''A Muppet Family Christmas'' is a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of e ...

starring

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...

's Muppets. It first aired on December 16, 1987, on the

ABC television network The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American commercial broadcast television network. It is the flagship property of the ABC Entertainment Group division of The Walt Disney Company. The network is headquartered in Burbank, Califor ...

in the United States. Shot in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada, its teleplay was conceived by longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl, and directed by Peter Harris and

Eric Till Eric Till (born 24 November 1929) is an English film and television director working in Canada, the United States, and Europe since the 1960s. His 1977 film '' It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet'' was entered into the 10th Moscow International Film ...

(the latter of whom was uncredited). The special features various Muppets from ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as ...

'', ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...

'', '' Fraggle Rock'', and '' Muppet Babies''. It also stars Gerard Parkes as Doc from the North American wraparound segments of ''Fraggle Rock'', and Henson as himself in a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

at the end. In the plot, the Muppets surprise Fozzie Bear's mother with a Christmas visit to her

farmhouse FarmHouse (FH) is a social fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 33 active chapters and four associate chapters (formerly colonies) in the United State ...

, unaware of her planned getaway to Malibu. Due to licensing issues with songs featured in ''A Muppet Family Christmas'', some scenes have been cut from subsequent home media releases.

Plot

Fozzie Bear is driving many of

the Muppets The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompas ...

to his mother Emily's farm for Christmas while they all sing "We Need a Little Christmas". Unbeknownst to Fozzie, Emily Bear is preparing to go to Malibu for the holiday and rent her farmhouse to Doc and Sprocket, who want to spend a nice quiet Christmas in the country. Doc and Sprocket have arrived when Fozzie and the other Muppets enter, disrupting Emily and Doc's plans for the holidays. Just then, Miss Piggy calls to tell

Kermit the Frog Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Introduced in 1955, Kermit serves as the everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'', as well ...

that she is at a photo session and will be late, making Kermit very worried. Rowlf the Dog and

the Swedish Chef The Swedish Chef is a Muppet character that appeared on ''The Muppet Show''. He was originally performed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously, with Henson performing the head and voice and Oz performing the character with real hands. The S ...

arrive, and they begin to prepare for Christmas. Meanwhile, Fozzie builds a snowman outside and the snowman comes to life singing along with Fozzie and putting on a comedy act with him. After the performance, Fozzie goes into the house where he tells Kermit about his new act. This is interrupted by Miss Piggy calling again, when she tells Kermit that she is doing a little Christmas shopping before she goes to the farmhouse. Sometime later, the gang watches a home movie of themselves as babies during their first Christmas together. A group of carolers then arrive consisting of Big Bird and the rest of the ''

'' Muppets. All the Muppets continue to prepare for Christmas as the news comes on TV. The Muppet Newsman reports that the worst blizzard in 50 years is approaching the area. Kermit realizes that Miss Piggy is out in the storm and gets more worried about her. Fozzie and Emily go over where everyone is going to sleep. Big Bird and Cookie Monster will sleep in the attic, Herry Monster will sleep in the bathtub, and Ernie and Bert will bunk with Kermit. The ''Sesame Street'' Muppets perform a pageant of ''

'Twas the Night Before Christmas ''A Visit from St. Nicholas'', more commonly known as ''The Night Before Christmas'' and ''Twas the Night Before Christmas'' from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously under the title ''Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas'' ...

'' where the Two-Headed Monster portrays

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...

. Kermit then gets a third call from Piggy stating that her limo got stuck in the snow and that she is calling for a taxi. Fozzie approaches Kermit stating that now is a good time to show him his new comedy act with the Snowman, but their act is cut short no thanks to

Statler and Waldorf Statler and Waldorf are a pair of Muppet characters best known for their cantankerous opinions and shared penchant for heckling. The two elderly men first appeared in '' The Muppet Show'' in 1975, where they consistently jeered the entirety of ...

who are friends with Emily. Feeling some sympathy for Kermit, Doc offers to go out looking for Piggy. Kermit is called to the basement, where he and his nephew

Robin Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: **European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') ** Bush-robin **Forest r ...

find a Fraggle Hole and the Fraggles. Finally, after Piggy makes her grand entrance, riding a dogsled with Doc, all the Muppets sing a medley of carols and swap presents (except

Oscar the Grouch Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character created by Jim Henson and Jon Stone for the PBS/ HBO children's television program ''Sesame Street''. He has a green body, no visible nose, and lives in a trash can. Oscar's favorite thing is trash, as e ...

, who just sits in his

trash can A waste container, also known as a dustbin, garbage can, and trash can is a type of container that is usually made out of metal or plastic. The words "rubbish", "basket" and "bin" are more common in British English usage; "trash" and "can" a ...

, sighing very miserably due to his hatred of Christmas). Doc then comes in dressed as Santa giving presents to the Muppets. The last part shows

himself making a

preparing to wash and dry the dishes with Sprocket. Meanwhile, Kermit and Piggy kiss under the mistletoe and wishing the home audience a Merry Christmas. Then the end credits roll.

Songs

* "

We Need a Little Christmas "We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical ''Mame'', and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production. In the musical, the song is performed after Mame has lost her fort ...

" * "

Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857. It has been claimed t ...

" * " Jingle Bell Rock" * "

Sleigh Ride "Sleigh Ride" is a light orchestra standard composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had formed the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and he finished the work in February 1948. The original recordings were instrument ...

" * "

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is a Christmas song featuring Santa Claus written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934. It was then ...

" * " Here We Come A-Caroling" * " Deck the Halls" * "

The Christmas Song "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat King Cole Trio fir ...

" * "Pass It On" from '' Fraggle Rock'' * " Home for the Holidays" * Carol Sing Medley ** " Happy Holidays" ** "

Ding Dong Merrily on High "Ding Dong Merrily on High" is a Christmas carol. The tune first appeared as a secular dance tune known under the title " Branle de l'Official" in ''Orchésographie'', a dance book written by the French cleric, composer and writer Thoinot Arbeau ...

" ** " I Saw Three Ships" ** " Good King Wenceslas" ** " The Holly and the Ivy" ** " I'll Be Home for Christmas" ** "Happy Holidays" (reprise) ** " Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" ** "Caroling, Caroling" ** " I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" ** "It's in Every One of Us" from '' John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together'' ** "Together at Christmas (Old Friends, New Friends)" from ''

The Christmas Toy ''The Christmas Toy'' is a 1986 television film directed by Eric Till and produced by The Jim Henson Company, featuring Jim Henson's Muppets, including Rugby the Tiger who remembers how he was the Christmas Toy last year, and thinks he is going t ...

'' * " We Wish You a Merry Christmas"

Cast

* Gerry Parkes as Jerome "Doc" Crystal *

as Himself ;Muppet performers *

, Rowlf the Dog, Dr. Teeth,

The Swedish Chef The Swedish Chef is a Muppet character that appeared on ''The Muppet Show''. He was originally performed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously, with Henson performing the head and voice and Oz performing the character with real hands. The S ...

, Waldorf, The Muppet Newsman, Ernie, Guy Smiley, Baby Kermit, and Baby Rowlf * Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear,

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage ...

, Sam the Eagle, Bert, Grover,

Cookie Monster Cookie Monster is a blue Muppet character on the long-running PBS/ HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street.'' In a song in 2004, and later in an interview in 2017, Cookie Monster revealed his real name as "Sid". He is best known for hi ...

, Baby Piggy, Baby Fozzie, and Baby Animal *

Jerry Nelson Jerry L. Nelson (July 10, 1934 – August 23, 2012) was an American puppeteer, best known for his work with The Muppets. Renowned for his wide range of characters and singing abilities, he performed Muppet characters on ''Sesame Street'', ' ...

as Robin the Frog, Emily Bear, Floyd Pepper,

Count von Count Count von Count (known simply as the Count) is a Muppet character on the PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street.'' He is meant to parody Bela Lugosi's portrayal of Count Dracula. He first appeared on the show in the Season 4 premier ...

Camilla the Chicken The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed ...

Herry Monster The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson, many for the purpose of appearing on the children's television program ''Sesame Street''. Some of the best known Muppets on ''Sesame Street'' include Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, ...

Two-Headed Monster The Two-Headed Monster is a comical, light purple Muppet monster on the television show ''Sesame Street'', first appearing in season 9, 1978. History The Two-Headed Monster, as the name implies, is an example of bicephaly. The right-hand hea ...

(Left Head), and Gobo Fraggle * Richard Hunt as Scooter, Janice, Statler, Beaker, Kathleen the Cow,

(Right Head), Snowman, and Baby Scooter * Dave Goelz as Gonzo the Great,

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is a Muppet character from ''The Muppet Show'', performed by Dave Goelz. He is a bald, yellow-skinned, bespectacled, lab-coated scientist who presented periodic science segments from "Muppet Labs, where the future is being mad ...

, Zoot, Beauregard, Boober Fraggle, Traveling Matt, and Baby Gonzo * Steve Whitmire as Rizzo the Rat, Lips, Wembley Fraggle, Sprocket the Dog, and Christmas Turkey * Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and

* Kathryn Mullen as Mokey Fraggle * Karen Prell as Red Fraggle and Maureen the Mink * David Rudman as Miss Piggy's Photographer (voice)

Production

This is one of the very few Muppet productions to feature Muppets associated with all four of the major Muppet franchises as a crossover: ''

'', ''

'', '' Fraggle Rock'' and '' Muppet Babies'' (who are seen as actual puppets here instead of animated counterparts). This special also features an onscreen guest cameo by

; he can be seen in the kitchen doing dishes with Sprocket towards the end of the special. In addition, the United Kingdom broadcast which aired on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

on 26 December 1989, marked the first appearance of Doc on British television, as the UK version of ''Fraggle Rock'' featured new "Outer Space" segments, in which Sprocket's owner was a lighthouse keeper.

Scenes omitted in North American DVD and VHS release

''A Muppet Family Christmas'' has never been released in its entirety on either VHS or DVD in North America. Several songs were licensed specially to only air on TV, and thus had to be cut from home video versions. * The original opening title (superimposed over a shot of Emily Bear's house). * The snowman and Fozzie's comedy act while singing the song "

" when hearing Rowlf inside playing the piano. * The home movie featuring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and Scooter as babies singing "

" with baby Rowlf playing a toy piano. * The Muppets sing " Home for the Holidays", after Miss Piggy's grand belated arrival, then later " Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and " I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" during the final medley. * A brief shot of Fozzie Bear and Elmo lighting a Christmas tree. * Fozzie tells his mother, Emily Bear, that he is too old to have a stocking hung for him, then changes his mind.

Reception

''A Muppet Family Christmas'' ranked 24th out of 69 shows in the Nielsen ratings the week it aired, with a 16.1 rating and a 25 share, and was watched by around 19.3 million viewers. ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corporat ...

'' ranked the special at number six on its '10 Best Family Holiday Specials' list. In his coverage of the special for '' The A.V. Club'', Myles McNutt stated that ''A Muppet Family Christmas'' is "a love letter to the Muppets as a wide-ranging, meaningful part of viewers’ childhoods." He further praised the special's emphasis on family and the Muppet characters over "cheap celebrity cameos." Sean Edgar of '' Paste'' described the special as "a grand culmination of the altruism that stands at the foundation of Henson’s oeuvre."

References

External links

The Official Website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Muppet Family Christmas, A Christmas television specials American Broadcasting Company television specials 1987 television specials The Muppets television specials Fraggle Rock Sesame Street Crossover television Television shows written by Jerry Juhl American Christmas television specials Films scored by Eric Robertson (composer)