There have been several Christmas and holiday specials featuring Jim Henson’s Muppets over the years. Some, sadly, have fallen to the wayside, while The Muppet Christmas Carol takes most of the glory every year.
However, we’ve compiled a list of festive classics starring Kermit and company! We’ll list them off and tell you where you can watch them!
The Muppet Christmas Carol
This staple of the holiday season is possibly the easiest to find. It’s on Disney Plus, along with most other VOD platforms.
The retelling of Charles Dickens’s tale of redemption features Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge and Kermit as Bob Cratchit. Although much of it is played for laughs, it is possibly the most heartwarming version of the story.
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
Another easy find! This one, too, is on Disney Plus. Sadly, it’s from an era of The Muppets where the bombastic energy from the early days is gone. It’s such an unremarkable special that I forgot it existed.
It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
Sadly, this is another one of those forgettable specials. Although not on Disney Plus, it is on YouTube. It’s from 2002 when Pepe the King Prawn was featured more than Kermit.
John Denver and The Muppets – A Christmas Together
The 1970s and early ’80s were the golden age of The Muppets. The special acts as more of a vehicle for Denver’s music than anything else, but there’s so much heart in his Christmas songs that it’s hard to deny it a place in your yearly traditions.
John Denver’s soulful songs and his antics with Jim Henson’s creations can be viewed over at YouTube!
A Muppet Family Christmas
Here’s another one that Disney refuses to put on its streaming service!
Premiering in 1987 on television, A Muppet Family Christmas sees Kermit and company venturing to Fozzie’s mother’s farm to spend Christmas. Guest stars include Doc and Sprocket from Fraggle Rock!
While it’s not a huge spectacle, it’s great to see so many Muppets and even Sesame Street characters in one place. Jim Henson also makes a rare on-screen appearance, unattached to a puppet’s behind.
Catch this one on YouTube!
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
Our final special is different from the others. While Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas does feature puppets from the Jim Henson Company, the adaptation of Russell Hoban’s story is more down-to-earth than most Muppet adventures.
It’s almost criminal that this one isn’t on Disney Plus. However, it can be found in many locations, including YouTube. Some versions feature an intro with Kermit, while others do not. We’ve linked both! I even included an 8-minute long outtake video!
Not in the mood for Muppets? Check out our other retro Christmas specials you can stream on YouTube now!
Pirates & Princesses (PNP) is an independent, opinionated fan-powered news blog that covers Disney and Universal Theme Parks, Themed Entertainment and related Pop Culture from a consumer's point of view. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of PNP, its editors, affiliates, sponsors or advertisers. PNP is an unofficial news source and has no connection to The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal or any other company that we may cover.