November 28, 2025

Holiday streaming guide: Peanuts specials, 'Klaus' and 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles'

The black-and-white tearjerker 'It's a Wonderful Life' is also available on Prime while you're eating leftovers.

By Kristin Hunt
PhillyVoice Staff

Provided images/Apple TV+

The Peanuts holiday specials 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' and 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' are streaming on AppleTV+.

Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that comes with basically an entire day of programming. The parades air in the morning, followed by the National Dog Show and hours of football. But what are you supposed to watch the next day over leftovers?

Here's a mix of holiday TV specials and movies to consider, curated as thoughtfully as your family dinner. Most of them are suitable for all ages; just put the kids to bed before hitting play on the R-rated comedy at the top:

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'Planes, Trains and Automobiles'

Survived a nightmare flight or hours of highway traffic to get to your Thanksgiving feast? Neal Page and Del Griffith can relate. The odd couple, played by Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy, bring the stress and absurdity of holiday travel to life in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." With two comedy legends at the wheel, the movie is plenty funny, but a final twist makes it surprisingly touching. Candy's "I like me" speech is also the perfect morning affirmation for anyone sharing turkey with cranky family members. Watch the movie on Pluto or Paramount+.

Peanuts holiday specials

Celebrate the nation's annual day of eating with Snoopy, Woodstock and their human friends, then follow them into the yuletide with back-to-back specials. AppleTV+ has all the Peanuts classics, including "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas," for the foreseeable future. The latter is even streaming for free, no subscription required, on Saturday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 14.

'Klaus'

A newer entry in the holiday canon, "Klaus" preaches the importance of teamwork and snail mail. The 2019 animated movie sends Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), the nepo baby of the Norwegian postmaster general, to the remote island community of Smeerenburg. There, he must establish a busy post office or risk losing his inheritance. To juice his numbers, he encourages the local children to send letters to brawny recluse/master craftsman Klaus (J.K. Simmons) requesting toys. As their operation picks up, cheer spreads throughout Smeerenburg – much to the annoyance of the feuding town elders, who seek to put a stop to it.

"Klaus" is a beautifully animated, inventive spin on the Santa Claus mythology. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the bygone Nordic world and sweet story, available on Netflix.

'It's a Wonderful Life'

What are the holidays if not an opportunity to hone your Jimmy Stewart impression? The classic tale of George Bailey (Stewart) wishing he was never born on Christmas Eve, then finding out exactly how much he touched the lives of his community and family, is streaming on Prime. The loose "Christmas Carol" riff packs a gut punch every time, and while it's a tearjerker, it's also affirming to watch mean old Mr. Potter lose.