story, charming music and noble message. The following year, the special won an Emmy and went on to air annually.

Home for the Holidays

Despite corporate hesitations, the risky production quickly captured the affection of the American TV audience. Perhaps it was the understated beauty that charmed them – the jazzy lilt of “Christmastime Is Here,” the dejection in Charlie Brown’s gait, the shabbiness of his chosen tree, Linus’s simple speech.

It’s also possible the religious content – usually a third rail for TV networks – bore a certain respectability that drew viewers in. Linus’s quiet recitation makes a case for thoughtful, spiritual contemplation that is hard-pressed to find elsewhere in that year’s holiday TV lineup.

For all its endurance as a holiday classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” retained the flickering magic of its creation: a small, quiet cartoon that boldly defied the norms of the day. This special wasn’t about the flashiness of its animation or the star power of its actors. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” endures because it dared to be humble, different and true. And as long as audiences seek the genuine over the flashy – and there will always be a place for “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”