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Christmas Is Together-Time
Explains the many things that Christmas is, such as vacation from school, catching snowflakes, and a time for miracles.
72 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1964
69 people want to read
About the author
Charles M. Schulz
3,019 books1,641 followersCharles Monroe Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.
Schulz's first regular cartoons, Li'l Folks, were published from 1947 to 1950 by the St. Paul Pioneer Press; he first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys and one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post; the first of 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz that would be published there. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Li'l Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Li'l Folks was dropped from the Pioneer Press in January, 1950.
Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his best strips from Li'l Folks, and Peanuts made its first appearance on October 2, 1950. The strip became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. He also had a short-lived sports-oriented comic strip called It's Only a Game (1957–1959), but he abandoned it due to the demands of the successful Peanuts. From 1956 to 1965 he contributed a single-panel strip ("Young Pillars") featuring teenagers to Youth, a publication associated with the Church of God.
Peanuts ran for nearly 50 years, almost without interruption; during the life of the strip, Schulz took only one vacation, a five-week break in late 1997. At its peak, Peanuts appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries. Schulz stated that his routine every morning consisted of eating a jelly donut and sitting down to write the day's strip. After coming up with an idea (which he said could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours), he began drawing it, which took about an hour for dailies and three hours for Sunday strips. He stubbornly refused to hire an inker or letterer, saying that "it would be equivalent to a golfer hiring a man to make his putts for him." In November 1999 Schulz suffered a stroke, and later it was discovered that he had colon cancer that had metastasized. Because of the chemotherapy and the fact he could not read or see clearly, he announced his retirement on December 14, 1999.
Schulz often touched on religious themes in his work, including the classic television cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which features the character Linus van Pelt quoting the King James Version of the Bible Luke 2:8-14 to explain "what Christmas is all about." In personal interviews Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side. Schulz, reared in the Lutheran faith, had been active in the Church of God as a young adult and then later taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church. In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts, the first of several books he wrote on religion and Peanuts, and other popular culture items. From the late 1980s, however, Schulz described himself in interviews as a "secular humanist": “I do not go to church anymore... I guess you might say I've come around to secular humanism, an obligation I believe all humans have to others and the world we live in.”
Schulz's first regular cartoons, Li'l Folks, were published from 1947 to 1950 by the St. Paul Pioneer Press; he first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys and one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post; the first of 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz that would be published there. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Li'l Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Li'l Folks was dropped from the Pioneer Press in January, 1950.
Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his best strips from Li'l Folks, and Peanuts made its first appearance on October 2, 1950. The strip became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. He also had a short-lived sports-oriented comic strip called It's Only a Game (1957–1959), but he abandoned it due to the demands of the successful Peanuts. From 1956 to 1965 he contributed a single-panel strip ("Young Pillars") featuring teenagers to Youth, a publication associated with the Church of God.
Peanuts ran for nearly 50 years, almost without interruption; during the life of the strip, Schulz took only one vacation, a five-week break in late 1997. At its peak, Peanuts appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries. Schulz stated that his routine every morning consisted of eating a jelly donut and sitting down to write the day's strip. After coming up with an idea (which he said could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours), he began drawing it, which took about an hour for dailies and three hours for Sunday strips. He stubbornly refused to hire an inker or letterer, saying that "it would be equivalent to a golfer hiring a man to make his putts for him." In November 1999 Schulz suffered a stroke, and later it was discovered that he had colon cancer that had metastasized. Because of the chemotherapy and the fact he could not read or see clearly, he announced his retirement on December 14, 1999.
Schulz often touched on religious themes in his work, including the classic television cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which features the character Linus van Pelt quoting the King James Version of the Bible Luke 2:8-14 to explain "what Christmas is all about." In personal interviews Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side. Schulz, reared in the Lutheran faith, had been active in the Church of God as a young adult and then later taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church. In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts, the first of several books he wrote on religion and Peanuts, and other popular culture items. From the late 1980s, however, Schulz described himself in interviews as a "secular humanist": “I do not go to church anymore... I guess you might say I've come around to secular humanism, an obligation I believe all humans have to others and the world we live in.”
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 16, 2022
Just like comfort food - this is a comfort book. It takes me back to a time and place that I miss so much. The time when all my family and friends got together for Christmas when I was a little boy. So many people gone now - but in a strange way books like this help me to remember them.
December 4, 2020
"Christmas is when people say nice things to you who otherwise don't know you're alive."
July 22, 2024
This is a cute little book in the Charlie Brown series. As always, Snoopy is the cutest.
October 4, 2013
Love Christmas books and love Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang so I thoroughly enjoyed this little gem.
December 25, 2019
"Christmas is that awful feeling that another year has gone by."
February 25, 2008
Mr. Schultz published book way back in the 1960s and I can remember someone giving it to us for Christmas when I was 6. I loved this book and would page through it often.
After many years, I finally ended up with it in my personal library and I cannot be more honored to have it. I will forever be that little girl paging through the pages learning about togetherness from a round-headed kid and his dog.
After many years, I finally ended up with it in my personal library and I cannot be more honored to have it. I will forever be that little girl paging through the pages learning about togetherness from a round-headed kid and his dog.
December 31, 2013
What's not to love? A beautifully-Christmas red and green cover. Classic illustrations by Schulz. And a list of things about Christmas -- some sweet, some funny, some poignant. It's like the best part of the Peanuts Christmas special all wrapped up in a lovely, portable little book.
Even better, I bought my edition at Kohl's during the Kohl's Care promotion, so not only did I get my husband a little Christmas book that he loves, the proceeds went to a very good cause.
Even better, I bought my edition at Kohl's during the Kohl's Care promotion, so not only did I get my husband a little Christmas book that he loves, the proceeds went to a very good cause.
July 1, 2011
Charles Schulz reminds us in this festive red and green book what Christmas is all about - family, faith, and fun. This timeless little book is one you will never get tired of reading. For those of us who grew up reading Peanuts, it's like coming home again.
December 5, 2016
Picked up this title 'cos X'mas was getting near.
A small, compact book with illustrations from the Peanuts comic strip, accompanied by a witty quip about Christmas and what it means/entails.
Would make a nice, heartwarming gift for a friend.
A small, compact book with illustrations from the Peanuts comic strip, accompanied by a witty quip about Christmas and what it means/entails.
Would make a nice, heartwarming gift for a friend.
December 15, 2012
Darling book! I love Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang!
March 8, 2016
4 Stars!
December 28, 2019
A simple book to read as a family. To remind readers of the lessons of christmas. Being together, giving, being a family. I really like how the pages alternate red and green.
December 27, 2018
Okay, so it inspired me to hug my little brother. So what?!
December 28, 2018
Charlie Brown and gang with sweet and fun Christmas thoughts and pictures.
December 22, 2023
The Charles Schulz Museum mentioned this little gem from 1964 on their Facebook site. I googled it and found a You Tube video of someone reading it - an unexpected special treat for a huge Peanuts fan!! (Cindy's Corner is the name of the You Tube channel)
April 28, 2020
A very fun short Christmas book of cartoon characters filled with hilarious quips about Christmas. Charlie Brown, Lucy and all their friends featured. Recommended for a good laugh.
December 28, 2021
A short seasonal read with inspirational sayings by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. I have the vintage copy of Happiness is by Schulz but this copy is the 2013 Kohl's edition of the 1964 classic.
September 3, 2016
Charles Schulz, Christmas Is Together-Time (Appleseed Press, 1964)
Not exactly sure why Appleseed Press is marketing their printed-in-2013 version of Christmas Is Together Time as a First Edition when the book originally appeared almost a half-century before, but there you go. In any case, this is one of the little sixties books Schulz put out that contains a single frame on the left-hand page of each spread and a phrase on the right. I have to say that I didn't like this one as much as Happiness Is a Warm Puppy, though that could easily be a function of my reading this one for the first time as an adult, while Warm Puppy was one of the books I had as a child that I wore out multiple copies of, but Peanuts fans, of course, will find it enjoyable. I'd use Warm Puppy, or for older kids one of the Complete Peanuts collections from Fantagraphics, to introduce them to the magic of America's all-time favorite loser. ***
Not exactly sure why Appleseed Press is marketing their printed-in-2013 version of Christmas Is Together Time as a First Edition when the book originally appeared almost a half-century before, but there you go. In any case, this is one of the little sixties books Schulz put out that contains a single frame on the left-hand page of each spread and a phrase on the right. I have to say that I didn't like this one as much as Happiness Is a Warm Puppy, though that could easily be a function of my reading this one for the first time as an adult, while Warm Puppy was one of the books I had as a child that I wore out multiple copies of, but Peanuts fans, of course, will find it enjoyable. I'd use Warm Puppy, or for older kids one of the Complete Peanuts collections from Fantagraphics, to introduce them to the magic of America's all-time favorite loser. ***
August 25, 2016
Did you people actually read the book? I am a big fan of peanuts and Charlie Brown. I bought this book to read to my grandchildren, and while reading it I actually stopped. A large portion of the quotes are anti-Christmas at the least, and rather mean and hateful at several points. Yes there are some positive statements, but certainly this is not the type of book I would ever read to someone that I am trying to develop positive beliefs in.
November 10, 2014
My co-worker gave this to me this year for Christmas. I grew up reading the Peanuts strip. I had all the books when I was a boy.
This book is an anthology of the one-panel strips that comment on Christmas. Some are funnier than others. All are classic Peanuts.
It's a short book, but fun nonetheless.
This book is an anthology of the one-panel strips that comment on Christmas. Some are funnier than others. All are classic Peanuts.
It's a short book, but fun nonetheless.
December 29, 2015
Christmas is waiting... And waiting... And waiting... And...
March 15, 2016
The wonderful and the not-so-wonderful realities about Christmas put in not so many words.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews