This was the last new Peanuts special to air on CBS.
Linus attempts to read to Sally the same passage from the Book of Luke which he so famously recited in the original 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' Marcie also quotes a portion of the passage in the Christmas play.
The first Peanuts special with David Benoit as music arranger. Furthermore, as Benoit was an admirer of jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, this is the first special to reestablish Guaraldi's compositions and musical signature as a regular part of the franchise's productions since his death in 1976, beyond stock music and the de facto theme music, "Linus and Lucy."