67 Years Later, Peanuts' Best Halloween Gag Proves Charles M. Schulz's True Genius

Published Oct 2, 2026, 6:13 PM EDT TJ Mills is an editor on ScreenRant's Comic team, where she combines her lifelong passion for DC with her analytical background as a former Intelligence Analyst. Since joining ScreenRant in 2023, she has specialized in covering major DC storylines, character evolutions, and industry developments. Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts is perhaps the most legendary comic strip of all time, and much of its success comes from its iconic running gags and its ability to seamlessly fit into seasonal festivities, from Christmas and Thanksgiving to Halloween. Now, with Halloween just around the corner, there’s no better time to revisit Peanuts’ best seasonal gag, one that truly highlights the genius of Charles M. Schulz. While Halloween traditions vary from household to household, sitting down to watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) every fall was likely a tradition for many. This animated television special follows the Great Pumpkin-obsessed Linus, who believes that this imaginary figure will appear on Halloween night. As a result, he spends the evening waiting for the Great Pumpkin in a pumpkin patch while Charlie Brown and the other kids go trick-or-treating. However, long before this iconic movie, the Great Pumpkin debuted in Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts and quickly became one of the strip’s most beloved Halloween-themed recurring gags. The fact that this gag spawned an entire movie speaks to how legendary it is and, without a doubt, solidifies it as the best Halloween gag in Peanuts history. Peanuts' Great Pumpkin Gag, Explained Published: October 26, 1959 The Great Pumpkin first appeared in Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip on October 26, 1959. This strip famously featured Lucy and Linus, with the latter seen penning a letter. Lucy asks her younger brother what he’s doing, to which he replies: “This is the time of year when we all write to the ‘Great Pumpkin,’ and tell him what we want for Halloween. The ‘Great Pumpkin’ loves little children. I can see him now rising up out of the pumpkin patch with his big bag of toys!” If Linus’ introduction of the Great Pumpkin reminds you of another mythical figure, it should. Part of the humor is that Linus is essentially introducing the Halloween version of Santa Claus, complete with letters to the figure about what toys he wants and the belief that the Great Pumpkin supposedly totes them around in an oversized sack. In fact, Charles M. Schulz himself essentially admitted that the Great Pumpkin is a parody of Santa Claus. According to the Charles M. Schulz Museum, Schulz once explained the gag, saying, “I was drawing some Halloween strips about Linus, who is bright but very innocent, and he was confusing Halloween with Christmas because he was one holiday ahead of himself. Now the whole thing has become a parody of Christmas, and Linus gives the Great Pumpkin those qualities Santa Claus is supposed to have.” This gag was a stroke of genius by Schulz, a point further emphasized by the fact that this single running gag essentially served as the premise for an entire movie: the previously mentioned It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. However, the recurring gag didn’t end there, as many more strips featuring the Great Pumpkin appeared after the movie, including one with Linus alongside the beloved Snoopy. Published on October 31, 1967, the strip above shows Linus explaining the Great Pumpkin to Snoopy, who has accompanied him to the pumpkin patch. The punchline comes when a rustling in the grass causes Linus to exclaim: “It's the Great Pumpkin! He's rising out of the pumpkin patch!” Snoopy’s thought bubble then reveals exactly what the pup thinks: “I never should have left the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm!” Readers should note that these are just a few examples of this iconic gag, and they should explore Peanuts’ October publications to find even more.