4 Fun Facts About ‘Happy New Year, Charlie Brown’ Before It Airs

Fans of the “Peanuts” gang may have already celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with Charlie Brown and all of his friends, but they don’t have to bid farewell to the group just yet, as ABC is honoring the final holiday of the year with a special airing of “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown.”

The holiday special is airing as part of the network’s block of programming dedicated to the season and features the story of Charlie Brown trying to finish a book report assignment on “War and Peace” during Christmas break. However, when Peppermint Patty throws a New Year’s Eve party, Charlie waits until the last minute to do his homework, which has some consequences for him as a result.

Though the special might be a staple in some fans’ holiday viewing plans every year, there are still some fun things you may not know about the beloved cartoon. Before sitting down to watch, check out these four fun facts about “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!”

The Little-Red-Haired Girl Appears Again

For the second time, Charlie Brown’s love interest, the Little Red-Haired Girl, makes an appearance in a holiday special. She previously appeared in “It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown.”

Rerun Is Back As Well

After receiving his own Christmas Special, “I Want A Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown,” Lucy and Linus’ younger brother returns for this episode as well. This time, he returns to being a silent background character and is only featured prominently in one scene.

Rerun Isn’t The Only Silent Character

This special is one of the many where characters like Violet and Patty are reduced to silent cameos. Though they were prominent in earlier specials, they were later phased out with the introduction of characters like Marcie and Peppermint Patty. As a result, their appearance here is less grand.

“War and Peace” Has A Special Significance

It isn’t a coincidence that Charlie Brown’s assignment is to read “War and Peace.” As it turns out, the book, known for being rather lengthy, was actually one of comic strip creator Charles Schulz’s favorites, which was why it was included in the story.

“Happy New Year, Charlie Brown” airs tonight at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.