Okay, pull up a comfy chair, maybe grab a mug of something warm. Let's rewind the tape back to 1992, a time when seeing a new Peanuts Christmas special pop up on the TV guide felt like discovering an unexpected present under the tree. Following in the gigantic, snow-filled footprints of 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas is an unenviable task for any piece of animation, yet It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown arrived with quiet charm, offering another dose of that unique Charles M. Schulz magic, albeit in a slightly different package. It wasn't aiming to replace the original; it felt more like a welcome encore, a collection of festive moments straight from the funny pages.
### More Like a Cozy Comic Strip Collection
Unlike the singular narrative arc of its predecessor, It's Christmastime Again feels distinctly like a series of vignettes, directly lifted from Schulz's newspaper strips penned largely during the 80s and early 90s. This structure, while perhaps lacking the emotional crescendo of the original special, offers its own gentle pleasures. We see Charlie Brown trying (and failing, naturally) to sell wreaths door-to-door, Sally struggling with her lines for the Christmas play ("Hockey stick?"), Peppermint Patty stressing over a book report, and Linus getting roped into Lucy's philosophical musings on gift-giving. It’s pure Peanuts, distilled into bite-sized, seasonally appropriate chunks.
This approach makes the special feel incredibly faithful to the source material. Schulz himself wrote the teleplay, adapting his own work, ensuring that familiar blend of childhood anxieties, wry observations, and surprisingly poignant moments remained intact. You get the sense you're watching the comic strip come alive, panel by panel, imbued with the familiar, understated animation style overseen by veteran director Bill Melendez, the man who had been bringing the Peanuts gang to animated life since the very beginning. It might lack the slightly rougher, hand-drawn charm of the '65 special, feeling a bit smoother in that early 90s animation way, but Melendez's steady hand ensures it still feels like Peanuts.
### Voices in the Winter Air
Of course, one of the defining characteristics of any Peanuts special is the voice cast, comprised famously of actual children. By 1992, a new generation had stepped up to the microphone. Jamie E. Smith brings the requisite weariness and hope to Charlie Brown, while John Christian Graas captures Linus's gentle wisdom, and Marnette Patterson delivers Lucy’s signature crabbiness with gusto. While perhaps not as instantly iconic as the original voices seared into our collective memory, this cast does a commendable job, carrying the torch for their characters faithfully. Hearing these slightly different voices was part of the Peanuts TV experience; kids grow up, after all, and the show must go on!
### Retro Fun Facts
Digging into the VCR archives reveals some interesting tidbits about this special. Its arrival on CBS in November 1992 marked the first new Peanuts Christmas special in a whopping 27 years. Imagine the anticipation for die-hard fans! While the original special famously tackled the over-commercialization of Christmas head-on, this one weaves in similar themes more subtly through its various storylines, like Charlie Brown’s disastrous sales attempts or Lucy’s desire for cold, hard cash. It didn't quite replicate the blockbuster ratings of its ancestor, but it performed respectably, proving there was still a considerable audience eager for more holiday adventures with the gang. It was a comforting presence on holiday TV schedules for years, a reliable slice of animated warmth.
### Not the Main Event, But a Welcome Stocking Stuffer
Let's be honest: It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown isn't likely to dethrone the 1965 special in anyone's annual viewing rotation. It doesn't have that moment – the spotlight speech, the sad little tree transformation, the transcendent Vince Guaraldi score (though David Benoit provides a pleasant, Guaraldi-inspired soundtrack here). Its vignette structure makes it feel less cohesive, more like a pleasant background companion than a must-watch event.
However, judging it solely against one of the most beloved holiday specials ever made feels slightly unfair. Taken on its own terms, this 1992 special is a charming, funny, and genuinely sweet addition to the Peanuts animated canon. It captures the spirit of Schulz's later work effectively, delivering those familiar chuckles and sighs with cozy, nostalgic appeal. It’s like finding an extra ornament for the tree – maybe not the star on top, but one that still brings a fond smile.
VHS Heaven Rating: 6.5/10
Justification: The rating reflects the special's genuine charm, faithfulness to Schulz's work, and pleasant animation. However, it lacks the iconic status, narrative drive, and profound emotional resonance of the original 1965 special, and its vignette structure makes it feel less impactful overall. It's a solid, enjoyable piece of Peanuts nostalgia, but distinctly second-tier compared to the classic.
It might not be the first Peanuts tape you reach for in December, but It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown is a perfectly lovely way to spend 20-odd minutes soaking in that uniquely gentle, funny, and slightly melancholic holiday spirit only Charlie Brown and his friends can provide. Good grief, sometimes that's exactly what you need.