A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the tenth prime-time animated television special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on November 20, 1973, and won an Emmy Award the following year. It was the third holiday special after A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965 and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown in 1966.
In a cold open, Lucy entices Charlie Brown to kick a football she is holding, calling it a Thanksgiving tradition; she pulls the ball away as usual, stating that some traditions fade away.
The Browns are preparing to go to their grandmother's for Thanksgiving dinner when Charlie Brown gets a phone call from Peppermint Patty, who is alone for Thanksgiving and wants to come over for dinner. Two quick subsequent phone calls from Peppermint Patty add Marcie and Franklin to the guest list for a dinner that did not exist. Linus suggests to a perplexed Charlie Brown that he could have two Thanksgiving dinners. The first Thanksgiving feast can be for himself, Sally, Peppermint Patty, and the others, while the second one can be at his grandparents's house for his family. Charlie Brown says his cooking skills are limited to "cold cereal and maybe toast," so Linus recruits Snoopy and Woodstock to help. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock and Linus prepare a feast of toast with margarine, pan-fried popcorn, pretzel sticks and jelly beans; later, Snoopy sets up a ping pong table and chairs (sparring with a lawn chair that comes to life), then dresses himself and a reluctant Woodstock (at pop-gunpoint) in Pilgrim attire for the occasion, though Charlie Brown rejects the latter idea.
