It’s hard to imagine the holidays without A Charlie Brown Christmas. The 1965 broadcast has become a seasonal staple for many generations.

But this popular TV special almost didn’t make it to air. CBS executives felt the 25-minute program was too slowtoo serious and too different from the light-hearted spectacles they thought audiences wanted. A cartoon about a depressed child seeking psychiatric advice without a laugh track, lo-fi animation, and a Bible passage seemed doomed to failure.

But despite all odds, it became a classic. The show transformed “Peanuts” from a popular comic strip into a multimedia empire — not because it was flashy or played by the rules, but because it was sincere.

As a business professor who has studied the “Peanuts” franchise, I see “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as a fascinating historical moment. These days, a humble comic character expressing strong, thought-provoking ideas is unlikely to make it to the air. The special thing arose from a last-minute scramble. Somehow out of the blue, producer Lee Mendelson received a call from the advertising agency McCann-Erickson: Coca-Cola wanted to sponsor an animated Christmas special.

Mendelson had previously failed to convince the agency of this Sponsor of a “Peanuts” documentary. This time, however, he assured McCann-Erickson that the characters would fit together perfectly.

Mendelson called comic creator Charles “Sparky” Schulz and told him he had just sold “A Charlie Brown Christmas” — and they only had a few months to write, animate and get the special on the air.

Schulz, Mendelson and animator Bill Melendez worked quickly to put together a storyline. The cartoonist wanted to tell a story that would cut through the glare of holiday commercialism and bring the focus back to something deeper.

While Snoopy tries to win a Christmas lights contest and Lucy calls herself “Christmas Queen” in the neighborhood play, the forlorn Charlie Brown searches for “the true meaning of Christmas.” He makes his way to the local parking lot Aluminum treesa fad at the time. But he is drawn to the one real tree – a humble, spindly little thing – inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Christmas tree.”

These plot points would likely please the network, but other decisions Schulz made proved controversial.

The show would use real children’s voices instead of adult actors, giving the characters an authentic, simple charm. And Schulz refused to add a laugh track, which was standard fare on animated television at the time. He wanted the sincerity of the story to stand on its own, without artificial invitations for laughter.

In the meantime, Mendelson brought in jazz musician Vince Guaraldi compose a soundtrack. The music was unlike anything normally heard in animated programs, combining provocative depth with the innocence of childhood.

Most troubling to those in charge was Schulz’s insistence on incorporating the core of the Christmas story into arguably the special’s most important scene.

When Charlie Brown happily returns to his friends with the dry little tree, the gang makes fun of his choice. “I guess I really don’t know what Christmas is about,” he sighs.

Gently but confidently, Linus assures him: “I can tell you what Christmas is about.” He calls out “Lights, please” and quietly walks to the center of the stage.

In silence, Linus recites the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, with the story of an angel who appeared to trembling shepherds: “And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that is to come.” be for all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, even Christ the Lord.”

He concludes with the words of the “great host” who appeared with the heavenly host: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men,” then he takes his security blanket and goes into the wings. The rest of the gang quickly realize that Charlie Brown’s tree isn’t so bad – it just needs “a little love.”

When Schulz discussed this idea with Mendelson and Melendez, they were hesitant. For much of U.S. history, Protestant Christianity was the standard in American culture, but in the years since World War II the society had grown a little more careful To make room for Catholic and Jewish Americans. Many mainstream entertainment companies in the 1960s were unsure how to deal with changing norms tended to avoid religious topics.

When they saw the special’s proofs, CBS executives were startled by the biblical aspects. But there simply wasn’t time to repeat the entire dramatic story arc, and canceling it wasn’t an option since the sponsor’s commercials had already run.

Luckily for the “Peanuts” franchise, the special, which aired on December 9, 1965, was an instant success. Almost half of American households tuned inand the program won an Emmy And a Peabody Award. Schulz had achieved something audiences craved: an honest, heartfelt message that cut through commerce.

Millions of viewers have tuned in to the special over and over again in the almost 60 years since it first aired.

When I was researching my spiritual biography of Schulz, one of my favorite finds was a 1965 letter from Florida viewer Betty Knorr. She praised the show for emphasizing “the true meaning of the Christmas season” at a time when in which “mention of God is generally kept under wraps.”

The magic of Schulz’s work, however, is that it resonates across all demographic groups and ideologies. Some fans find comfort in the show’s gentle message of faith, while others embrace it in some way purely secular path.

Schulz’s art and gentle humor serve as safe entry points for some pretty serious ideas – be they psychiatric, cultural or theological. Or “Peanuts” cartoons can simply be heartwarming, festive entertainment.

Today both the “Peanuts” empire and the Christmas industry is flourishing. In the 1960s, commercial realities almost doomed Schulz’s special show to failure, but those same forces ultimately ensured its broadcast. The result is an enduring touchstone of innocence, hope and faith.

Stephen Lind is an associate professor of clinical business communication at USC’s Marshall School of Business and author of “A Charlie Brown religion.” This article was created in collaboration with the conversation.