Charles Schulz's 'Peanuts' characters have become timeless classics, thanks to their long-lasting presence in newspapers and their many animated TV specials. ("It's Arbor Day Again, Charlie Brown!") A big part of the characters' success is thanks to the classic 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' TV special.

Since it first aired in 1965, the beloved special has practically become required viewing for families celebrating the holiday season. Its message of anti-commercialism and good will towards man mixed with Schulz’s trademark humor of caustic kids in a cynical world is a perfect remedy for the holidays that can get sappier than your aunt’s homemade egg nog.

At the time of its airing, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' received rave reviews, record ratings and an annual presence on television and home video for decades to come. And yet 46 years later, few fans know about its rocky beginnings that were fraught with much frustration and cynicism by the network executives who commissioned it and the producers who fought so hard to preserve Schulz's humor and pathos. In celebration of the special's annual TV airing, here are some things you might not know about 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.'