Written by Randy Allain
On December 16th, 1987, ABC aired the greatest holiday special ever created: A Muppet Family Christmas. It was a unique moment in time when IP was strong, but television programming still felt fluid and fleeting. We weren’t worried about streaming rights in perpetuity, we just wanted a hit of nostalgia that could pull a big audience before dissipating into our collective memory – perhaps never to be seen again.
This mentality yielded a special featuring both The Muppets and the Sesame Street gang…along with live action Muppet Babies and some selfless, non-denominational Fraggles. You can’t beat that kind of star power. It was simply the most exciting crossover event of all time. With much love and respect to Avengers: Endgame, not even “on your left” can match the thrill of watching every single puppet from Sesame Street march into frame singing carols for Kermit and his buddies.
Let’s set the stage: Fozzie’s independent, thrill-seeking mother, Emily Bear, is about to embark on a frolicking tropical getaway when her dopey son shows up unannounced with dozens upon dozens of friends. This development, alongside a surprise blizzard, forces our heroes to coexist under one farmhouse roof. Essentially, the farmhouse gets more and more crowded, much to the dismay of Doc and Sprocket (of Fraggle Rock fame), who rented the farmhouse to spend a quiet Christmas in solitude. In the end, everyone becomes a big, loving, hodgepodge of a family, and the Christmas cheer warms even the coldest hearts in the room.
It’s a solid holiday story, but what makes this special so…well, special, is the journey. Let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons that A Muppet Family Christmas belongs on your holiday watch list.
- Mass Muppets
One element of this holiday classic that can’t be overstated is the sheer number of Muppets that appear on screen at any given moment. Whether our characters are jammed into the rickety bed of an old pickup truck or simply looking for a spot to squeeze in for the fireside sing-along, the number of Muppets per square foot in this special is impossible to beat. If that’s not exciting enough for you, just think about how cozy those puppeteers must have gotten in order to pull this off.
- Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
No musical moment in this special hits harder than Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem performing “Jingle Bell Rock.” First, we get a soft intro from the gentle pipes of nephew Robin, but suddenly, “mayhem” ensues when the band cuts in with a full rock number. Animal’s drum kit shakes the room and we even get a close-up of Janice absolutely SHREDDING on lead guitar – the entire farmhouse goes nuts, and even the reserved Kermit and Robin can’t resist an awkward little bop in the kitchen. We get some more sentimental sing-alongs later in the special, but first, we need to watch our favorite puppet rock band absolutely blow the roof off the joint.
- Creative Sleeping Arrangements
A running gag throughout this special is the effort to find a place for every one of these hundreds of Muppets to spend the night. We realize the problem early on, when Doc expresses concern that the bedrooms in his rental are filling up quickly.
Things seem promising at first; the farmhouse even has a kennel for all of the dogs! Quickly, the gang showcases a willingness to accommodate one another. After the Swedish Chef complains about all of the rats and chickens in the kitchen, he quickly offers up his own bedroom as an alternate space. Doc and Sprocket go so far as to build bunk beds (they plan to share a humble hammock in the attic). Emily Bear offers some masterful organizing: “the huge canary sleeps in the attic with the cookie eater, the blue monster (Grover? Herry Monster? We’ll never know.) said he’ll sleep in the bathtub, and Ernie and Bert will bunk out with the lizard (Kermit) here.”
Perhaps the greatest holiday miracle comes when Oscar the Grouch offers up sleeping space in his trash can for Rizzo the rat: “I’ve never had a rat in my trash can before, that might be nice.”
Ultimately, the final punchline comes when Emily Bear runs out of options. Two guests will have to sleep suspended from clothes hangers in the closet. Fortunately, Gonzo considers this a revelation, and we learn that Animal always sleeps that way. Problem solved.
- Barometers Falling Sharply
Sometimes we love dark, brooding, cynical humor. Other times, we love satire. Some of us love watching smart people spit venom at one another or clever, absurdist takedowns of corrupt systems. Those are all great comedic forms.
But here, we get comedy in its purest form: the marriage of a pun and physical comedy. In this case, the Muppet News Flash anchor informs us that barometers are falling sharply – and boy, DO they ever – with vicious force. Our puppet anchor is pummeled right out of his chair. Boom. Comedy.
Jokes this pure and perfect are becoming a lost art, but they are right at home in this special.
- Miss Piggy at the Top of Her Game
We all know Miss Piggy was an influencer way before it was cool, and she makes her mark on this special with the full force of her powers. She takes a phone call while striking poses in a photoshoot, ignores blizzard warnings for a last second holiday shopping spree, and eventually makes her grand entrance via dogsled (she even employs Doc as per personal valet). If that isn’t enough to convince you that you are getting peak Piggy in this special, she is ultimately gifted a “mink” – not a fashion accessory, but a walking, talking mink who will follow her around and shower her with compliments.
Of course, underneath that facade of “kissy kissy” glamor, we know that Miss Piggy is powered by a high-density ball of rage. She will not be trifled with, not even by the forces of nature. In this special, she may get blown across the screen by a blizzard, but her toughness is never in doubt. Unfazed by this mighty storm, she simply screams, “Yo!” to hail a taxi. Later, when the taxi gets stuck in a snowbank – guess who is out there telling the cabbie to “GUN IT!” – you guessed it. Piggy.
Miss Piggy is a lot of things, but most importantly, she is a total badass. Nay, an icon.
- Sesame Street Humor
Once the Sesame Street gang arrives, we get bit after bit of Sesame Street humor. It’s an embarrassment of riches to have this much fun after you’ve already been enjoying such a great time with your favorite Muppets. The Count counts everything from Yuletide blessings to snowflakes…and, of course, “worried frogs.” Animal finds his spiritual equal when Cookie Monster scarfs down an entire tray of cookies: “That my kinda fella!” Bert and Ernie even bring a bit of the world’s friendliest street to the farmhouse in an exchange with Doc:
BERT: Did you know that “Doc” starts with the letter D?
DOC:: Why…yes?
ERNIE: Yes! “Yes” starts with the letter Y.
DOC: True
ERNIE: And “true” starts with the letter T!
DOC: Eh…what is this?
BERT: Where we come from, this is small talk.
Of course, the best Sesame Street bit comes in the form of a messy performance of The Night Before Christmas in which Grover dresses up as a mouse holding a bowl and spoon to illustrate that he is not, in fact, stirring: “note how the hand never touches the spoon.” Enough said.
- Animal Embodies Our Universal Struggles with Greed and Materialism
Animal is a primal, id-driven force of nature. He does a lot of work keeping The Muppets from getting too sweet, and he takes that function to another level in this special by subverting the heartwarming fluff at the center of the entire enterprise. He doesn’t waste any time getting there, either.
Early in A Muppet Family Christmas, when the first round of guests arrive, Animal’s exclamation of, “Peace on Earth! Give me Presents!” is a nod to the capitalistic irony inherent in even the most sentimental of holiday specials and in the nostalgic heart of every consumer.
Mere moments later, Animal answers the phone, and starts demanding presents from whoever might be on the other end of the call. When he realizes he is listening to Miss Piggy as she unleashes a performative “Joyeux Noel!” He rolls his eyes, says, “Oh… Pig,” drops the receiver to the floor, and walks away. It’s ice-cold perfection.
It’s also a reminder for all of us to keep our priorities in line throughout the holiday season.
- Attempted Bird Murder
In a special full of both saccharine nostalgia and clever subversion, one plotline encapsulates both extremes.
It all starts when the Swedish Chef invites a turkey to the Christmas celebration with the intent to slaughter him and serve him as the main course. Unfortunately for our resident culinary master, this turkey is resourceful and streetwise…ultimately the turkey is able to deflect the Chef’s murderous impulses toward a much bigger bird: Big Bird…the beloved children’s television icon! Oh no!
The Swedish Chef sharpens his knives and gathers his seasonings (he literally starts salting Big Bird), but thankfully, our gentle yellow hero melts the Chef’s heart with a thoughtful gift and the whole party goes vegetarian. Clearly, this special was ahead of its time.
- Watch Out for the Icy Patch!
Throughout A Muppet Family Christmas, we see multiple Muppets simulate a slip and fall on the “icy patch” at the front door of Emily Bear’s farmhouse.
On one level, this works as simple physical comedy. Watching our favorites stumble with the aid of cartoonish sound effects and silly exclamations is fun, particularly when it brings life and dimension to the two large group entrances. Miss Piggy suffers the final fall after her grand entrance – a poignant end to this running gag.
It also becomes part of the bonding experience for our characters. Each new initiate to the farmhouse learns the same lesson, and we get several variations of Emily Bear’s urgent, “Be careful of the icy patch!” warning.
But what makes this joke SO special is the fact that it requires active audience participation. Deep down, we know that our slipping and falling characters are safe. Each fall is really just a puppeteer waving foam around and having a good time.
In order for the joke to work, we have to have as much fun as those puppeteers. We have to suspend our disbelief and go along for the whole silly, wobbly, ride. It is a perfect example of the inherent act of play that comes with watching and enjoying Muppet entertainment…an act of play that helps us hold on to our youth and innocence.
- Humble Henson
Most importantly, you should watch A Muppet Family Christmas for the Jim Henson cameo.
As the proceedings come to a close, Jim Henson appears in a snappy little patterned suit. He is petting Sprocket, a good boy. Then, he simply states how happy it makes him to see his creations having fun and takes up the humble task of washing the dishes for everyone.
It is short, sweet, and beautiful.
That brings us to the end of the list. If you haven’t experienced enough holiday cheer just yet, consider checking out the entire special! Sadly, there are no official streaming options at this time, but there are a few great versions available via YouTube (including the link below that features an oft-cut scene of Fozzie Bear forming a comedy duo with a snowman), as well as a 2002 DVD release that is still available for purchase through the power of the internet! Happy Holidays!
