A Christmas Story That Almost Wasn't

In 1965, CBS executives were not happy with the first cut of "A Charlie Brown Christmas. " They thought it was too slow, not funny enough, and too religious. The producers agreed, feeling they had ruined Peanuts. The special had been made quickly and on a tight budget, and the executives were worried about the animation, the real kids' voices, and the unusual music mix. The main issue was the story. Charlie Brown was not happy about Christmas, and Linus explained the true meaning of Christmas by reciting the Nativity story from the Bible. This was a big deal because putting the Bible on TV, especially in a kids' show, was not common. Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, insisted on including this part. He believed the show should have meaning and talk about the true spirit of Christmas. Schulz had been drawing Peanuts for 15 years when he agreed to make this Christmas special. He was clear about adding meaning to the show. He wanted to talk about what Christmas was really about, not just make something funny. Schulz thought they had lost the true meaning of Christmas and wanted to bring it back.The team was worried. They thought putting the Bible in a cartoon was a bad idea. But Schulz was firm. He said if they weren't going to talk about the true meaning of Christmas, they shouldn't bother making the show. Even though everyone was nervous, the show was already promoted, so CBS had to air it. When the special finally aired, it was a huge success. Millions of people watched it, and it won awards. Critics loved it, and even Coca-Cola, who had commissioned the special, was happy. CBS admitted they had misjudged the show. Charles Schulz grew up in a Christian home and had a deep love for the Bible. He wanted Charlie Brown to feel the way he did about Christmas. Even as his own faith changed over time, Schulz never regretted making the special. He once said it was the best thing he ever wrote.