Charles Schutz’s “Peanuts” characters have been largely successful due to the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas TV special.  Beginning as a comic strip, the Peanuts gang found themselves reaching a wider audience after finding a new medium.

On this day, December 9, in 1965, the highly watched and beloved show made its TV debut.  A Charlie Brown Christmas received record ratings and was an annual presence for decades to come.  It had more than 15.4 viewers during its first broadcast.  Seeing its success, CBS immediate commissioned the “Peanuts” for more TV specials.

Since its first airing, the Charlie Brown special has aired on CBS every year during the holidays.  Still today, the broadcasts earn the highest ratings in their time slot.  A Charlie Brown Christmas is the second longest-running Christmas special of all time (behind Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer).