How, when to watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ on TV
Though it’s now off ABC, the animated special still may be seen free at two places.
The snowflakes seem to have settled after several weeks of upheaval in the “Peanuts” universe, and now we know the places to go for the gospel verses, the wacky dancing and the tiny tree of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
AppleTV+ this year acquired streaming rights to the much-loved 1965 TV special — the first in the long “Charlie Brown” series — and will put it on the menu Dec. 4 for subscribers of the $4.99-a-month service.
There are two ways for non-subscribers to see it free. For three days, Dec. 11-13, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be available to anyone who visits AppleTV+ on Apple devices, on some smart TVs, on TV devices including Amazon Fire TV and Roku, on game consoles including PlayStation and Xbox, and at tv.apple.com.
And Apple granted PBS the right to air “A Charlie Brown Christmas” one time only. In Chicago, it can be seen on WTTW-Channel 11 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13.
AppleTV+ acquired rights to the animated holiday show and other Charlie Brown specials this year, taking them off ABC, their home since 2001.