Apple TV is streaming “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” free for everyone this weekend, Nov. 14 and 15. It will not air on regular TV this year, so this weekend is the free window.
Good grief, the window is short.
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” is streaming free on Apple TV this weekend only, on Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15, AppleInsider reports.
You do not need an Apple TV subscription to watch. That makes this the easiest way for families to catch the 1973 classic before the holiday.
After Sunday, you will need a subscription to see it, including on Thanksgiving Day.
How can you watch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” for free?
All you need is the Apple TV app or a web browser, plus a free Apple Account, Entertainment Now reports.
Here is how:
Open the Apple TV app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV box or smart TV. Or go to tv.apple.com in any web browser.
Sign in with a free Apple Account if asked.
Search for “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and press play.
You do not need to start a free trial to watch during the free weekend, according to Yahoo. You can watch it as many times as you want until the window closes.
Last year, Cult of Mac reported that the Apple TV app on some streaming boxes, like Roku and Amazon Fire TV, asked viewers to start a free trial. If that happens, watching in a web browser is the easy workaround.
Will “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” air on TV in 2026?
No. The special will not air on broadcast TV this year, Entertainment Now reports.
The Peanuts holiday specials used to be a TV tradition every fall. Apple signed a deal in 2020 with WildBrain and Peanuts Worldwide to bring the Peanuts gang to its streaming service, AppleInsider notes. Apple holds exclusive streaming rights to all Peanuts content through 2030.
That means outside of these short free windows, the classic specials are only on Apple TV.
Can you watch it free on Thanksgiving Day?
To watch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, you will need to be an Apple TV subscriber or own a copy, iDrop News reports.
An Apple TV subscription costs $14.99 a month in the U.S., according to Yahoo. New subscribers may be able to get a seven-day free trial. People who buy a qualifying Apple device, such as an iPhone, may get a three-month trial.
When are the other Charlie Brown specials free?
Apple is giving each classic holiday special its own free weekend this year, iDrop News reports:
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”: Oct. 17 and 18 (already passed)
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”: Nov. 14 and 15
“A Charlie Brown Christmas”: Dec. 12 and 13
Mark your calendar for December if the Christmas special is part of your family’s holiday routine.
What is “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” about?
The special first aired on CBS in 1973. In it, Peppermint Patty invites herself and a few friends to Charlie Brown’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, even though Charlie Brown already has plans.
With help from Snoopy, Woodstock, Linus and Franklin, Charlie Brown throws together a meal of toast, popcorn, pretzels and jelly beans. Everyone eats around a ping-pong table in the backyard.
It runs about 25 minutes, so it is an easy watch for kids before or after a holiday meal.
Are there new Peanuts specials on Apple TV?
Yes. Apple premiered “Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy” on Thursday, Nov. 12, 9to5Mac reports.
In it, Snoopy tries to get off Santa’s naughty list in the 12 days before Christmas.
It is part of Apple’s ongoing lineup of new Peanuts shows, alongside the classic specials. New Peanuts originals require a subscription.
Fun facts about “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”
A few bits of trivia to share at the table:
The special turned 50 in 2023.
Vince Guaraldi, the jazz pianist behind the famous Peanuts music, wrote the score.
Director Bill Melendez also provided the sounds for Snoopy and Woodstock.
Linus gives a short talk about the first Thanksgiving before the meal.
If your kids enjoy it, the free weekend is a good chance to start a new family tradition without paying for a subscription.
Will you be watching the Peanuts gang this weekend? Tell us which Charlie Brown special is your family’s favorite.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
AppleInsider (Nov. 2, 2026), the free weekend dates, Apple’s Peanuts deal and trial offers
Yahoo Entertainment (Nov. 11, 2026), no trial needed and the subscription price
Entertainment Now (Nov. 14, 2026), no TV broadcast and the steps to watch
iDrop News (Nov. 14, 2026), the 2026 schedule for all three specials and Thanksgiving Day viewing
Cult of Mac (Nov. 2025), the streaming-box trial note
9to5Mac (Nov. 12, 2026), “Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy”
NBC News (2023), the 1973 debut and anniversary
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