Save money on watching 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' with this Apple TV Black Friday discount

Black Friday isnt just about scoring discounts its also the season to start celebrating the holidays. For those hoping to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas to get into the festive mood, theres a change this year: the beloved Peanuts special is now exclusively on Apple TV, meaning youll need a subscription to watch it.

Apple has secured the exclusive streaming rights to the Peanuts specials, ending the long-standing tradition of airing the Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving shows on multiple networks like ABC and CBS. In 2025, A Charlie Brown Christmas wont be broadcast for free on these channels.

Fans who want to join Charlie Brown as he picks out a small Christmas tree for the gang will need to access Apple TV. Fortunately, Apple TV is offering a special Black Friday promotion. With this service, viewers can enjoy popular shows such as Slow Horses, Severance, Shrinking, The Morning Show, and Pluribus, in addition to all the Charlie Brown holiday specials, including the Christmas classic.

The standard Apple TV+ subscription costs $12.99 per month. However, if you sign up before December 1, you can get a discounted rate of $5.99 per month for six months. After the promotion ends, you can either continue at the regular price or cancel anytime.

Where to Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas

After years of airing on ABC, CBS, and PBS, all Peanuts specials are now available only on Apple TV+. The service also offers a free trial, allowing viewers to watch Linus explain the true meaning of Christmas without paying immediately.

When Will It Be Free?

Apple traditionally makes A Charlie Brown Christmas free to watch for everyone on one weekend in December, even for non-subscribers. However, the exact dates for 2025 have not yet been announced.

Analysis: The End of an Era for Peanuts Specials

This year, Black Friday brings more than just shopping deals; it signals a significant change in how families will experience their favorite holiday tradition. The iconic A Charlie Brown Christmas, along with other Peanuts specials, has long been a staple on network TV, a tradition that has now come to an end. Apple TV has secured exclusive streaming rights, effectively removing these specials from ABC, CBS, and PBS. For many, this shift marks the end of an era of free broadcast television.

While the transition to streaming services like Apple TV+ has become the norm for many programs, this move affects not only the availability of Peanuts specials but also the way viewers interact with holiday content. For years, families have tuned in to watch Charlie Brown, Linus, and the rest of the gang in the comfort of their homes without needing a subscription. Now, with Apple TV+'s paywall in place, fans are being asked to pay for access—or at least sign up for a free trial—if they want to relive these beloved moments.

It’s important to note, however, that Apple’s Black Friday promotion, offering discounted subscriptions, may soften the impact for some viewers. For those who sign up before December 1, Apple TV+ is available at a significantly lower price of $5.99 per month for the first six months. Still, this move underscores the broader trend of exclusive content becoming a hallmark of streaming platforms. What was once free and easily accessible on network television is now being tucked behind a subscription service.

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see whether other traditional holiday specials will follow the same path. As more media companies secure exclusive rights to popular content, the landscape of holiday viewing is shifting. For now, the Peanuts specials are a case study in the evolving relationship between broadcast television and streaming platforms.

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• How to watch 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' for less with this Apple TV Black Friday deal