History Awesome / ACharlieBrownChristmas

* Linus showing off his ImprobableAimingSkills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs (a scene that was cut from a lot of reruns, and only recently appeared on the DVD and in the Creator/{{ABC|US}} cut).

* Linus showing off his ImprobableAimingSkills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs (a scene that was cut from a lot of reruns, and only recently appeared on the DVD and in the Creator/{{ABC}} cut).

* Linus showing off his ImprobableAimingSkills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs (a scene that was cut from a lot of reruns, and only recently appeared on the DVD and in the Creator/{{ABC}} cut).
* In a meta sense, the sheer staying power of this masterpiece is pretty awesome, especially when you consider that Creator/{{CBS}} thought the special would flop hard. The choppy, sloppy animation has actually become beloved and warmly imitated over the years.
** Schulz had to fight hard to use child actors instead of adults, which was pretty gutsy considering only three of the kids -– the voices for Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy -– had any acting experience (The girl who voiced Sally couldn't even read yet!) The CBS execs tried to force Schulz to add a laugh track, but he point-blank refused. He had to lobby hard for the inclusion of Music/VinceGuaraldi's jazz soundtrack over a more traditional one, and the decision to include jazz would be a fateful one (Seriously, can you imagine ''Peanuts'' today without jazz?). And on top of everything else, the execs were ready to cut the special altogether if Schulz didn't nix Linus's now-iconic recitation of Jesus's birth from the [[Literature/TheBible KJV]] translation of Luke. Schulz called their bluff and stood firm.
** In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for ''56 straight Christmases '''and counting''''', if you keep in mind that Creator/AppleTVPlus will making the special freely available for at least a limited time for Christmastime 2020. Not bad at all.
** Awesome as well in a meta sense, as what made Linus reciting the sermon so special was not that it was Christian, but what it represented, not just to those of Christian faith, but to everyone watching. To recount, Jesus was born in a barnyard, and looked to be nothing special. But he later grew up to be one of the greatest leaders and religious figures of all-time in his faith, despite his simple and humble beginnings. Just like the tree Charlie Brown got. The tree looked to be nothing special, but it was the only truly original tree out of all the other aluminum ones. It's genuity and simplicity are what made it so special, and it became something amazing, just like in the story of Jesus. The story represented something clear. Christmas was not about the commercialism or any of that. That's all fun but that's not the true meaning. It was about appreciating the simplicity and beauty of everything around you. And to quote the end of Linus's sermon, "Peace and good will towards men." That's what Christmas is all about. It's no wonder you don't have to be Christian to appreciate this special, or Christmas in general for that matter.
*** Awesome again in a meta level when you realize that this actually represents the journey this special took with the CBS execs, being ridiculed nonstop before becoming a beautiful classic, just like the tree in the film. This is a truly amazing special.
** The Bible speech actually managed to help then-fledgling [[WesternAnimation/VeggieTales Big Idea]] finally get the confidence to place a scripture reading scene in their first Christmas special. Keep in mind that said Christmas special was only to be aired on PAX, a Christian network[[note]]It is now a secular network known as Ion Television.[[/note]] and the company openly made Christian-themed material and yet they were still nervous until they took heart from Charlie Brown and crew.
* Also meta, Charles Schulz's brief acceptance speech when it won an Emmy.
-->''Charlie Brown is not used to winning, so we thank you.''

** In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for ''50 straight Christmases '''and counting''''', if you keep in mind that Creator/AppleTVPlus will making the special freely available for at least a limited time for Christmastime 2020. Not bad at all.

*** This is also Charles Schulz' own SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, because he put his foot down when ExecutiveMeddling kicked in and said that if he couldn't have that part in the special, he would not allow it to be aired. As it turned, that very scene would singled out from the beginning as the most powerful part of the special.

** In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for ''50 straight Christmases '''and counting'''''. Not bad at all.

*** This is also Charles Schulz' own SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, because he put his foot down when ExecutiveMeddling kicked in and said that if he couldn't have that part in the special, he would not allow it to be aired.

* In a meta sense, the sheer staying power of this masterpiece is pretty awesome, especially when you consider that Creator/{{CBS}} thought the special would flop hard. The choppy, sloppy animation has actually become beloved and warmly imitated over the years.\\
\\
Schulz had to fight hard to use child actors instead of adults, which was pretty gutsy considering only three of the kids -– the voices for Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy -– had any acting experience (The girl who voiced Sally couldn't even read yet!) The CBS execs tried to force Schulz to add a laugh track, but he point-blank refused. He had to lobby hard for the inclusion of Music/VinceGuaraldi's jazz soundtrack over a more traditional one, and the decision to include jazz would be a fateful one (Seriously, can you imagine ''Peanuts'' today without jazz?). And on top of everything else, the execs were ready to cut the special altogether if Schulz didn't nix Linus's now-iconic recitation of Jesus's birth from the [[Literature/TheBible KJV]] translation of Luke. Schulz called their bluff and stood firm.\\
\\
In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for ''50 straight Christmases '''and counting'''''. Not bad at all.

** Awesome as well in a meta sense, as what made Linus reciting the sermon so special was not that it was Christian, but what it represented, not just to those of Christian faith, but to everyone watching. To recount, Jesus was born in a barnyard, and looked to be nothing special. But he later grew up to be one of the greatest leaders and religious figures of all-time in his faith, despite his simple and humble beginnings. Just like the tree Charlie Brown got. The tree looked to be nothing special, but it was the only truly original tree out of all the other aluminum ones. It's genuity and simplicity are what made it so special, and it became something amazing, just like in the story of Jesus. The story represented something clear. Christmas was not about the commercialism or any of that. That's all fun but that's not the true meaning. It was about appreciating the simplicity and beauty of everything around you. And to quote the end of Linuse's sermon, "Peace and good will towards men." That's what Christmas is all about. It's no wonder you don't have to be Christian to appreciate this special, or Christmas in general for that matter.

*** It's even more awesome in the eyes of anyone who reads the ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' comics, and therefore knows that Linus has crippling StageFright and Lucy, every holiday season, without fail, signs him up to perform in front of the PTA, and then proceeds to drag him there under protest. He once spent an entire week sitting in a tree to avoid reciting publicly, and yet seeing Charlie Brown in such a state of despair makes him drop all that without a second thought.

*** Awesome again n a meta level when you realize that this actually represents the journey this special took with the CBS execs, being ridiculed nonstop before becoming a beautiful classic, just like the treee in the film. This is a truly amazing special.

** The Bible speech actually managed to help then-fledgling [[WesternAnimation/VeggieTales Big Idea]] finally get the confidence to place a scripture reading scene in their first Christmas special. Keep in mind that said Christmas special was only to be aired on PAX, a Christian station and the company openly made Christian-themed material and yet they were still nervous until they took heart from Charlie Brown and crew.

** The Bible speech actually managed to help then-fledgling [[WesternAnimationVeggieTales Big Idea]] finally get the confidence to place a scripture reading scene in their first Christmas special. Keep in mind that said Christmas special was only to be aired on PAX, a Christian station and the company openly made Christian-themed material and yet they were still nervous until they took heart from Charlie Brown and crew.

In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for ''50 straight Christmases '''and counting'''''. Not bad at all.

* It's not often that ''total and utter silence'' can count as a CMOA, but the reaction by the cast, who have been wrapped up in the commercialism of the season, after Linus gives [[AsTheGoodBookSays his sermon]] is an almost physical entity.

** More importantly, when Linus gives his Biblical recitation of the Nativity; it's pure TalkingHeads, but its sincerity and dramatic power makes it riveting.
--> "Lights, please..."
* Linus showing off his ImprobableAimingSkills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs (a scene that was cut from a lot of reruns, and only recently appeared on the DVD and in the Creator/{{ABC}} cut.)

In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for, at this point, ''almost 50 straight Christmases.'' Not bad at all.

In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for, at this point, ''almost 50'' straight Christmases. Not bad at all.

In the end, the special paid off in a big way: Half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for, at this point, 48 straight Christmases. Not bad at all.

** More importantly, when Linus gives his Biblical recitation of the Nativity; it's pure TalkingHeads, but its sincerity and dramatic power makes it riveting.

* Linus showing off his ImprobableAimingSkills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs (a scene that was cut from a lot of reruns, and only recently appeared on the DVD and in the ABC cut).
* In a meta sense, the sheer staying power of this masterpiece is pretty awesome, especially when you consider that CBS thought the special would flop hard. The choppy, sloppy animation has actually become beloved and warmly imitated over the years.\\

Schulz had to fight hard to use child actors instead of adults, which was pretty gutsy considering only three of the kids – the voices for Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy – had any acting experience (The girl who voiced Sally couldn't even read yet!). The CBS execs tried to force Schulz to add a laugh track, but he point-blank refused. He had to lobby hard for the inclusion of Vince Guaraldi's jazz soundtrack over a more traditional one, and the decision to include jazz would be a fateful one (Seriously, can you imagine ''Peanuts'' today without jazz?). And on top of everything else, the execs were ready to cut the special altogether if Schulz didn't nix Linus's now-iconic recitation of Jesus's birth from the KJV translation of Luke. Schulz called their bluff and stood firm.\\

In the end, the special paid off in a big way: half of all the US TV audience tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for, at this point, 48 straight Christmases. Not bad at all.

* Linus showing off his ImprobableAimingSkills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs.

* In a meta sense, the sheer staying power of this masterpiece is pretty awesome, especially when you consider that CBS though them special would flop hard. The choppy, sloppy animation has actually become beloved and warmly imitated over the years. Schulz had to fight hard to use child actors instead of adults, which was pretty gutsy considering only three of the kids had any acting experience (The girl who voiced Sally couldn't even read yet!). The CBS execs tried to force Schulz to add a laugh track, but he point-blank refused. He had to lobby hard for the inclusion of Vince Guaraldi's jazz soundtrack over a more traditional one, and the decision to include jazz would be a fateful one (Seriously, can you imagine Peanuts without jazz?). And on top of everything else, the execs were ready to cut the special altogether if Schulz didn't nix Linus's now-iconic recitation of Jesus's Birth from the KJV. Schulz called their bluff and stood firm. In the end, the special payed off in a big way: half of all TV audiences tuned into the first broadcast, the special won a freaking PEABODY award, and it's run for, at this point, 48 straight Christmases. Not bad at all.

* It's not often that ''total and utter silence'' can count as a CMOA, but the reaction by the cast, who have been wrapped up in the commercialism of the season, after Linus gives [[AsTheGoodBookSays his sermon]] is an almost physical entity.