Snoopy's First New Christmas Special in 5 Years Comes With a Twist

Published Oct 20, 2026, 9:42 PM EDT

Michael Hein has been covering entertainment, fandom news, and trending topics since 2016 on outlets including Rogues Portal, PopCulture.com, and ComicBook.com. He has provided live coverage of red carpet premieres, conventions, and up-fronts, and has interviewed major stars including Charles Dance, Patrick Stewart, and Chloe Sevigny. An avid fiction reader and writer, Michael has been diving deep into all the biggest book-to-screen adaptations of the last decade, from Game of Thrones to Foundation.

After five years, Snoopy will be back this year to reclaim his Christmas crown. He and the other Peanuts characters are starring in their first new Christmas special in five years — Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy, premiering on Friday, November 13 on Apple TV. The new special has a lot of bells and whistles that the classic older Peanuts specials did not, including an all-star lineup of musicians with original music and covers for the soundtrack. Still, even in the streaming age, it seems like the Peanuts haven't lost sight of the true spirit of Christmas and the meaning of the holiday season. As usual, the special is all about finding ways to be kind and show love to one's community.

According to Apple TV, 12 Days of Snoopy finds the titular hero panicking with just 12 days to go until Christmas. Snoopy learns that he has is on Santa's naughty list this year, and he doesn't understand why. Despite the looming deadline, he sets out to prove that he's a good dog, and he learns about what that truly means along the way. At its heart, this special would be right at home with the decades-old Peanuts specials that we all know and love, but there are plenty of twists for the modern age. The special features original music from John Legend, Raphael Saadiq, Kamasi Washington, and Leon Bridges, along with others. The rise in star power and production value won't steer Snoopy off his Christmas mission, however.

'Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy' is a Classic in the Making

Image via CBS

This will be the 54th overall Peanuts TV special, and the ninth new one since Apple TV took over streaming the franchise. Returning to Christmas is a tall order, as the very first Peanuts TV special was A Charlie Brown Christmas, premiering on CBS in December of 1965. That special has become a time-honored holiday tradition for many families, along with the Halloween special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Other specials have not had quite the same cultural impact, but a new Christmas entry could help bolster Apple's Snoopy Presents series of specials.

For starters, the new special puts Snoopy front and center, which is a strong start for younger audiences. Many struggle to connect with Charlie Brown and his friends at first, but the lovable beagle draws them right in. A Snoopy-focused story is also more likely to have cartoonish antics, whether he's flying his fighter jet or ice skating through the narrative. On the other hand, a special about Snoopy may struggle with a lack of dialogue. It sounds like the plan here is to fill that silence with music.

According to Apple, 12 Days of Snoopy will feature a brand new song by Legend and Saadiq called "Get Ready," and another by Washington and Bridges called "Trying to Get There." It will also feature a cover of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Laufy, and the whole special has been scored by legendary composer Jeff Morrow. Focusing on the sound of the special is a great idea for Apple, as new specials can never hope to copy or outdo the unique character of the older specials.

A November Release is Ideal for '12 Days of Snoopy'

Image via CBS

Looking into the past, many Peanuts Christmas specials made their broadcast debut close to Christmas day. This made sense on the old TV paradigm. The specials likely aired just when schools were letting out for the holidays, and families were gathered to decorate, prepare, and relax. These days, streamers struggle a lot to get the timing right for big releases, and Apple TV was wise to go on the earlier side for this special. The nature of streaming is that many viewers simply won't hear about a new release until it's already out, and Apple is embracing that new reality rather than fighting it. This way, 12 Days of Snoopy has time to spread via word-of-mouth, and families can plan a night in their hectic holiday schedules to watch it together.

Ironically, the Peanuts may be their own biggest rival here. The holidays are a great time to renew an Apple TV subscription, as many fans want to get in their yearly rewatch of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and in some cases even the Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve specials. All are available now on Apple TV, along with many other Peanuts specials, series, and movies. Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy premieres on Friday, November 13.

• 

  Ann Altieri

  Violet (voice)

• Cathy Steinberg

  Sally Brown (voice)

• Christopher DeFaria

  Peppermint Patty (voice)

• Christopher Shea

  Linus van Pelt (voice)