Charlie Brown Holiday Tv Specials

Christmas vacation is only a few minutes away, and Charlie Brown is excited about it. However, his feelings change when his teacher assigns a book report on War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. As school lets out, Charlie Brown and Linus decide to let out their anger over the teacher's decision. Linus decides to take his anger out by throwing a snowball at his sister Lucy and Patty, but it flies past both and hits the trunk of a nearby tree. Lucy, knowing her brother would try this kind of trick, packs a big snowball and rolls it like a bowling ball, knocking both Linus and Charlie Brown down to the sound of bowling pins crashing. Charlie Brown complains to Linus he will never be able to finish the book and write a paper on it over vacation, but Linus tries to convince him to read it. Just then, the phone rings, and it is Peppermint Patty inviting Charlie Brown to her New Year's party, but Charlie Brown says he has to read his book. Peppermint Patty says it is a boy-ask-girl party, but Charlie Brown keeps insisting he has to read his book. Sally wants Linus to take her to the party, and Lucy expects a certain piano player to take her, and she also announces she has enrolled everyone else in a dance class. In the hope of learning the plot of War and Peace faster, Charlie Brown goes to a store and asks if they have War and Peace in the form of a comic book, a record, a tape or cassette, a computer game, or a film strip, but the store does not have any of those things. Charlie Brown goes back home to read his book but suddenly remembers the dance class. When Charlie Brown arrives there, he gets distracted by Peppermint Patty and starts dancing with her. ("Slow, Slow, Quick! Quick! (Doin' the Foxtrot)) Back home, Sally asks Charlie Brown again when Linus will take her to the party. He and Lucy are busy blowing up balloons for the party, but their little brother Rerun blows square balloons. He tries teaching Rerun how to properly blow up balloons, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Lucy asks Schroeder if he's taking her to the party or not. He then replies, "Musicians don't dance. Anyway, I'll be playing the piano at the party," which means "no." Charlie Brown then decides he is making too much of a fuss over his book, that he will be able to come to Peppermint Patty's party after all, and will take the Little Red-Haired Girl. He then goes over to the Little Red-Haired Girl's house with Linus to put an invitation in her mail slot, inviting her to the party. He gets his hand stuck in the mail slot but she does not respond to all the noise he makes, so he assumes she does not want to come with him. Charlie Brown takes his book to the party, so he can read it during the evening. The children play musical chairs. Peppermint Patty sings a musical chairs song during the game. Eventually, she and Charlie Brown are the only ones left, but at the very last second, she beats him. Charlie Brown goes outside to read his book after sharing root bear with Lucy. He starts reading, then falls asleep as it begins snowing. Everyone else is watching the Times Square Ball drop on TV when there is a knock on the door. It is Heather, the Little Red-Haired Girl, who Linus greets then asks her to dance with him. Charlie Brown wakes up at midnight, due to everyone singing "Auld Lang Syne". Peppermint Patty then yells at Charlie Brown, saying due to him sleeping, she was the only one standing alone at midnight. Before Charlie Brown can explain, Sally comes over and yells at him, too, that she did not get to dance with Linus, her Sweet Babboo, like she wanted to; because Linus was dancing with the Little Red-Haired Girl on purpose. This shocks Charlie Brown, who discovers that the Little Red-Haired Girl was at the party and he missed her. Charlie Brown then goes out the door to see if he can still see her, but he cannot (because she left before, at, or after midnight). Marcie comes over to him, kisses him, and wishes him a happy new year. Snoopy's bird friends come in with signs that read "New", "Happy", and "Year!" Snoopy growls at them to get the phrase right and they put the words into their proper positions. At the end of the special, Charlie Brown gets back his report on War and Peace. He receives a grade of D-minus because the teacher said, "it looked like the sort of report that was written after midnight on the last day of Christmas vacation", which it was. Linus then alerts Charlie Brown for their next assignment, reading Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, causing him to faint in dismay under his desk, but Linus wishes him a Happy New Year.

At the start of the special, the audience is introduced to Rerun and sees some of the difficulties that he faces in his everyday life: riding on the back of his mother's bicycle, coping with his crabby sister Lucy, being embarrassed by his blanket-toting brother Linus and getting accused of harassment when he asks the Little Pigtailed Girl from his kindergarten class to come to Paris with him. Rerun wishes that he had a dog, but his mother refuses to get one. Not having a dog of his own, he asks Charlie Brown several times if he can play with Snoopy. At first, Snoopy agrees and the small boy and the dog play happily together. However, Snoopy seems to tire of Rerun's games and suddenly stops seeing the boy. Rerun asks Charlie Brown if Snoopy has any brothers or sisters. He is told about Belle, Marbles, Olaf, Andy, and Spike. Rerun thinks that Spike might make a good pet. Snoopy writes to Spike and asks him to visit. Spike agrees and makes the long trip from his home outside his farm, carrying his cactus in a flowerpot with him. When Spike arrives, Lucy is shocked to see how skinny he is. She takes him in to nurse him back to health. However, after the dog recovers, Rerun's mother will not allow him to stay in their house any longer. Charlie Brown tries to find a new home for him but none of the other children are willing to take him in. Spike has no choice but to return to his home in the desert. Rerun is saddened to see Spike go. To cheer him up, Lucy enters Rerun in the annual school Christmas pageant. While Rerun has only one line to recite, he nervously forgets it just moments before he is supposed to deliver it. After whispering his problem to Lucy, she tells him that he had better remember it, or she will slug him back at home. Rerun suddenly remembers the line and delivers it in time. After Lucy wishes him "Merry Christmas," Rerun thanks her, then faints. Rerun asks Charlie Brown if Snoopy will pull him on his sled. When the dog eventually agrees to come out and play, Rerun finds himself pulling Snoopy on the sled instead. He finally decides that dogs are too much trouble after all. At the end of the special Charlie Brown "breaks the fourth wall" by saying, "Sometimes I ask myself, 'When will it all end?' and then a voice comes to me that says, 'Right after the credits.'"

Easter comes to town, and the various members of the Peanuts gang prepare to celebrate in various ways. Peppermint Patty recruits Marcie to help her paint eggs by having Marcie cook them. Unfortunately, Marcie is unable to comprehend how to cook them without otherwise destroying the eggs: she at first fries them, waffle presses them, toasts them, and roasts them in the oven while still in the carton. After Patty spends the last of her allowance on a third dozen of eggs, she finally tells Marcie to boil them. Unfortunately, Marcie promptly cracks them all into the water, unintentionally making egg soup, much to Patty's anger and dismay. Linus tells Peppermint Patty not to fret, as the "Easter Beagle" will come and hand out Easter eggs to everyone. As usual, no one believes him: Sally in particular is still mad at him for making her wait for the Great Pumpkin during the previous Halloween. Lucy prepares for an Easter egg hunt by hiding some painted eggs outside, and tracks their locations so that she can win the hunt. Woodstock grows tired of sleeping in his nest during the rainy spring season and recruits Snoopy's help. Snoopy buys Woodstock a birdhouse, which he initially has trouble getting used to but eventually turns into a bachelor pad complete with furnishings. Unfortunately, a curious Snoopy accidentally destroys the pad when he gets his nose caught in the door while taking a peek inside, forcing him to buy Woodstock a new birdhouse, which the frustrated bird does not even bother furnishing. On Easter morning, Snoopy emerges as the Easter Beagle, and hands out eggs―which he stole from Lucy's hiding spots―to the rest of the Peanuts gang. Everyone receives them with glee, except for Charlie Brown, who in typical fashion is unable to receive one due to Snoopy running out. Now having a real Easter egg, Marcie questions Peppermint Patty what to do with it, to which Patty simply replies that you eat the egg with some salt and pepper. Marcie proceeds to put salt on it and eat the egg whole, shell and all, which she tells the dismayed Patty tastes terrible. Lucy inspects her egg and quickly realizes Snoopy gave her her own egg. Ten weeks later she is still grumpy about it and goes to see Snoopy to fight him. However, Snoopy stops the fight before it can start by giving Lucy an alarming but charming kiss on the cheek, which she begrudgingly accepts.

Linus is fond of his teacher, Miss Othmar. To show his love, he buys her a huge heart-shaped box of chocolates. However, Violet warns him it is probably not smart to fall in love with a teacher. When Linus leaves, Sally believes that he bought the candy for her and decides to make him a valentine in return. Later, Lucy goes to a puppet show held by Snoopy. At the concession stand, Lucy asks for popcorn. However Snoopy cannot understand Lucy and he gives her first candy, then soda, and finally popcorn. With Charlie Brown narrating the show, Snoopy tells a story about true lovers (which ends up being a little too interactive for Lucy's taste). Valentine's Day then comes and the gang brings valentine cards for everybody. At Birchwood School, Schroeder explains that there is a box labelled "Valentines For Those We Love" with a slot for putting the cards in. Charlie Brown brings a briefcase hoping he will get lots of valentines. However, after the cards are passed out, it turns out Charlie Brown gets nothing except for a candy heart (which reads "Forget It, Kid"). Angry, Charlie Brown throws the valentine box out the classroom window. Linus is also upset as he was unable to give his candy to Miss Othmar (having left with her boyfriend). Sally, who still believes the box of candy is for her, is dismayed when Linus attempts to go after Miss Othmar to give her the candy. Charlie Brown and Linus vent their heartbreak in different ways: Linus throws his chocolates off a bridge, not knowing that Snoopy and Woodstock are under it catching and eating every chocolate he throws off; Charlie Brown kicks his mailbox, only to accidentally hurt his foot in the process. The next day, Violet gives Charlie Brown a used valentine (she took her own name off of it) as an apology, despite Schroeder berating her for dropping by the day after Valentine's Day and acting out of guilt. As Charlie Brown and Linus meet at the brick wall later, Charlie Brown expresses hope that Violet's pity valentine will start a trend and he will get more valentines the following year.

This special begins with Charlie Brown being woken up in bed when Snoopy the World Famous Author has an inspiration and begins typing poems about Valentine's Day. Later that day, sitting on a bench at lunch at school, Charlie Brown is trying to get the nerve to talk to the Little Red-Haired Girl, but of course, chickening out. He says he feels silly to chicken out, because he knows he is the type of person she would like. He says "I may not be the greatest guy who ever lived, but after all, who is? I'm just a nice type of guy who never gets to meet Little Red-Haired Girl." Just then, the Little Red-Haired Girl walks by, and drops her pencil. Charlie Brown notices it, picks it up, and sees it has teeth marks in it. He realizes this means she nibbles on her pencil, and is human. Charlie Brown decides to use the Little Red-Haired Girl's lost pencil as an excuse to talk to her while returning it to her, but unfortunately, Lucy takes the pencil from Charlie Brown and returns it to the Little Red-Haired Girl before Charlie Brown gets a chance. Later that day, Charlie Brown buys a box of chocolates for the Little Red Haired Girl (A cheap one since he knows he will not have the nerve to give it her), and decides to hide behind a tree and give it to her, then commenting "Love makes you do strange things." Throughout the cartoon Sally Brown tries to make Linus like her but to no avail. The next day, Marcie is seen making a Valentine's card for Charlie Brown, despite Peppermint Patty telling her not to, and decides to give it to him, saying that she is very fond of him. Later that day, Marcie goes over to Charlie Brown's house to ask him if he likes her, and Charlie Brown asks, "Do I what?" Marcie then walks away angrily. Later that day Marcie calls Charlie Brown to ask him if he likes her, and he becomes confused again. Later, Charlie Brown receives a letter in the mail saying, "I know you like me and I like you. " Charlie Brown becomes very excited, thinking it's from the Little Red-Haired Girl, but Peppermint Patty yells at him, telling him "That letter was from me. You like me, Chuck." She leaves Charlie Brown confused, saying, "I do?" Charlie Brown buys the Little Red-Haired Girl a Valentine's card from Lucy, and then decides to practice giving her the valentine. He tells Snoopy to pretend to be the Little Red-Haired Girl while he practices knocking on the door, and delivering the valentine. When Charlie Brown knocks on his door, Snoopy answers with a red wig on, which annoys Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown tells Linus he still doesn't know what to do about the Little Red-Haired Girl. Linus suggests Charlie Brown should invite her to the school Valentine's Day dance. Charlie Brown agrees, but first asks Linus to talk to her to find out if she likes him. Linus goes over and asks her if she likes Charlie Brown. However, the Little Red-Haired girl has no idea there is a kid in their class named Charlie Brown. Later, in class, Charlie Brown tries to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl by winking at her. However, before she can notice him, the teacher sends Charlie Brown to the nurse because she thinks he is winking because his eye hurts him. The following day, Charlie Brown is in class and is about to sharpen his pencil. Apparently, his sleeve gets stuck in the pencil sharpener. The next day, Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown notices the Little Red-Haired Girl handing out valentines. He becomes excited that she may give him a valentine, but becomes discouraged when she doesn't give him one. Later, when Charlie Brown and Linus are at the wall, Linus suggests that Charlie Brown call her to invite her to the Valentine's Day dance. Charlie Brown says he can't because he is worried she might hang up in his face. Linus tells him that's the beauty of calling on the phone. If she hangs up on one ear, that is not considered the whole face. Later, Charlie Brown with Linus are seen on the phone. He calls the operator and says he would like to talk to a Little Red-Haired Girl. Charlie Brown says he has her number, but doesn't know what to say when she picks up. Then, Charlie Brown finally calls her. However, on the other side of the line, Marcie picks up. Charlie Brown realizes that he dialed the wrong number. He tells that to Marcie, who says she understands, and says he probably meant to call Peppermint Patty. She tells him that Peppermint Patty just happens to be at her house. She gives the phone to Peppermint Patty, who asks Charlie Brown if he called to invite her to his school's Valentine's dance, but before Charlie Brown can answer her, she accepts the offer. That night, Charlie Brown puts on a suit, because he has to go to the dance with Peppermint Patty. He invites Snoopy to come with him, and Snoopy puts on a red bowtie and goes with him. When they arrive at the party, Charlie Brown is told that Snoopy can't come in because dogs aren't allowed at this party. Charlie Brown tells him, that Snoopy is really a person who came dressed as a dog because he thought it was a costume party, so Snoopy is allowed in. At the party, Charlie Brown sees Linus, and Linus tells him the Little Red-Haired Girl is at the party, so he should ask her to dance with him. Snoopy is charming the girls for a kiss on their hands for the dance. Charlie Brown decides Linus is right, and starts walking towards the Little Red-Haired Girl, getting more nervous with every step he takes. But before he could make it over to her, Peppermint Patty and Marcie find him, and start dancing with him, much to Charlie Brown's annoyance. When the two girls finally let him go, Charlie Brown realizes the Little Red-Haired Girl is already dancing with somebody else, and that somebody else is Snoopy. After the dance, Peppermint Patty and Marcie complain to Charlie Brown that he was not a good date. He is a horrible dancer, and they will never go with him to another dance. The special ends with Charlie Brown upset that he did not get the chance to dance with the Little Red-Haired Girl, and did not even receive one valentine. Just then, Snoopy brings Charlie Brown a valentine, and Charlie Brown becomes excited. Linus wishes him a happy Valentine's Day. The special ends there, and it is not revealed who the valentine is from.

On their way to join the rest of the gang all skating on a frozen pond, Charlie Brown confides in Linus that even though the holidays are approaching he still feels depressed despite all the presents and cards and tree decorating. After a reproach by Linus and a putdown from Violet, he decides to pay a visit to Lucy in her psychiatric booth. Deciding that he needs "to get involved in some real Christmas project", Lucy invites Charlie Brown to direct the Christmas play at the school. She sympathizes with Charlie Brown about holiday depression, always getting a lot of stupid toys instead of what she wants: real estate. On the way to the auditorium, Charlie Brown's attention is caught by Snoopy frantically and gleefully busy decorating his doghouse. When Charlie Brown demands an explanation, Snoopy hands him a flyer about the neighborhood Christmas lights and display contest. Charlie Brown walks away in disbelief at his own dog being bitten by the Christmas commercial bug, and is then accosted by Sally, who wants Charlie Brown to dictate a letter from her to Santa; she ultimately asks him in the letter to just send money- tens and twenties, causing Charlie Brown to run away in exasperation at even his sister's secularization. Charlie Brown arrives at the rehearsals, but try as he might, he cannot seem to get control of the situation. The uncooperative kids are more interested in modernizing the play with dancing and lively music. Conversely, Charlie Brown is determined to not let the play become secularized, by focusing on the traditional side of the story. Thinking the play requires the proper mood, Charlie Brown decides they need a Christmas tree; Lucy agrees with his idea, and dispatches Charlie Brown to "get the biggest aluminum Christmas tree you can get- maybe painted pink". With Linus in tow, Charlie Brown sets off on his quest. But when they get to the tree market, Charlie Brown zeroes in on a small sapling which, ironically as well as symbolically, is the only real tree on the lot. Linus is reluctant about Charlie Brown's choice, but Charlie Brown is convinced that with decoration it will be just right for the play. They return to the auditorium with the tree, only to be berated by the girls, especially Lucy, who says, "Can't you even tell a good tree from a poor tree?!". Second-guessing himself, Charlie Brown begins to wonder aloud if anyone knows what Christmas is about; Linus quietly says he can tell him and walks to center stage to make his point. Under a spotlight, Linus quotes the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 8 through 14 from the King James Bible, in which angels from heaven tell a group of initially frightened shepherds of the birth of the baby Jesus, and instruct them as to where they can find the infant. Hearing this, Charlie Brown begins to realize that he does not have to let commercialism ruin his Christmas. With a newly-found sense of inspiration, he quietly picks up the little tree and walks out of the auditorium, intending to take it home to decorate and show the others it will work in the play. He stops at Snoopy's decorated doghouse, which now sports a first prize blue ribbon for winning the display contest. Letting his dog's commercialism roll off his back, Charlie Brown takes an ornament off the doghouse and hangs it on his tree, but the ornament's weight is too much for the small branch, and pulls it to the ground, much to the shock of Charlie Brown who says, "I've killed it. Oh! Everything I touch gets ruined!" and walks away with his head hung in shame. The rest of the gang, having also heard Linus' recitative, began to realize they were too rough on Charlie Brown and quietly followed him from the auditorium. Linus goes up to the little tree and gently props the drooping branch back to its upright position, ornament and all, saying, "I never thought it was such a bad little tree", then wraps his blanket around the base of the trunk and adds, "It's not bad at all. Maybe it just needs a little love." The rest of the children grab the other decorations off of Snoopy's doghouse and add them to the tree. When they have finished, even Lucy concedes to Charlie Brown's choice, saying, "Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he did get a nice tree." The children then start humming Hark! The Herald Angels Sing when Charlie Brown returns demanding to know what's going on. When he sees what they have done with the tree, he cannot believe his eyes, and all the gang shout, "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!" At this point, the children, joined by Charlie Brown, begin singing the carol in earnest as the end credits roll and the snow begins to fall.

Happy Holidays from Snoopy Lucy is ice skating at the pond and mentions that her skating club is having a Christmas show this year, and she figures she could participate in it if she could get a partner, preferably one who is "handsome and graceful." Snoopy skates by, as if to ask for the position, but she tells him to go away. She tries to ask Schroeder, who is playing hockey right now, if he would be her partner, but he refuses. Snoopy skates by again but he accidentally knocks her down. She angrily asks him to watch where he's going, and that there's no room for both of them on his pond. But when he licks her in a final attempt to kiss up, she pulls his wool cap down over his head and tells him to go home. Later, Snoopy is working as a street corner Santa when Rerun shows up, demanding to know why Santa didn't bring him all the things he wanted last year. Snoopy responds by barking angrily at him, and then starts playing "Oh! Susanna" on the accordion, which Lucy comments "isn't very Christmasy" as she and Linus walk by. Upon hearing that, he quickly switches to "Christmas Time is Here", with Woodstock whistling in unison. Sometime later, Snoopy is sleeping on top of his doghouse and gets buried by snow. Upon awakening, he kicks the snow off of his roof only for it to land on the ferocious cat who lives next door. Charlie Brown suggests that Snoopy should try to make peace and show some holiday spirit to the cat, but when Snoopy tries to do so, the cat takes a ferocious swipe and leaves a Christmas tree-shaped hole in Snoopy's house. Yuletide Greetings from Linus Linus is trying to write a letter to Santa Claus, saying he does not really want any presents and will not mind if Santa skips their house this year. Lucy criticizes his letter and crumples it up, telling him to try again. Linus starts writing another letter, asking Santa is his sleigh is all ready, but then throws it away. He starts on another letter, saying he is not sure what he wants for Christmas, suggesting maybe Santa should send him a catalog. At school, Linus mentions to Charlie Brown that he kind of likes this new girl who sits behind him in class, but she keeps changing her name. When the girl in question says her name today is Jezebel, Linus points out to her that was the name of King Ahab's evil wife in the Old Testament, so she says her name is now Susan. Linus starts working on his Christmas card list and asks the girl what her home address is, to which she responds "Aren't you kind of old for me?" Linus gets annoyed with her and is then sent to the principal's office for his outburst. Later, at lunchtime, the girl gives Linus her home address and then says that her name is now Lydia, and that last week it was Rebecca, though she also likes being called Rachel. Linus decides he'll just address the girl as "her" on his card. A few days later, Lucy tells Linus that the Christmas card he sent to that girl was sent back to him because the address was nonexistent. Linus is aggravated that the girl is driving him so crazy, but when Lucy asks why he bothers with her, Linus responds that "she fascinates me." Season's Greetings from Sally Sally announces to Charlie Brown that she is going to make paper airplanes for everyone this Christmas and then gives one to him early. She then starts writing a letter to Santa, who she thinks is a woman named Samantha Claus. She includes a request for "Samantha" to bring Charlie Brown a new bicycle, but then takes that back after Charlie Brown jokes about her mistake. Later, Sally comes home from school, upset and embarrassed that everyone at school all laughed at her for thinking Santa's name was Samantha. After working on addressing her Christmas cards and being told the story of the Three Wise Men by Linus, Sally goes out to "fall down a Christmas tree". When Charlie Brown questions her about her plan, she says "I don't know how to cut down a Christmas tree. When I look at, I hope it'll just fall down." She finds a small tree outside a neighbor's yard. When the kid who lives there questions what she's doing here, she says she's waiting for the tree to fall down. The kid laughs, saying that she can have the tree if it actually falls over - at which point it does. After Sally brings the tree home, the kid shows up on their front porch, demanding Sally give the tree back to him, but she refuses, telling him to leave or else she will send Snoopy (who is currently decorating the tree) after him. That night, though, Sally cannot sleep and asks Charlie Brown if she should return the tree, despite that she does not feel guilty - that is, until Charlie Brown tells her that tomorrow is Christmas Eve. The next morning, Sally and Snoopy arrive at the kid's house to bring the tree back to him, but he instead tells them that she is allowed to keep the tree. Later, as Charlie Brown is helping Sally redecorate the tree, he tells her about how their grandmother always hung her stocking up on Christmas Eve and would always find it full of apples and oranges. Sally grabs a sock out of her dresser drawer and, noticing how small it is, observes, "I can see it now - three grapes." She then decides to hang a lot of socks on the chimney. Peace on Earth from Lucy Lucy wishes Charlie Brown a merry Christmas, saying she believes they should put aside their differences and try to be kind at this time of the year; when Charlie Brown asks why they cannot be like this all through the year, she calls him a fanatic. Later, while visiting Schroeder, Lucy gives him a list of things that "you might want to give me," which he promptly throws away. Lucy then remarks that she does not want Schroeder to buy anything for her, because she knows that he hates her; when Schroeder points out that he has never said that, she loudly screams "Then buy me something!!" At home, Lucy gets Linus to write her letter to Santa as she dictates. She claims to have been perfect all year, a claim that Linus immediately questions; she responds by punching him out and then saying she has an opening for a new secretary. She then starts writing the letter herself, saying she hopes Santa is in good health and telling him to drive safely. Later, when Lucy asks if Linus would like to know which things she would like for Christmas, he declines, saying he wants his gift for her to be a surprise. Lucy is pleased at that thought, but Linus apparently has no intention of giving her a present. Lucy insists to Linus that he has to give her a Christmas present, claiming that it says so in the Bible. Linus tells her it doesn't actually say that in the Bible, but Lucy claims he does have to give her a present anyway because the word "sister" is mentioned in the Bible. Merry Christmas from Charlie Brown Charlie Brown is working on a card for the little red-haired girl and asks Linus for advice. Sally then comes by and calls Linus her "sweet babboo", much to his annoyance. After Linus complains about Sally always calling him that, Charlie Brown shows him the finished card, which is signed "Merry Christmas from your sweet babboo." Linus glares at Charlie Brown, who says that it is a family expression. When Charlie Brown points out that they should leave a snack for Santa Claus, Sally initially suggests broccoli before deciding on putting a plate of cookies by the tree, and then hiding someplace so she can see Santa. A few minutes later, Sally thinks to have seen Santa, but it is actually Snoopy in his Santa outfit. On Christmas Eve, Sally wakes up Charlie Brown in the middle of the night, saying she was dreaming about sugarplums and needs to know what they are. The next morning, she wakes him up, saying Santa didn't leave him anything, and then adds "April Fool!" Later, Charlie Brown receives a call from Lucy, asking if Snoopy likes the sweater she made for him. Charlie Brown then tells Sally that he had ordered a toy bicycle for her doll set, but it never came, as it was likely delivered to the wrong address, so she angrily remarks that whoever got it can enjoy it; it is then shown that Woodstock received the toy bicycle.

Halloween is approaching in the Peanuts gang neighborhood. Linus and Lucy head out to the pumpkin patch to find a pumpkin they can use to make a jack-o-lantern. After rejecting some smaller choices by Linus, Lucy picks a very large pumpkin that she forces Linus to carry. Upon arriving home, Linus is horrified as Lucy begins slicing into it to make the jack-o-lantern, crying "You didn't tell me you were going to kill it!" With autumn already in full swing, Charlie Brown is busy raking leaves with Snoopy's help. Linus sees the pile and jumps right in the middle of it, forgetting that he is holding a wet lollipop he was licking. Moments later Lucy comes with a football for Charlie Brown to kick. He initially refuses, but Lucy shows him a contract which promises that she will not pull the ball away. Charlie Brown relents, but when he is about to kick the ball, she does pull it away, which sends him landing flat on his back, like always. Lucy then points out that the contract had not been notarized. Later, Linus writes a letter to the Great Pumpkin, to Charlie Brown's disbelief, Snoopy's laughter, Patty's assertion that the Great Pumpkin is a fake, and even to Lucy's violent threats. Only Sally, Charlie Brown's younger sister, who is in love with Linus, supports him before Charlie Brown takes her away. Charlie Brown gleefully announces to Lucy that he received an invitation to Violet's Halloween party. Lucy dampens his mood by claiming Violet had two lists, of people to invite and people not to invite, taunting that Charlie Brown's name must have gotten on the wrong list. On Halloween night, the gang gets their costumes ready. Touting that a costume should reflect the exact opposite of one's own personality, Lucy dresses as a witch, while the other kids dress up as ghosts. "Pig-Pen" is easily recognized by his trademark cloud of dust, while Charlie Brown has eyeholes cut out all over his sheet, matter-of-factly stating he had a little trouble with the scissors. Sally expresses interest in trick-or-treating, though she is taken aback after hearing Lucy explain how it works, questioning if it is legal. Before going trick-or-treating, the gang stops off at the pumpkin patch to make fun of Linus's missing out on all the fun, just as he did the year before. Linus steadfastly refuses to leave the patch, and even convinces Sally to stay behind. During trick-or-treating, everyone else gets assorted candy, gum, apples, cookies, popcorn balls, and even money; however, at every house, Charlie Brown gets the same thing — a rock. After tricks-or-treats, and another quick stop at the pumpkin patch to rib Linus and Sally again, the gang all go off to Violet's Halloween party. Meanwhile, Snoopy, wearing his World War I Flying Ace gear, climbs aboard his Sopwith Camel (in reality, his doghouse) to do battle with the Red Baron. After being shot down, Snoopy makes his way across the countryside, before The-great-pumpkin Linus mistakes Snoopy for the Great Pumpkin. Briefly crashing the Halloween party. He then makes his way to the pumpkin patch where Linus and Sally are still waiting for the Great Pumpkin to show up. Linus hears Snoopy's rustling, and believes it is the Great Pumpkin. When Snoopy (who is still hidden in the shadows) rises above the pumpkins, Linus promptly faints. When Sally sees it is only Snoopy, she becomes outraged over missing tricks-or-treats and the Halloween party, and tears into Linus as the rest of the gang arrive to witness her tirade. As Linus watches her storm off with the rest of the departing gang, he pleads with them to remain, claiming that "if the Great Pumpkin comes" he will put in a good word. Quickly he realizes he said "if" instead of "when", and believing himself to have jinxed it, despairs its absence. When 4:00 a.m. rolls around the next morning, Lucy awakens to see the time then gets up to check on Linus. Seeing his bed empty, she dons her coat and heads out to the pumpkin patch to find Linus shivering on the ground with only his blanket to cover him. Without a word, she leads him back home and to his room, removing his shoes and socks and letting him fall asleep in his own bed before grumpily walking back to her room. Later that day, Linus and Charlie Brown are at the wall commiserating over the previous night's events. When Charlie Brown tries to console Linus by saying "I've done a lot of stupid things in my life, too", Linus blows a fuse and angrily vows to Charlie Brown that the Great Pumpkin will come next year, his ranting continuing as the end credits roll.

After Charlie Brown's team lose their first game of the season, all his players throw down their caps in disgust and quit. Charlie Brown is left depressed as he ponders resigning as manager (which, to his annoyance, Snoopy offers him a pen and paper to do so). His hopes are raised when Linus speaks to Mr. Hennesy, the owner of the hardware store, who offers to sponsor Charlie Brown's team, buy them baseball uniforms, and incorporate them into a real league. Charlie Brown eagerly accepts and shares the news with his team. Lucy is apprehensive, but states that if Charlie Brown can really get the team uniforms, they will give him another chance and return to the team. Later, however, he learns from Mr. Hennessy that the league does not allow girls or dogs, meaning in order to keep his sponsorship and the promised uniforms they will have to drop Lucy, Violet, Patty, Frieda, and Snoopy. Unwilling to sacrifice his friends, Charlie Brown is forced to turn down Mr. Hennessy's offer. Linus warns Charlie Brown the team will be furious, but Charlie Brown decides to postpone sharing the news, hoping that their lifted spirits will drive them to win and they will forget all about the uniforms. Despite Linus's warnings, Charlie Brown goes through with this idea. True to his prediction, the team plays well, but they ultimately lose the game when Charlie Brown's bid to tie the game by stealing home fails. Having failed to win them the game, Charlie Brown is told by Lucy and several others that if it were not for the uniforms and the league deal, they would quit. Charlie Brown reluctantly reveals that he severed the deal with Mr. Hennessy, garnering his team's fury. However, after he runs off, Linus reveals what really happened with Mr. Hennessy. Schroeder calls out the others for never treating Charlie Brown as a friend, despite his willingness to sacrifice his dignity for the team. The girls and Snoopy feel terrible and decide to make it up for him by making him a uniform. They do so with the only material they have available: Linus' beloved security blanket. The girls and Snoopy present the newly-made uniform (complete with the words "Our Manager" on the front) to Charlie Brown, who is very pleased with it. He is determined that his team will win the next day, but it rains, so no one on the team or the opposing side come to the baseball field. No one, that is, except Charlie Brown (and Snoopy, who goes surfing in the puddles). Linus arrives as Charlie Brown stubbornly insists people will show up. Linus finally cries out about the fate of his blanket, prompting a dejected Charlie Brown to let him hold the shirt-tail. The two of them stand together in the pouring rain, while the credits roll.