Spring is just around the corner, which means we’ll be seeing some beautiful flowers including daffodils, cherry blossoms—and the Easter Beagle! Yes, our favorite chameleon beagle will be happily hopping from yard to yard, beagle-ears flapping, delivering brightly colored Easter eggs from his Easter basket. Here are some fun facts about the history of the Easter Beagle:
A Hopping Introduction
- Snoopy first appeared as “the Easter Bunny” on April 14, 1968, but Charles Schulz did not give the character the name “the Easter Beagle” until three years later.
- In that first 1968 strip, Linus was the only one to witness “the Easter Bunny” dancing around the front yard and hiding eggs in the bushes—Lucy was too busy watching television to notice.
- On Sunday, April 11, 1971, the Easter Beagle made his official comic-strip debut. Again, Linus was the first one to interact with him (although it’s Lucy who gets the Beagle kiss!).
- As with the Great Pumpkin, Linus is often the Easter Beagle’s messenger in the comic strips, alerting the other characters to the upcoming appearance of the Easter Beagle.
- During his April 2, 1972 appearance, the Easter Beagle delivers eggs to the members of the Peanuts gang…but discovers his basket is empty when he gets to Charlie Brown. This idea was adapted into the animated television special.
- Fortunately, the following year, on April 22, 1973, Charlie Brown does receive an Easter egg—this time from the Easter Beagle’s assistant: Woodstock!
- After two more Easter Beagle strips in 1975 and 1976, the character made his last appearance on April 7, 1985—when Sally got the Charlie Brown treatment.
- Charles Schulz once said in an interview that the Easter Beagle was his favorite of all of Snoopy’s alter egos.
A TV Star Is Born
The Easter Beagle made his television debut on April 9, 1974, when CBS first aired It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. This was the 12th animated special to be based on the Peanuts comic strip, and the fourth to be associated with a holiday, along with A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
It features Peppermint Patty’s unsuccessful but funny tries to make Easter eggs by roasting them and toasting them. Linus, of course, lets everyone know that the Easter Beagle is coming but the rest of the gang is suspicious since the whole Great Pumpkin situation.
This year, It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown will air on ABC. Check your local channel and listings for showtimes.
Let’s Discuss: What are some of the ways that you celebrate this time of the year with your loved ones?
GIVEAWAY:
This year, the Easter Beagle will have a variety of goodies for you in his overflowing Easter basket, including:
An irresistible Easter Beagle porch greeter, delivering happiness to every household
A DVD of It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, offering holiday joy all year round
Candy! (What Easter basket would be complete without it?) You’ll enjoy chocolate Easter eggs and delicious fruit sugar candies.a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This post is part of a blogging campaign as a Peanuts Brand Ambassador. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
© 2016, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
I celebrate this time of year by going over my Mom’s house to eat dinner. I especially like her stuffing. Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win.
There is a reason for this season. There is the fun side of Easter to celebrate. For us, we celebrates Christ’s resurrection. He lives!
At Easter we usually have a couple different places to be. We go to my moms in the morning, and my mother-in-laws in the evening. The kids have an egg hunt in the morning at my moms, and then we eat brunch. We have dinner at my mother-in-laws and just try to get some relaxing as well as a good visit in at both places!
We celebrate this time of year by going outside and enjoying the fresh air. For Easter, we attend church and then go on a huge Easter egg hunt. The hunt is so fun for the little ones!
Could he be any cuter dressed as the Easter Beagle? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before, but I love it! It’s a fun way to celebrate the treats of the day.
We go to an Easter egg geocaching event with our grandkids every year. We go to my Aunt’s for Easter dinner.
We have an Easter egg hunt around the house. I also give candy baskets to my kids.
We get the whole family together, have a big egg hunt with the kids, and then have dinner.
That’s a big Snoopy!! How cute he is dressed up like the Easter bunny. Great Easter gift idea.
We love to spend spring and Easter together. We have a big easter hunt for all of my nephews. The adults love hiding the eggs and watching the kids run around. We like to bake and cook a big meal for easter day. We love to garden and plant new flowers for the upcoming spring season.
I make Easter baskets for my little ones and we have a big egg hunt. We usually have a big family dinner either at my house or my oldest son’s house.
We go to sunrise service Easter morning and have breakfast at church. And then we have a big dinner with family in the afternoon along with an Easter egg hunt for the kids!
For Easter, I go to church with my family and then we have a nice home-cooked meal together.
This Easter we’re going to the Egg Roll at the White House!! I am so so excited!
I remember this special from when I was younger. My Mom and I go to visit my Grandma’s grave on Good Friday. On Easter I cook.
Actually I don’t celebrate Easter (I celebrate Passover with my friends and family which is not coinciding with Easter this year). I do enjoy watching Charlie Brown specials-always have always will!!
We celebrate by helping with the cooking,baking,dyeing the eggs with the kids and having an Easter egg hunt.
We celebrate Easter by having family and friends over for a delicious brunch. We follow that up with an Easter egg hunt for the little kids and it’s so fun to watch!
We go to my sister’s for dinner and have an Easter egg hunt. We go to church in the morning, and have a nice day with the family and all the cousins.
That’s the most adorable Eater gift EVER! I’ve been in love with Charlie Brown since the specials first aired.
This year we have the boys, so we will be celebrating at my parents’ house. I think they are making a turkey dinner 🙂 NOM!
I live out of state so its just me and my fiance and we dont really do anything.
We visit grandparents. My son’s bday is also close to Easter so we celebrate that too.
Some of the ways are crafting with my childen and preparing the house with them for the season.
I don’t think I’ve seen Snoopy dressed like a bunny before, but he sure does look adorable. I love to decorate and celebrate for Easter too.
Our kids are at the age that Easter isn’t a big deal for them. Last year was the first year we didn’t hide any eggs – I kind of miss it!
I am a huge peanuts fan and adore bunny snoopy!!! I’m thinking of some non- sugar rush things to put in my kids’ baskets. We only have a couple weeks to get it together. Thanks for this inspiration!
We celebrate by visiting family, giving the kids Easter baskets and having them go on an egg hunt.
We get together for an annual Easter dinner and egg hunt. The kids have so much fun!!
Thank you for the chance.
These were some fun Easter Beagle facts! We usually celebrate by doing dinner at the in-laws, and my husband will dress up as the Easter Bunny to entertain the little kids afterwards.
We always color Easter eggs and go on an Easter egg hunt Easter morning.
I always make an easter basket full of candy and chocolates for the kids, we have an easter egg hunt, and we have a home cooked meal.
We don’t celebrate Easter, but we do celebrate spring by planting a garden!
We normally have lots of family time, which consists of food, games, and fun!
We plant a spring hopeful flower garden. It brings new life to our house and with that joyous hopes of a prosperous season. 🙂 Of course we hide eggs, eat a nice dinner in thanks to our Lord, and enjoy family time. 🙂
Awww, my cousin would love that! Shes a huge Snoopy fan!
Oh how cute. this would be perfect for an Easter basket.
We have a huge extended family Easter egg hunt with prize cash eggs and a potluck…it’s a blast!
My son also loves snoopy. He does have fun when he sees it in everything.
I super duper love Snoopy! I am a huge collector and fan.
For some reason these types of contest entries don’t allow me to enter so hopefully this is an automatic single entry.
All of the Charlie Brown/Snoopy holiday specials are so much fun! I always loved watching them when I was growing up.
We make an Easter dinner and color eggs. We make little baskets or our friends and family.
We try to spend more time outside and get active together.
My mom always has a potluck lunch. All the kids dress up in their Sunday best and hunt for Easter eggs.
That Easter Beagle is so cute. I did not realize he did not get the name for 3 years after it aired though. We just do a small Easter celebration with an egg hunt of course!
We usually just spend time together as a family – we used to do an Easter brunch, but I don’t know about this year.
During this time of year, my whole family gets together to participate in an Easter Egg hunt. You’re never too old to scavenger for some Easter eggs. Also, I’m guilty of eating way too much chocolate on Easter lol.
We celebrate with Family. .. cooking, baking, church, dying Easter eggs & amazing time outdoors with loved ones!
We like to do fun arts and crafts together.
Our family comes together to celebrate Easter. We have an Easter egg hunt.
We celebrate by having a fun Easter egg hunt with the kids. We usually then have a nice big breakfast with ham and eggs and the head out to visit other family members. To top off the day we have a big family dinner.
Awe, how cute is that! Can never go wrong with a classic like Snoopy, my kids enjoy it!
How cute! I am so looking forward to Easter, my SIL just told me over the weekend that it’s next weekend I had completely overlooked it! We have a nice ham dinner as a family, and just enjoy each other and I really cannot wait!
We do an egg hunt where we hide plastic eggs filled with candy and treats. We also do a nice Easter dinner for the whole family.
We go to church. We practice Lent and Good Friday. We also color eggs and hide them so they can find them. There is a lot of family time.
We love coloring eggs for Easter, and having a family egg hunt! Not sure who has more fun…us hiding them or the kids finding them! 🙂
I sent a request for your instagram account as @irishskater425
My family goes on an annual camping trip every Easter. It’s more like glamping because we take almost every comfort with us, but we like it. The egg hunt can take an hour on the camp grounds.
We dye eggs and hide candy and also celebrate Easter with a sunrise service at our church.
I usually make an Easter egg scavenger hunt for my nephew. In the past, my sweetie used to make one for my stepson and I…and we had a blast.
We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by either marching in or photographing a parade (in Ireland or here in the States), and we celebrate my husband’s birthday by going out to dinner and doing something fun or unique like whale watching or kayaking, etc..
I’m excited about spring and Easter! This year I’m thinking we ought to do a egg hunt in the backyard.
Snoopy is so much favorite for me during my childhood & they are favorites with my kids as well. It is good to know its history & we celebrate Easter by having a family get together at home with lots of fun all around.
We decorate a bit, make the baskets, hide and hunt eggs and have a big Easter dinner. on Easter morning we’ll go to the sunrise service. This year it will be outside because we are back in Florida. 🙂
Omg what a fun giveaway!!!! What little kid wouldn’t wanna get a snoopy in their Easter basket?!
We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with green clothes and corned beef & cabbage.
Thanks for the contest.
How adorable. I love snoopy and what a great post!. The memories of decorating Easter baskets for my three children was so much fun. I have the Macy’s Day Parade snoopy that my father bought for me years ago. Thanks for the memories.
The family gets together to dye eggs. Then we get together for egg hunts and Easter dinner.
We like to celebrate Easter by doing an Easter egg hunt in our yard for our kids. They all have fun doing the egg hunt.
The only thing we really celebrate is Easter and we usually spend it with my Grandparents having dinner at their house.
I celebrate this time of year by dyeing Easter eggs.
We spend more time outdoors.
Going to church, having an Easter egg hunt and a wonderful ham dinner.
We do our egg hunt and we all eat together which does not happen always and our day is spent together. Pictures are taken as well because most are dressed up.
Our family usually meets up at my grandmother’s house for a nice ham dinner, but I think we are switching things up this year. We might be picking up grandma and going to my brother’s new house for Easter. I look forward to seeing my little nephew hunt for eggs.
Traditionally we do an egg hunt, watch the Peanuts Easter special (It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown), have a big fancy dinner and exchange easter baskets. It’s a really fun time.
Alone so don’t really do anything.
We spend lots of time outside together as a family enjoying the yard and blooming trees. We’ll be home this Easter cooking in!
Our family has a holiday dinner together. When the kids were younger we would do an Easter egg hunt, but now every one is an adult so that no longer happens. We still give out Easter baskets though, that are age appropriate. 🙂
We go to church and then spend the afternoon with family. Thank you
We always have a big family dinner. After the family dinner, the kids all do a big Easter Egg hunt.
We have a family dinner at my mom’s house and I bring treats for my nieces and nephews and sometimes we have an Easter egg hunt.
We go to church, Easter egg hunts, baking, family get-togethers, etc.
We celebrate by getting all the kids together to dye eggs and make cookies, then we have a huge family dinner at my mom’s house followed by an Easter egg hunt. This year my nephew’s birthday falls on Easter too, so I’m sure we’ll have a big party too! 🙂
We have dinner with the family and arrange an egg hunt.
Our family has a dinner or lunch and we all bring a dish and have fun talking and celebrating Easter. We have Easter egg hunts for the kids.
We celebrate by having brunch and doing an egg hunt.
The kiddos look for their Easter baskets on Easter morning, than later on we have a nice family dinner, ham and a whole bunch of other things.
My daughter and I love coloring eggs. She is a teenager now so I don’t have Easter egg hunts, but she and I have a shopping day the day before Easter. Great memories!
Marcie is the one who consistently screws up the Easter eggs in Peppermint Patties kitchen, just to clarify 🙂