Parents' Guide to

Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne

By Ashley Moulton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Peanuts New Year's movie is cute but not iconic.

Movie NR 2021 38 minutes
Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 4+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Age A.
Age A. Parent of 3-year-old
April 30, 2023
age 5+
meydiana.rizki
meydiana.rizki Parent of 18+-year-old
April 29, 2023
age 5+

Delightful new Peanuts special full of love and laughter

I hadn't watched anything related to Peanuts since the movie years ago (which I liked - it was very well done). I got curious about this special because Lucy is the focus, which was something new and different for a Peanuts special. And this special is different indeed, without discarding all the good things we remember from past Peanuts specials. Lucy grows as a character - showing a vulnerability and depth I didn't expect, but was absolutely delighted with. As written and performed, it's a logical progression, and she's a stronger character for it. All of the other characters are handled just as well, and the laughs are there, but oh the feels! I really didn't expect that, and I think it's that feature that puts it at the top of the list of all the Peanuts specials. And the animation, which is in 2D, thank goodness, is incredible. The characters look exactly the way Charles Schulz drew them, and none of the sloppiness that often occurred in the old specials is evident. The movement is smooth and expressive, but not Flash-y - indeed, this looks like authentic 2D, even though we know that computer animation was also employed. The music is traditional Peanuts-style jazz, and, well, everything in this special is so satisfying to anyone with an affection for good ol' Charlie Brown and the gang. If this is the new level for Peanuts specials, then I eagerly await next one. I give this one a solid and very happy 10!
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

SNOOPY PRESENTS: FOR AULD LANG SYNE is a New Year's Eve celebration with Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang. The special begins with Lucy being over-the-top excited that her grandma is coming to visit for Christmas. When her grandma calls to cancel the visit, Lucy is despondent. She wonders: If her own grandmother doesn't even want to visit her, maybe that means she's actually unlovable? True to typical misguided Lucy logic, she decides that a good way to cheer herself up is to throw a New Year's Eve party. That way, she'll be surrounded by friends telling her how great she is. She enlists brother Linus to help her prepare for "Lucy's Gala: A New Year's Eve Celebration of Elegant Perfection." Meanwhile, all of Snoopy's siblings have come to town to celebrate the holidays. Snoopy's brother Spike is feeling as unloved as Lucy; he's repeatedly unable to get his siblings to pose for the family picture he so desparately wants. Charlie Brown is also experiencing some end-of-year woes after realizing he didn't accomplish a single resolution he set for himself last New Year's. Lucy uses this to her advantage and convinces Charlie that he'll cross one goal off his list if he helps decorate for her party. She also makes other members of the Peanuts gang responsible for the food and music for her party. New Year's Eve finally arrives, and Lucy predictably ruins the party by trying to micromanage it to make it perfect according to her own standards. She and Linus have a disagreement right before midnight, and everyone leaves the party. Lucy returns home convinced that the party is proof that she really is unlovable. Linus and Charlie bring all of their friends to cheer her up and sing "Auld Lang Syne," reminding Lucy that even the most "unlovable" have friends who really care.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Peanuts fans hoping this movie might reach the bar of holiday classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas or It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will be disappointed. That said, the preschool audience who doesn't have that context will enjoy the sweet For Auld Lang Syne New Year's special. True to the brand, the piano-based score is lovely and Snoopy and Woodstock's visual gags are very silly. The episode also does hit the same sort of melancholy-but-hopeful tone as Charlie Brown Christmas, but the somewhat abstract lesson may be lost on little kids. Also, the story progresses in a way which makes it seem like Lucy might finally get her comeuppance and learn the consequences to her meanie ways. However, the special doesn't quite resolve that plot opportunity. Instead, Lucy is sad that she feels unloved but doesn't express remorse for treating her friends poorly. That said, her friends do show her tremendous compassion in the end. By showing her unconditional love she probably doesn't deserve, the Peanuts gang make sure that the episode ends on a positive note.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Lucy learns in Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne. Do you think she'll appreciate her friends more after the New Year's party? What do you think she could do differently to be a better friend?

  • Do you understand what the "Auld Lang Syne" song means? (A lot of grown-ups don't either!). Linus explains how the song means we should remember people who are important to us when we celebrate New Year's Eve. Who are some people that are important to you that you want to think about?

  • Spike, Snoopy's brother with the camera, feels like maybe his family doesn't appreciate him. How do you think Snoopy and his brothers and sisters could have made Spike feel more loved?

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