Even After 60 Years, These 10 Peanuts Comics Are Still Weirdly Relatable

Charles Schulz’ Peanuts is considered timeless for a reason, and that’s because of how relatable it continues to be despite the passage of time. Children continue to see themselves in characters like Charlie Brown and Lucy, and adults also look back and recall past events through these strips – even those that make them cringe in hindsight. Schulz also depicts adult experiences through his childlike narrative lens, contributing to the eternal relevance of Peanuts.

From Charlie Brown procrastinating in school to Snoopy attempting to shovel snow to no avail, Peanuts presents a number of hilarious scenes that all readers – young, old, and everything in-between – can resonate with in some capacity. Decades after their initial release, these 10 Peanuts comics from December 1964 depict experiences that still hit a little too close to home.

First Published: December 2nd, 1964

One of Peanuts‘ most iconic jokes is Lucy’s football gag, wherein she tricks Charlie Brown into kicking a football before swiping it away at the last second so he falls on his face. Here, she finally faces consequences for all the times she’s yanked a football from Charlie Brown’s grasp. Lucy tries to kick a football, only for it to somehow fly over her head and land behind her.

Lucy may have popularized Peanuts‘ football joke, but Violet was the first to pull this fan-favorite prank on Charlie Brown in a comic strip from November 14th, 1951.

Lucy berates the football for not going in the direction she’d intended, and as satisfying as it is to see her be the one struggling with a football for a change, it’s hard not to resonate with her lack of athleticism. Everyone who’s kicked a ball has been in Lucy’s position, after all, so her bewilderment is shared by many.

9

Snoopy Thinks He Should Have Been a Parrot, Not a Dog

First Published: December 19th, 1964

Snoopy has come a long way since his initial creation, evolving from a normal dog to the beloved, wacky pooch he is in modern pop culture. Still, as far as he’s come as a dog, there’s one animal he’d rather be: a parrot. In this comic, Snoopy tries out being a parrot by squawking to his heart’s content and says, “I would have made a good parrot!”

Throughout Peanuts’ tenure, Snoopy is no stranger to trying out various alter egos, from Joe Cool to a WWI Flying Ace. Everyone deals with identity crises from time to time, though not to this laughable extent. Still, though Snoopy may believe he should be a parrot, he’s better off embracing the dog he is.

8

Linus Shares His Christmas Woes With Charlie Brown

First Published: December 27th, 1964

As Christmas comes and goes, the Peanuts characters reflect on how their holidays went, and some have turned out better than others. Linus looks to have had a fantastic Christmas, evidenced by the presents strewn about that encompass everything he’d wished for, yet he isn’t pleased. Instead, he cries, “How will I develop any character? I always get everything I want!”

Suggesting that Linus comes off as spoiled here would be an immense understatement, and the blank look on Charlie Brown’s face as he stares at the reader sums up his thoughts on the outburst. It’s frustrating when people complain about what they have when others might not have as much, so Charlie Brown’s reaction is a very relatable one.

7

Charlie Brown Still Can’t Talk to the Little Red-Haired Girl

First Published: December 17th, 1964

One of Charlie Brown’s saddest traits is how poorly he thinks of himself, and this comic reflects that in a heartbreaking manner. He tries to will himself into talking to the Little Red-Haired Girl he has a crush on, but he just can’t muster the courage. Charlie Brown says he hates himself for not being able to speak with her, then admits, “I hate myself for a whole lot of other reasons, too.”

This Peanuts comic strip was adapted in the 1967 TV special You’re in Love, Charlie Brown, streaming now on Apple TV+.

Anyone who’s experienced a crush can resonate with Charlie Brown’s self-deprecation here. His interest in the Little Red-Haired Girl is perpetually unrequited in Peanuts, and that’s in large part due to the fact that he can never bring himself to act on his feelings for her. Charlie Brown isn’t alone in this one, that’s for sure.

6

Lucy Attempts to Give Charlie Brown Love Advice

First Published: December 18th, 1964

After Charlie Brown fails to bare his heart to the Little Red-Haired Girl, Lucy decides to help him out by giving him some tough love. She informs him that she’s not “her kind”, indicating that he’d be better off looking for romance elsewhere, and Charlie Brown asks whose kind he would be instead. Lucy then fails to come up with an answer, much to his dismay.

Charlie Brown’s signature “Good grief!” catchphrase is warranted here, as Lucy’s response doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in his romantic prospects. While it’s a running gag throughout Peanuts that Charlie Brown is looked down upon by all his peers, Lucy could at least come up with one person he’d be compatible with. Instead, like any kid his age, Charlie Brown is left wondering if he’ll ever find love.

5

Snoopy Lies Awake at Night For a Unique Reason

First Published: December 7th, 1964

We’ve all been kept awake at night for one reason or another, but Snoopy’s nighttime woes are a bit more unorthodox than most. In this strip, Snoopy complains about lying awake at night and the worrying effect it has on him. He proclaims, “To lie awake at night and think about life’s problems is terrible, but to lie awake and think about pizza is intolerable!”

Snoopy might seem silly for losing his cool over pizza, but he makes a fair argument. There are certainly nights when sleepless nights are caused by legitimate problems, but people also lose sleep over things that end up being no issue at all. As Snoopy says, it’s definitely worse to be plagued by something as inconsequential as pizza.

4

Linus Enlists Snoopy’s Help in His Performance

First Published: December 23rd, 1964

Linus is starring in a Christmas play, just like in the beloved A Charlie Brown Christmas TV special, except he now has a supporting actor by his side to enhance his performance. Snoopy is enlisted by Linus to join him onstage and act as a sheep while Linus, playing the shepherd, guides him with his staff.

Unbeknownst to Linus, Snoopy isn’t thrilled about this arrangement. He says, “If he even comes near me with that shepherd’s staff, I’ll give him a judo chop!” Snoopy doesn’t want to be a prop to Linus, which is an understandable feeling to have in his situation. Perhaps in next year’s play he’ll score a role less humiliating than that of a sheep being herded.

3

Snoopy Tries (And Fails) to Shovel Snow Off His House

First Published: December 13th, 1964

Snoopy encounters a common wintertime obstacle in this comic. With snow falling hard, his doghouse is covered from top to bottom in white, so he enlists Charlie Brown’s help to free his home. He uses a broom to brush off the snowflakes, then returns it to its owner. However, when Snoopy returns, he discovers that his house is once again buried beneath the snow despite his efforts. The defeated expression on poor Snoopy’s face speaks volumes.

Like Snoopy’s doghouse, houses tend to get pummeled with snow during the winter season, and it’s agonizingly difficult to clean it all off. Charles Schulz depicts that struggle with hilarious accuracy, as it does feel like the snow always reappears as soon as one’s back is turned.

2

Charlie Brown Finally Says What Every Student Is Thinking

First Published: December 28th, 1964

Any student, past or present, can relate to Charlie Brown in this comic. While walking through the snow with Violet, Charlie Brown suddenly remembers that they’d been assigned to write a book report over winter break. He asks if Violet has started hers yet, and she says that she completed it at the start of their vacation. In response to her uppity attitude, Charlie Brown snaps, “I hate your kind!”

Does Violet look familiar? She originally played Lucy’s role before the character was created and slowly phased her out of the story.

In school, there always seems to be a student who brags about finishing assignments on time. In this case, it’s Violet, and Charlie Brown’s comment to her is one that every student has wanted to voice. Forgetting a huge assignment right before it’s due is tough enough, and it never helps to watch others boast about how they completed it.

1

Charlie Brown Procrastinates in Writing His Book Report

First Published: December 29th, 1964

Now that Charlie Brown has remembered his assignment, the clock is ticking, and he has no time to waste if he wants to finish it before his vacation ends. The only problem is that he can’t concentrate long enough to write it. Charlie Brown fusses over how he still needs to read the book and write about it, but instead of starting, he sits around and watches TV.

Charlie Brown’s struggle with homework is a painfully familiar one. At some point, we’ve all tried to will ourselves into getting work done, albeit to no avail. He exasperatedly asks himself, “What’s wrong with me?” Procrastinating seems to be a universal experience that even Charlie Brown contends with, and Peanuts portrays it in the most relatable way possible.