Did you ever imagine transporting into the Peanuts special to keep Linus company?

Adorable '80s kids discussed how Linus should pass time waiting for the Great Pumpkin.

The Peanuts Halloween special It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown premiered in 1966, and more than 50 years later, kids today are still tuning in to watch Linus wait in the pumpkin patch to meet his hero.

Eighties kids were just as fond as Sixties kids and kids today of this classic TV special, and in 1989, a Tennessee newspaper collaborated with a classroom of third-grade students to find out what kids in the real world would do if they were in Linus’ shoes, passing a night in a pumpkin patch.

Answering a prompt, "What would you do if you were waiting with Linus for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin," kids had some creative responses.

"I would bring a soccer ball and kick it until Linus told me the Great Pumpkin was here," opined one boy named Jeff.

Most kids thought telling ghost stories was the way to go.

"I’d tell ghost stories and make sure the soil was good, and I’d water it, and wait," said a girl named Katherine.

One boy even revealed which ghost story he would tell.

"Tell ghost stories like this one. There was a old lady all skin and stone and bone. She went by the graveyard and she saw a bone lying there – ooohhh! – above the tent. She went to get a broom and she open the door and … BOO!" a boy named Delnar responded.

Some kids admitted they might not have what it takes to wait out the Great Pumpkin, like Jessica, who said she’d lay down in the patch and say, "Wake me up if he comes."

Only one kid confessed that she would be scared if she was in Linus’ shoes.

"I would be very scared, but I’d be as quiet as possible," explained little Holly. "And then I’d lay on my back and stare at the moon, and the moon would stare back. And so would the stars. I wouldn’t hear Linus talk, I was concentrating so hard. Boy, it sure was hard to be so quiet, but I was. I wish I wasn’t scared, but I just plain was!"

What would you do to wait out the Great Pumpkin? Maybe if you watch the Halloween classic this year, you can ask the kids in your audience!

Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Close

66 Comments

PulsarStargrave 17 months ago
I wanted my own plane so I could help Snoopy fight The Red Baron! I even sat in a cardboard box with a bent clotheshanger to "fly" my imaginary plane! The box also doubled as The Batmobile in those years before I owned any action figures!
SheriHeffner 17 months ago
I am the only Charlie Brown fan in my house. I have told my niece to let my Grand Nephew watch it on PBS since Apple + Took over all the Peanuts rights, Thanks for nothing ABC!
Keeperofpeace64 26 months ago
I always wanted to transport there to help poor Charlie Brown when he was only getting rocks while Trick or Treating ....
Yes I used to feel sorry for poor Charlie. All the other children got Gum, Candy, Popcorn, but not Charlie. 😪
L 28 months ago
Actually, I'd rather be Charlie Brown's date at the Halloween party. Sally is a little young to be my friend, but I can be a mentor.
rockinsuzy 29 months ago
It's a shame you have to pay for what has been free for so many years.
NiceL rockinsuzy 29 months ago
You don't have to pay for it this year. It was free on PBS a week ago.
TheSentinel NiceL 29 months ago
I don't care for or watch PBS (which is blocked on my cable box). I'd prefer to get a DVD of the special now that it's been taken off of commercial broadcast TV and is now split between PBS and Apple TV+.
L TheSentinel 28 months ago
How can PBS be blocked unless you blocked it yourself.

Some PBS shows I'll watch, some I won't.

At age 59, I STILL watch Mr. Rogers on the weekends. I'll watch him when I'm 99 if I have to.
TheSentinel L 28 months ago
My point exactly - I blocked PBS for the exact reason I mentioned.
JosephScarbrough 29 months ago
"and more than 50 years later, kids today are still tuning in to watch Linus wait in the pumpkin patch to meet his hero" Not quite anymore, as of last year, PEANUTS holiday specials no longer air on broadcast TV, so they're not "still tuning in to watch." Maybe they're watching DVDs, older VHS recordings, or whatever streaming service has it, but yeah.
Pacificsun 29 months ago
MeTV Writers: This was a very cute idea for a Halloween article. Inspiring lots of interesting comments in the Thread!

Thank you for doing that!!
Zip 29 months ago
"Did you ever imagine transporting into the Peanuts special to keep Linus company?"

Well, not really to there.
But I do often think of inventing an inter-dimensional time machine and transporting myself into the worlds of my favorite shows, like Little House on the Prairie, Gomer Pyle USMC, The Andy Griffith Show, Mama's Familly, etc.
Of course, I may first go into the world of say, The Greatest American Hero and somehow obtain his superpower suit, and maybe into the Star Wars movies to get a light sabre, and stuff like that. Then it would be neat if I could bring that stuff not only to those other shows but back to the real world as well.(The real world as in the world we live in, not those awful reality shows they used to play on MTV)
Pacificsun Zip 29 months ago
Cute!
Have you shared your interest in Gomer Pyle with Moriyah?
Snickers 29 months ago
I would love to sit in the pumpkin patch and keep Linus company. Hopefully the Great Pumpkin would show up instead of a beagle and I could get in on the toys and goodies.
JohnAustin779 29 months ago
My Mom never left me by myself on Halloween so hanging out in a pumpkin patch with Linus would definitely be out of the picture 🙂. That whole razor blade in the candy bar thing was going on back in the '80s so my Mom was just trying to look out for me and make sure I was safe. I still had a great time on Halloween. I got a ton of candy and my UNICEF box was always packed with money.

Nobody could say no to me because of how adorable I was 🙂. Then I would cap off the night by watching the Great Pumpkin special at 8pm. It used to come on CBS back in the '80s. As I got older, things changed for me on Halloween of course but I still had lots of fun.

Halloween is a special day for me. I love it and I own the Great Pumpkin special now so I can watch it every year again🎃🦇🕷️🕸️🎃🖖!
Load previous comments
Pacificsun JohnAustin779 29 months ago
True. I hadn't thought about it that way.
Thank you. 😉
L JohnAustin779 28 months ago
The good thing about adults is we can get all the candy we want and don't have to share with anybody.
JohnAustin779 L 28 months ago
True 😄😀🖖.
The 80's was nothing compared to Halloween in the late 60's and 70's..
It all started in the mid 70's with the candy man case where that father put poison in the candy of his kids to collect life insurance money..
Otherwise it was great to get those Carmel popcorn balls, and full size candy bars back then..
TinaMarieHaddadRhodes 29 months ago
I watched It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown from the first year and watched it with my kids too. If I was in the pumkin patch waiting with Linus I would tell ghost stories and Great Pumpkin stories.
I used to babysit for the equivalent of people's grandkids nowadays. And they were always very excited when a "Charlie Brown Special" came on. Back then it was free and available, and just made the holiday special. I wish they were more accessible in this day, we need that return to innocence a lot.
texasluva 29 months ago
Since I do not see this full movie on It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on YT. Plus the fact I like ALL of you on MeTV. I am posting a place you can all find it below. This is the 25 minute version from 1966.

https://archive.org/details/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown_202109
Snickers texasluva 29 months ago
Thanks I'll have the kids watch before going trick or treating
texasluva Snickers 29 months ago
You can play this on any device or watch it at the IA site. Also playable via Chromecast and Airplay (wireless to tv) if you have those devices.
Pacificsun texasluva 29 months ago
What also made the specials (pardon the pun) special was of course the music. Which (I'm guessing) is controlled as much as the "Charlie Brown" content now. It was of course, wonderful Jazz music and a little more about can be read here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Charlie_Brown_Christmas_(soundtrack)
texasluva Pacificsun 29 months ago
I will most likely be showing that one during XMAS holidays along with many other Holiday Theme movies.
JeffPaul76 texasluva 17 months ago
Your link is no good anymore in 2022. I tried it and the material is no longer available.
texasluva JeffPaul76 17 months ago
I happens when they are removed from IA (internet Archive). I am not the uploader but the gatherer. If I get the time I will search for it in another location.
Runeshaper 29 months ago
Those are some GREAT answers! If I had to wait out the Great Pumpkin, I'd start chatting with Linus about him and hopefully we could swap stories about each other to learn about one another + pass the time.
Maverick66 29 months ago
These days kids would expect to be able to use their cell phones to track the Great Pumpkin's progress on the NORAD website, just as they do with Santa Claus.
Pacificsun 29 months ago
I am surprised that Weigel Broadcasting hasn't tried to bring back Peanut's Specials into it's lineup, just on certain occasions! Talk about "memorable" and "nostalgic" that collection would pretty much ring the bell!

Just a thought .....

Who has this franchise locked up? Streaming or for purchase only?
Load previous comments
LoveMETV22 Pacificsun 29 months ago
You're probably right on the video clip. The anecdote you shared was interesting. If you remembered the name you could search it. I'm sure you knew that though.
JeffPaul76 texasluva 17 months ago
How about Halloween 2022? I would like to see it again, but the local stations and cable networks don't have it, & I don't think PBS has it either this year. 2022.
texasluva JeffPaul76 17 months ago
I believe I have all the Halloween movies but 2022. The original is 10 times better if you are seeking 1978. In fact the latest one just came out.
texasluva JeffPaul76 17 months ago
Are you now talking Halloween the movie or? I do not believe anyone has Halloween 2022 yet or posted it. I did just find another It's the great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown but it's not a great copy as to resolution. I might be able to locate a better one soon.
Moody 29 months ago
I'd be one of those kids who made fun of whoever was waiting for "The Great Pumpkin".
MrsPhilHarris Moody 29 months ago
I’d rather go trick or treating. 🎃👻
MrsPhilHarris 29 months ago
This comment has been removed.
MrsPhilHarris 29 months ago
This comment has been removed.
Before I hung out with Linus in the pumpkin patch, I would've brought a big bag of candy just for Charlie Brown.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?