I was a bit hesitant to log A Charlie Brown Christmas on my site, as it’s a “Christmas special” and not what we would traditionally think of “film.” Yet, it’s also not a series. Even so, it has enough cultural weight and artistic merit that I do believe A Charlie Brown Christmas deserves to be recognized as a “film.”

As short and simple as the story is, I find Charlie Brown–grumbling his way through Christmas–to be totally relatable. I see myself in him every single Christmas, wondering what the big deal in and observing from afar as other people enjoy every moment of their Christmas.

The animation here is beautiful, and the music–which plays throughout the entire production–is memorable. More importantly, the chemistry between Charlie Brown and all of the other characters, is so enjoyable to watch. Charlie Brown and Linus, walking together across town in the snow, is my single favorite scene of the entire special, and the relationship between Charlie Brown and Lucy is such a blast to watch.

Today, I think that a film of such sincerity that were released today might be portrayed as artificial, but there is something somehow “true” about the different characters’ exploration of the meaning of Christmas. Linus’s monologue near the end, reciting a bit of the nativity narrative, is unforgettable.

Some of the value of A Charlie Brown Christmas may well come from nostalgia of Christmases long ago, but I also think that it holds up its own weight, which is why it continues to resonate with young generations to the present day.

If you’re American, it’s unlikely that you haven’t seen this one before. But, in the off-chance that you haven’t, it is a brief, fun narrative.