Snoopy dance! Charlie Brown holiday classics return with free viewing weekends
Sep 29, 2026, 11:03 AM
Good grief, this is the kind of news that makes my nostalgic heart do a happy little Snoopy dance.
For generations, the Charlie Brown holiday specials were more than just TV shows. They were events. Families all over the country knew the drill: Get cozy, grab a blanket, make some popcorn and gather around the TV to watch Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and Charlie Brown together. It was one of those rare, sweet traditions that made it feel like everyone was watching the same thing at the same time.
That tradition started in the 1960s, and this year marks a big milestone: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is celebrating its 60th anniversary. The beloved Halloween special first aired in 1966 and has been charming families ever since with Linus waiting faithfully in the pumpkin patch and Charlie Brown somehow ending up with a bag full of rocks.
The way we watch changed in 2020, when Apple acquired the rights to the Peanuts holiday specials and moved them to Apple TV. Since then, viewers have needed a subscription to watch most of the time.
But here’s the happy news: Apple TV will make the specials free for a couple of weekends this holiday season.
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” will be available for free Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18.
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” will be available for free Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15.
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be available for free Saturday, Dec. 12, and Sunday, Dec. 13.
You can watch through the Apple TV app on a smart TV, phone or tablet, or online at tv.apple.com.
So grab the candy corn, pour the cider and celebrate 60 years of the Great Pumpkin. Charlie Brown may be streaming now, but the magic still feels wonderfully old-school.
