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Author: Steve Swanson
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All The Muppet Christmas Stuff You Can Handle in 2017
“It’s in the singing of a street-corner choir, it’s going home and getting warm by the fire, it’s true wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas…”The holiday season is upon us, and what better way to spend it than with all your favorite Muppet movies, TV specials, records, and more? There’s so much to enjoy! I don’t know about you, but every year I try to watch “everything”, and every year it seems like I miss something. Once January comes around, and the decorations go away, I remember, Omigosh! I totally forgot to watch [insert name of thing here].
So in an effort to combat my own forgetfulness – and maybe yours too – let’s put together a list of everything you should watch/listen to this holiday season from the Muppets. And just so we’re clear: this isn’t meant to be a comprehensive list of everything ever produced by Jim Henson & company for the holiday season. There’s a different website for that. It’s called The Muppet Wiki, and it’s amazing.
But just for us, let’s see what needs to be seen (and heard) this year.
Muppet Christmas Movies
There aren’t many Muppet feature-length Christmas movies, and even fewer which were released in theaters. Two of these are made-for-TV movies, but they still get counted here.
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
- Letters to Santa
You Must See: Muppet Christmas Carol is the best, if you ask most Muppet fans. It feels the most like a Jim Henson-made Muppet production, possibly because it was the first major production undertaken after his death, and the fact that it was directed by his son, Brian Henson.– Watch it now on: HBO, Google Video, iTunes, and Amazon Video, or purchase the discs on Amazon.
You Can Skip: Letters to Santa is the most recent Muppet Christmas “movie”, and as much as I want to love it, I don’t. What’s interesting is that the music for both Muppet Christmas Carol and Letters to Santa were written by the same person, Paul Williams, yet one set of songs connects with me so deeply, and another almost completely misses the mark.
Muppet TV Specials
This is where things start to get a little tricky. These are productions that aired on TV (not screened in theaters), have a shorter running time than a feature-length film, and are not counted as a regular episode of any Muppet TV series.
- Muppet Family Christmas
- Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
- Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas
- A Special Sesame Street Christmas
- Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
- John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together
- The Christmas Toy
- The Great Santa Claus Switch
- Elmo’s Christmas Countdown
- Elmo Saves Christmas
- Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
You Must See: Muppet Family Christmas, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, and Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas. All 3 are essential viewing for Muppet fans of any age.Muppet Family Christmas is arguably the most Muppet-y thing ever created, let alone the Muppet-iest Christmas production. It includes nearly the entire cast of characters from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, and even Fraggle Rock, all singing Christmas carols in one huge living room. Need I say more?
You absolutely must watch Christmas Eve on Sesame Street if you grew up watching Sesame in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s a wonderful walk down memory lane, and attempts to solve one of the great Santa Claus mysteries with Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert & Ernie, Oscar, Mr. Hooper, and even Kermit the Frog.
Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas is a touching take on the classic Gift of the Magi story, told with woodland creatures created by Henson solely for this production. The music was written by Paul Williams (see a trend?). After just one viewing this will become part of your yearly Christmas rotation.
– Watch Muppet Family Christmas now on: YouTube
– Watch Christmas Eve on Sesame Street now on: YouTube, Google Video, iTunes, and Amazon Video, or purchase the discs on Amazon.
– Watch Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas now on: Amazon Video and iTunes, or purchase the discs on Amazon.You Can Skip: Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is a half-hour special starring a singing Robert Downy Jr, based on a children’s book of the same name. And it’s just…weird.
Muppet TV Episodes
Moving right along, these are Christmas/Holiday productions that appear as part of a Muppet series. Some of these are difficult to find, or at least aren’t streaming online anymore, unfortunately. But your efforts in searching them out will be greatly rewarded!
- Fraggle Rock: The Bells of Fraggle Rock (Season 3, Episode 1)
- Furchester Hotel: A Furchester Christmas (Season 2, Episode 16)
- Bear in the Big Blue House: A Berry Bear Christmas (Season 3, Episodes 25 & 26)
- Dinosaurs: Refrigerator Day (Season 2, Episode 5)
- The Muppets: Single All the Way (Season 1, Episode 10)
You Must See: The Bells of Fraggle Rock tells the “Fraggle” equivalent of a holiday story, in which Gobo goes off to find the Great Bell of Fraggle Rock. Cantus the Minstrel (performed by Jim Henson) appears as an unlikely guide, and the Fraggles find the true meaning of the holiday season within themselves. That sounds like something you’d read on the back of the VHS box, doesn’t it? But I really wrote it myself, just now.– Watch The Bells of Fraggle Rock now on: HBO and Google Video, or purchase the discs on Amazon (The Complete Season 3 DVD Set) or purchase the complete series.
You Can Skip: Single All the Way. Honestly, I haven’t seen Berry Bear Christmas or Furchester Christmas to rate them, but most of The Muppets’ ABC series wasn’t incredibly “Muppetational”, so this gets the bottom spot. And incidentally, you need to watch the Refrigerator Day episode of Dinosaurs…Hilarious!
– Honorable Mention: Watch the Refrigerator Day episode of Dinosaurs now on Amazon Video and Google Video, or by purchasing the discs on Amazon.
Muppet Christmas Albums/CDs
Music has been an essential ingredient in nearly everything the Muppets have ever done, so naturally there are some great Christmas collections out there. Too many, in fact, to list here (psssst, that’s what The Muppet Wiki is for). Here are several highlights, some albums that make into my must-listen list every year.
- The Muppet Christmas Carol (Soundtrack)
- Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (Soundtrack)
- John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together
- Merry Christmas from Sesame Street
- A Green and Red Christmas
- Letters to Santa (Soundtrack)
- Keep Christmas With You (Featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
- Bob! From Sesame Street: Christmas Sing Along
- Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites
You Must Listen To: Almost all of them.John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together is just about the most heartwarming Muppet Christmas collection you’ll ever hear. It includes “The 12 Days of Christmas” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, both of which usually make it onto radio holiday playlists.
Merry Christmas from Sesame Street will feed the nostalgic kid in you. Must like Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (which also has an excellent soundtrack), you’ll love hearing your Sesame pals sing the Christmas hits as only they can.
A Green and Red Christmas isn’t necessarily at the top of every Muppet fan’s list, but it’s a Grammy Award-winning album and features much of the modern-day Muppet cast of performers voicing the characters. Fans of all ages can appreciate the humor and music in this collection.
– Listen to John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Music, and Amazon Music, or purchase the album on Amazon or iTunes.
– Listen to Merry Christmas from Sesame Street on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Music, and Amazon Music, or purchase the album on Amazon or iTunes.
– Listen to A Green and Red Christmas on Apple Music, Spotify, and Google Music, or purchase the album on Amazon or iTunes.
– Honorable Mention: Listen to The Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack on Apple Music, Spotify, and Google Music, or purchase the album on Amazon or iTunes.You Can Skip: Elmo Saves Christmas. Seriously…you need more Elmo in your life?
You can see from this somewhat long yet incomplete list, the Muppets have made a lot of holiday mirth over the years. To many fans, the Muppets shine brightest at Christmastime.
MuppetCast Podcast Christmas Episodes
Show #292: Stupid Turkey (12/19/2016) Muppet Christmas specials galore!
Show #234: December 24, 2012 (12/24/2012) Christmas special show, featuring The Bells of Fraggle Rock
Show #185: December 5, 2010 (12/6/2010) Special guest, Sesame artist Louis Henry Mitchell
Show #140: December 13, 2009 (12/14/2009) Special guests, Michael Davis & Hervon McNeil
Show #89: December 21, 2008 (12/22/2008) Special guest, Paul Williams
Show #34: December 2, 2007 (12/2/2007) Special guest, Muppet performer Dave Goelz– Subscribe to The MuppetCast podcast in iTunes and hear hundreds of hours of Muppetational goodness!
What are your favorite Muppet holiday productions? Did you see your favorites on this list? If not, what was left out? Let’s keep the discussion going in the comments.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Weeba Weeba!
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Backstage Show #12: “Nobody Dies”…with JD Hansel
Well…maybe eventually they do. But until then, JD Hansel joins me for a riveting episode of The Backstage Podcast. We discuss life, maturity, immaturity, philosophy, Muppets, and of course, Sam Harris.
JD is the owner of JDHansel.com and MuppetHub.com.
Thanks for downloading and listening to The Backstage Podcast! It means the world to me that you’re here. For any questions or comments concerning the show, email me@backstagepod.com. Follow the show on Facebook and Twitter, and tell your friends about it too!
Have Fun!
-Steve
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Show #292: Stupid Turkey
Haul out the holly! It’s our Muppetational Holiday Special!
This episode is filled with great Muppet Christmas music, and it serves as a tribute to one of the greatest Muppet productions of all time, A Muppet Family Christmas. Enjoy!
Thanks For Listening!
As always, you can email me@muppetcast.com with any comments or questions about the Muppets, The MuppetCast, or anything else. Tweet me @muppetcast, and check out The MuppetCast Facebook page. And make sure to subscribe to The MuppetCast in iTunes!
Have a great week!
Steve
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Show #291: MuppetCast Mailbag Monday
Listener questions guide the content for this episode. Send your questions for the show to me@muppetcast.com.
Who is/was inside the “costume” of the full-body Muppet characters like Sweetums and Thog?
How can I become a Muppet performer?
What are your thoughts on Ernie’s new performer, Billy Bankhurst?
Thanks For Listening!
As always, you can email me@muppetcast.com with any comments or questions about the Muppets, The MuppetCast, or anything else. Tweet me @muppetcast, and check out The MuppetCast Facebook page. And make sure to subscribe to The MuppetCast in iTunes!
Have a great week!
Steve
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Show #290: Introducing STREET GANG, the Movie!
The 2008 bestselling book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis is being made into a new documentary film! This week I’m joined by Executive Producer Trevor Crafts and Director Marilyn Agrelo to talk about what Muppet fans should expect, how the film will expand upon what’s in the book, and how Muppet fans can get involved.
About the Film
Street Gang will be directed by Marilyn Agrelo, director of the festival award-winning Mad Hot Ballroom. Agrelo will have access to Sesame Street archives through Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, and The Jim Henson Company. Using new animated sequences, new character and cast interviews, and exclusive archival materials, Street Gang will tell the origin story of the show and how creator Joan Ganz Cooney, director Jon Stone, and visionary Jim Henson came out of the ideals and the societal unrest of the sixties to make something that changed history.
One of the film’s Indiegogo campaign (http://bit.ly/2eh6bR0) goals, in addition to creating new animation and new music, is to raise funds to rebuild the Season One Sesame Street set, taking the audience back in time. Additionally, the filmmakers will donate 15% of the net proceeds of the crowd funding campaign to Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational media organization behind Sesame Street, through its Yellow Feather Fund™ which helps the world’s most vulnerable children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.
Thanks For Listening!
As always, you can email me@muppetcast.com with any comments or questions about the Muppets, The MuppetCast, or anything else. Tweet me @muppetcast, and check out The MuppetCast Facebook page. And make sure to subscribe to The MuppetCast in iTunes!
Have a great week!
Steve
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Show #289: MuppetCast Mailbag Monday
Listener questions guide the content for this episode. Send your questions for the show to me@muppetcast.com.
Did Jim Henson direct all of the Muppet films?
Can I buy a real Muppet puppet? Where?
Why is Elmo so popular?
Where can I find Muppet Babies episodes on DVD?
Thanks For Listening!
As always, you can email me@muppetcast.com with any comments or questions about the Muppets, The MuppetCast, or anything else. Tweet me @muppetcast, and check out The MuppetCast Facebook page. And make sure to subscribe to The MuppetCast in iTunes!
Have a great week!
Steve
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Calling All Muppet Fans: Want To Be On TV?
If you’re in the Muppet collectibles market as a buyer or seller, AMC’s hit show Comic Book Men wants to talk to YOU!Casting is currently taking place for Season 6, and The MuppetCast was contacted by a Casting Associate Producer. If you are a Muppet fan looking for some TV experience and would like to buy or sell any of your fun, valuable, or unique items, you should visit the CBM casting website and submit your application, right now.
From AMC.com:
“…Master fanboy Kevin Smith and the charismatic men of Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash are back for antics and fun in AMC’s unscripted series Comic Book Men. Join Kevin, Walt, Bryan, Mike, and Ming as they geek-out over rare pop culture memorabilia and welcome new friends to the Red Bank, NJ comic store including geek and fandom icons. Loaded with exciting adventures and stories, the guys reminisce over the Stash’s latest shenanigans during their hilarious podcast, which is seamlessly woven into each episode.“ -
Show #287: The Muppets on Broadway!
Lots to cover in this episode! Some incredible things are happening this summer in Muppets, and we talk about all of it this week!
First of all, congratulations to the Jim Henson Company as they open Puppet Up Uncensored at the Venetian in Las Vegas! Call (702) 414-9000 for tickets, or visit Venetian.com/Puppet-Up.
Bob McGrath recently announced that he, along with the rest of the original human cast members of Sesame Street, have been let go from the show (special thanks to Guy Hutchinson for the audio). The entire MuppetCast audience thanks Bob and the entire cast for decades of memories, and countless lessons we and our children have learned from them. The Street will never, ever be the same.
Despite its cancellation from ABC, The Muppets has earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Production Design for a Half Hour or Less Narrative Program. Congrats to the Muppets team!
Get ready for PizzeRizzo, coming soon to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Pizza Planet will soon be replaced by the new Muppet-themed eatery. Exciting Disney Park news!
Brian Henson will produce Wee Free Men, a feature film adaptation of author Terry Pratchett’s first book in the Discworld series. No casting or release date news to report, but Pratchett fans will definitely be looking forward to this.
The Jim Henson Company will host an evening raising funds for the Center for Puppetry Arts and celebrating the career of longtime puppeteer and MuppetCast guest Dave Goelz! Stay tuned for ticket information.
Sesame Workshop is getting involved with the IRC to make a difference for preschool children and their parents in refugee camps around the world.
Thanks to Darrin Granter (name spelled correctly) for these pics, accompanying his story on the show about meeting Caroll and Debra Spinney!
[envira-gallery id=”3334″]Thanks also to Renee Angely for sending links to John Denver’s last song, “Yellowstone (Coming Home).”
This is the documentary the song was written for:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIWf4pvWS0cThe music from this episode came from the YouTube channel showing video from the recent event “54 Below Celebrates the Muppets.” Click to watch some of Broadway’s best sing the most Muppetational songs ever!
Thanks For Listening!
As always, you can email me@muppetcast.com with any comments or questions about the Muppets, The MuppetCast, or anything else. Tweet me @muppetcast, and check out The MuppetCast Facebook page. And make sure to subscribe to The MuppetCast in iTunes!
Have a great week!
Steve