‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Tonight: How to Watch, What Time and What Channel

A Charlie Brown Christmas is set to air tonight to get a start on the holiday season. For many fans, the classic program is traditional viewing during every Christmas season. How can you watch the show for yourself?

A Charlie Brown Christmas will air on PBS and PBS Kids on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET. You can access the PBS Kids channel via YouTube TV. It should be noted that A Charlie Brown Christmas will not appear on pbskids.org or the PBS Kids app, as is the case with the PBS website and app. Just in case you can’t watch the Peanuts special tonight when it airs, you can still catch it on Apple TV+ for free for a limited time. A Charlie Brown Christmas is available to stream for free on Apple TV+ through Dec. 13.

It will likely come as a relief for many to hear that they will be able to watch the special, as Apple TV+ previously set up an exclusive streaming arrangement for the Peanuts holiday events. Earlier this year, Apple TV+ secured a deal with WillBrain, Peanuts Worldwide, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to become the new home for Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts crew. This deal meant that the specials would no longer be airing on ABC, as they have done in years past. But, after the news about this deal caused a bit of controversy amongst fans, Apple and PBS agreed to air the special on television. Additionally, it will also be available to stream for free for a limited time.

The plot for A Charlie Brown Christmas may be familiar to most viewers. But, just in case you need a refresher, the special involves the Peanuts characters as they try to find the true meaning of the Christmas holiday. More specifically, in the special, “Linus reminds the Peanuts gang of the meaning of Christmas, in a beloved holiday classic. As Christmas approaches, Charlie Brown is depressed; he confides in Linus, who tries to cheer him. He visits Lucy’s psychiatric booth, but she’s no help. He tries throwing himself into the pageant, but it only makes him feel worse. Finally, he decides that they need a Christmas tree for their play — but his selection leaves the rest of the group laughing. Then Linus reads his friends the story of the Nativity, which prompts them to work on decorating the humble tree and exclaim gleefully, ‘Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!’”