https://amac.us/newsline/lifestyle/a-charlie-brown-christmas-premieres-on-cbs-this-day-in-history/ December 9, 1965 , marked a quiet revolution in American holiday television — the day A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on CBS . Based on the beloved Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, the half-hour animated special introduced to millions a different kind of Christmas story: small in scale, emotionally honest, tender, and subversively thoughtful. At the time, few expected much. The special was produced on a modest budget, completed in just six months, and featured child actors rather than seasoned voice talents — a bold choice for 1965 television. Executives worried: no laugh track, understated pacing, a jazz soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi Trio, and a storyline that questioned the commercialization of Christmas. Then it aired. Nearly 45 million viewers tuned in, and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” instantly upended expectations. The melancholic center of the story — the perpetually i...