(WKYT) - In the lead-up to America turning 250 years old, we are looking back every day at ‘This Day In History.’

On this date in 1965, a Christmas classic first hit TVs across America.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” was the first Peanuts animated special and it aired on CBS.

Peanuts was a comic strip that ran in newspapers from 1950 to 2000.

When the special first aired, TV executives were convinced it was going to flop.

But, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” incorporated unexpected elements in its animation like the voice of children rather than adults, jazz music and no laugh track.

The night of the release, over 15 million households tuned in to watch the classic we still know today.

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