This one is one of my favourite Christmas television specials. It is tied for first with the Grinch. I really wanted it to be number one but I decided to let The Grinch win that slot because the animation is so much better.

Charlie Brown captures every essence of Christmas spirit through the depressing life of Charlie Brown as he sets out to discover what Christmas is. He finds out that it is not about the gifts or the aluminum Christmas trees, in fact, this special speaks out against commercialism; Linus tells the story of Christ's birth from the Bible; And ultimately the gang help Charlie Brown realize that friends and family make the simplest of things, like his underappreciated Christmas tree, seem extra special.

If you haven't seen "A Charlie Brown Christmas", you should!

This is a total classic that has everything: Christmas plays, caroling, writing to Santa Claus, and even the true meaning of Christmas.

And it has Charlie Brown and his friends - what could be better than that? It's fantastic; you can't miss this lovely piece of Christmas animation. I can't find anything wrong with this at all!

four stars!

The word "classic" is usually flung at any TV show that predates 1975 television history just isn't that long. "A Charlie Brown Christmas", however, earns the label.

Truly classic art changes our view of its subject. "Charlie Brown" is the rare show that takes children's humanity and spirituality seriously. Compare it to contemporary shows featuring kids, usually presented as well-groomed, slow-witted props needing adult guidance at every step. Comparatively, Charlie's heartbreaking compassion, Linus' uncomplicated faith, and Lucy's shallow but joyful embrace of materialism are all presented without condescension.

The show lacks the technical whiz-bang of great animation really, it would work just as well as a radio play (Vince Guaraldi's funky, sparkling jazz score is great listening). But the show's visual simplicity matches the hip modernism popular in the early 60's and the comic strip's format (note how so much of the action scrolls left-to-right-to-left, just like a horizontal strip).

Who hasn't go-go danced along with the Xmas pageant kids? Who didn't yearn to play "Linus and Lucy" at a piano recital? Who hasn't lit up inside when Charlie's tree is transformed? Watch it. It's a classic.