“A Muppet Family Christmas” is a somewhat forgotten made for TV holiday special. The hour-long picture – 45 minutes sans commercials – premiered on the ABC network December 16, 1987. It warms my now callous heart to picture the simpler times of parents and kids gathering around the television in a decorated living room to watch the presentation a week before Christmas.
Who doesn’t love the Muppets? From primetime television to afternoon kids shows, these characters are a beloved and vital part of our culture and have been for over half a century. Their version of “The Christmas Carol” is widely regarded as one of, if not the best option out there. And “Family Christmas” is unique in that it brings multiple Muppet universes together for one big festive celebration.
Musical
The movie includes multiple musical numbers, all featuring various characters singing popular and original holiday tunes. The opening sequence shows us a caravan of popular Muppets, including Kermit the Frog, Animal, and Fozzi Bear, the latter of which is driving the gang to his mother’s farmhouse for a surprise Christmas visit.
Unbeknownst to Fozzi, his mother has anachronistically invented Airbnb and rented the farmhouse to Doc (Gerry Parkes) who hopes to spend a quiet holiday with his dog, Sprocket. In other news, Miss Piggy is stranded in a blizzard and needs help getting to the festivities.
Muppet Humor
As always, the Muppets are hilarious, and not just for kids. I laughed out loud multiple times at their antics, including the humorous cuts at the beginning between Fozzi planning to surprise his mother as a dutiful son, and the mother prepping for a beach trip to Malibu.
Throughout the story, more Muppets arrive at the farmhouse. This includes the gang from Sesame Street, a show I grew up loving. It was amusing to witness Sesame Street characters interacting with Muppets, some of which were sharing a screen for the first time.
Cookie Monster devours a fresh plate of Christmas cookies; a boisterous act that Animal finds relatable. Oscar the Grouch offers to let Rizzo the Rat bunk in his garbage can. The Swedish Chef salivates over cooking Big Bird for dinner. It’s so stupid and I love it all.
The Humans
Gerry Parkes and his dog Sprocket were characters from Fraggle Rock, with Sprocket being one of my favorite creatures in the Henson Universe. It’s always tough for a human to interact with puppets on screen and pass it off as plausible. Parkes’ experience with Fraggle Rock certainly helps the actor appear natural. The character of Doc is efficiently written. He wants a quiet Christmas, but once the motorcade of Muppets arrives, that ain’t happening. Doc quickly assimilates and it’s a nice throwback when Kermit discovers the Fraggle Rock realm and invites those characters to join in the mayhem.
Jim Henson himself also appears on screen as the only other non-Muppet. Henson is one of the most gifted creators we will ever know. His ability to bring to life dozens of Muppets, each with their own traits and personality, is a marvel. Jim Henson passed away at the young age of 53. Gone far too soon and will always be missed.
A New Tradition
I love “A Muppet Family Christmas” and will now view it annually. It’s the lighthearted fun that we all need in our lives, especially this time of year. Its short length and broad appeal make it a perfect choice for children and adults of all age’s and generations.
