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In A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Peppermint Patty was excited to celebrate the holiday with her closest friends. Even decades later, viewers are excited to learn about the true meaning of Thanksgiving with the Peanuts characters. 

Here’s what we know about songs from this animated special’s original soundtrack. 

Snoopy, Lucy. Charlie Brown, and Linus stand in a line in a drawing from the Charles Schultz comic strip, 'Peanuts'
Snoopy, Lucy. Charlie Brown, and Linus stand in a line in a drawing from the Charles Schultz comic strip, ‘Peanuts’ | Fotos International/Courtesy of Getty Images

‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ premiered in 1973

Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Sally Brown, Linus, and Lucy are one big family. It made sense that these characters spent Thanksgiving together, as seen during the 1973 television special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. 

Throughout the animated special, Peppermint Patty (and viewers) learned the true meaning of this holiday, and it had nothing to do with jellybean or pretzels. Since its debut, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has been a holiday favorite of many viewers, even if it received criticism decades later. 

Franklin, who received a Thanksgiving invitation from Peppermint Patty, became a topic of conversation in recent years when viewers noticed the only Black character was seated alone at one side of the table. 

According to the Washington Post, Peanuts creator Schulz, who died in 2000, demanded a black character be added to the Charlie Brown cast in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. 

Some ‘Charlie Brown’ productions include original songs available for streaming on Spotify

Known for their original songs, several instrumental tracks included in A Charlie Brown Christmas are available on most major music streaming platforms. That includes “Christmas Time Is Here” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. 

The 2012 remastered and expanded expedition of the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack features songs popularized by other Peanuts films. That includes the “Great Pumpkin Waltz” from It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

This soundtrack also includes “Thanksgiving Theme” from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. As of November 2021, this track earned over 12 million plays on the streaming platform. It is the only Thanksgiving song featured on the Charlie Brown Christmas collection.

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‘Peanuts’: Animated Movie Starring Charlie Brown to Join Disney Streaming Library

Is ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ playing on television in 2021?

The Peanuts Movie, initially released in 2015, joined the Disney+ streaming library in August 2020. However, holiday-themed productions featuring these characters are only available on Apple TV+. 

Fans can also purchase physical and digital copies of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas on Amazon. However, some Charlie Brown classics will be broadcast on television this holiday season. That’s thanks to a partnership between AppleTV+ and PBS.

“We are delighted to bring the joy of these holiday classics to families across the country, in partnership with our member stations,” President and CEO of PBS, Paula Kerger, said in a statement. “During these challenging times, public television continues to be a free and easily accessible source of comfort, inspiration, and education for millions of Americans.”

A Charlie Brown Christmas will be broadcast on PBS and PBS Kids on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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