WASHINGTON — The Charlie Brown Christmas special has been a longstanding holiday tradition for many families.
For the second year in a row, you'll have to find the Peanuts Christmas special on Apple TV+.
"A Charlie Brown Christmas," a more than 50-year-old animated TV special, used to air on traditional broadcast annually before it found a permanent home in Apple's streaming service in 2020.
Now before you say "good grief," Apple will once again make the Peanuts holiday special available to watch for free for a few days. But you better mark those dates down in your calendar, so you don't miss out.
For "A Charlie Brown Christmas," anyone can stream it for free on Apple TV+ this year from Saturday, Dec. 16 to Sunday, Dec. 17.
The animated TV special surrounding the Peanuts gang is nearing its 60th anniversary, having first debuted on CBS in December 1965.
It was also the first of many holiday specials that featured the characters from Charles M. Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip.
Apple TV+ purchased the rights to all things Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang in 2020, including the beloved specials. It sparked an outcry when viewers learned that meant the specials wouldn't air on TV for the first time in decades.
While Apple teamed up with PBS for ad-free broadcasts of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas" in 2020 and 2021, the holiday specials were only on Apple TV+ starting last year.
So if you're looking for "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” or “A Charlie Brown Christmas," you'll need to turn to Apple TV+ from now on.
Those who don't have Apple TV+ subscriptions will still be able to watch each of the specials for free for a limited time around the holidays. The streaming service also offers weeklong free trials.
Where can I watch Charlie Brown Christmas this weekend?
1. Go to tv.apple.com or download the Apple TV app
2. Search for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and hit play to stream for free on Saturday, Dec. 16 and Sunday, Dec. 17. If you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, you can watch anytime.
How to watch 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' in 2023
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be available to stream for free on Apple TV+ on Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17.