Snoopy and the Peanuts gang return with a beautifully animated holiday story that captures the nostalgia of Christmas past while delivering a timeless lesson about kindness, imagination and following your heart.
Courtesy of AppleTV
Written by Christopher L. Antie
There is something about watching Snoopy and the Peanuts gang during the holidays that can instantly make an adult feel like a child again. The animation, the music, the familiar personalities and the simple but meaningful lessons. Apple TV’s Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy understands exactly why that tradition has lasted.
The TV-G holiday special begins with the Peanuts kids doing their best to remain on Santa’s good side while Snoopy discovers that he has landed somewhere considerably less desirable: the naughty list. With only 12 days remaining until Christmas, the world’s most imaginative beagle sets out to prove that perhaps he is not such a bad beagle after all—and eventually discovers that Christmas may be about something more meaningful than the presents waiting beneath the tree.
That premise feels perfectly suited to Snoopy. He has always existed somewhere between innocent mischief and enormous imagination, and the special never attempts to turn him into something he is not. Instead, his personality becomes the foundation for a story about making mistakes, recognizing them and discovering that doing the right thing means considerably more when it comes from the heart.
For us, one of the greatest accomplishments of 12 Days of Snoopy is the feeling it creates. Watching it brought back memories of being younger and sitting down during the holidays to watch the Peanuts gang. There is a comfort associated with these characters that is difficult to manufacture, yet this production manages to capture it without feeling like an imitation of something made decades ago. It feels nostalgic without feeling old.
The animation plays a major role in achieving that balance. The recognizable simplicity of Charles Schulz’s world remains intact while modern production gives the Christmas environments a beautiful richness. Snow, decorations, colors and backgrounds create a warm holiday setting without overpowering the characters at the center of it.
That respect for the visual legacy is important. Peanuts does not need to become bigger, louder or excessively modern to remain relevant. The familiar character designs and movements are part of the charm, and 12 Days of Snoopy wisely understands that preserving simplicity can sometimes be far more effective than reinventing it.
The music provides a similar balance. It carries enough familiarity to complement the classic Peanuts atmosphere while providing the special with its own fresh holiday sound. Nothing feels as though it is trying too hard to convince audiences that this is Christmas. The season simply exists naturally around the characters.
Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang are equally important. They are not inserted merely because audiences expect familiar faces. Their personalities remain recognizable, and their presence allows Snoopy’s adventure to exist within the Peanuts world rather than feeling like a separate story using recognizable characters.
That makes the special particularly accessible. Longtime fans can recognize the personalities, humor and emotional simplicity they have loved for years, while a child being introduced to Peanuts for the first time does not need decades of history to understand what is happening. That may be one of the greatest strengths of the Peanuts franchise itself.
The stories are rarely complicated, but their ideas can be surprisingly profound.
Here, a naughty-list story that could have remained a simple comedy becomes an opportunity to talk about behavior, forgiveness, kindness and motivation. There is a difference between behaving well because you expect something in return and choosing to do something good because you finally understand why it matters.
Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy allows children to understand that distinction without turning the story into a lecture. Adults may recognize something else within it.
Many of us remember being children and wondering whether Santa somehow knew about every little thing we had done wrong. We hoped the mistakes would be forgotten by Christmas morning because there was something under the tree we desperately wanted. That childhood idea makes Snoopy’s predicament funny. But underneath the comedy is something more universal: everyone makes mistakes.
The important question is what happens afterward.
The special never suggests that imagination is something Snoopy—or children—should abandon. Quite the opposite. Imagination remains one of Snoopy’s greatest qualities. His ability to transform ordinary situations into enormous adventures is part of why generations continue to love him. The film celebrates that creativity. But it also recognizes that imagination cannot solve everything.
The pacing is equally impressive. The story continues moving without rushing the lesson Snoopy is supposed to learn. Comedy, imagination, Christmas activities and emotional moments work together instead of competing for attention. There was never a point where we felt an element needed to be removed or significantly changed. Most importantly, the filmmakers trust the characters to communicate the message.
Children can watch Snoopy’s adventures and laugh. Parents can watch alongside them and find an opportunity afterward to talk about kindness, forgiveness, behavior, gifts, imagination and why listening to your heart sometimes matters more than receiving what you hoped Santa would bring. That is what great family entertainment should be able to do. It entertains first, but leaves something behind.
There is also a bittersweet quality that has always existed inside the best Peanuts stories. They can be funny and playful while quietly asking audiences to think about disappointment, friendship, loneliness, hope or what really matters.
12 Days of Snoopy preserves that spirit.
For longtime viewers, that creates something remarkably comforting. This does not feel like a modern company attempting to recreate what audiences once loved about Peanuts. It feels like the people behind the special understand why those earlier stories were loved in the first place.
For younger viewers, it provides an opportunity to begin creating their own Peanuts memories.
That is why comparing this special against the classic Christmas programs almost feels unnecessary. Each Peanuts story has brought something different to the holidays. Their value is not in determining which one ranks first.
Their value is in returning to them.
Chris & Will give Apple TV’s Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy 10 out of 10 smiles.
It earns those smiles for preserving the heart and production style that have kept Peanuts meaningful across generations while creating a holiday story that feels worthy of joining the traditions that came before it. The animation is beautiful, the pacing works, the story remains engaging, and its message is simple enough for children while carrying enough emotional truth for adults.
For families searching for another animated special to return to each December, this one deserves a place on the list.
Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy premieres November 13, 2026, on Apple TV.
Source: ChrisWill Media
About the Authors: Christopher L. Antie and William Antie are podcast journalists and media personalities covering entertainment, travel, culture, events, and stories from across a wide range of industries. Together, they bring a conversational and experience-driven approach to the stories they share. Follow more from Chris & Will through their podcast, What About Our Life?, on iHeartRadio and at chrisandwill.com.