Talk: Santa Claus

Miss Piggy as Santa?

I'm not sure if I remember this correctly, but doesn't Piggy appear as Santa in The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show's "You Light Up My Life" in the December window? I don't have a copy to check; but should I remember this correctly, could somebody possibly add a screen grab? — Julian (talk) 08:02, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, no Piggy as Santa (and it wasn't "You Light Up My Life" either but some calendar song by Joe Raposo for the special). December was just Christmas presents and hustle; she was in red though, but not Santa (or Mrs. Santa). -- Andrew Leal (talk) 02:34, 30 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for checking! — Julian (talk) 09:56, September 15, 2009 (UTC)

Bumping up topic for the new image... how is this not Miss Piggy dressed as Santa? Yeah, there's no beard, but she's even got the hat. To me this is more than just Piggy in red. Opinions? — Julian (talk) 15:08, January 5, 2011 (UTC)

It looks very similar to the outfit she wore in the 1982 Muppets Annual, which we have listed here. If nothing else, it should go in the gallery of Santa hats. -- Brad D. (talk) 15:37, January 5, 2011 (UTC)

I hadn't counted it since it was just Christmas shopping, her running into Ritter and George and explicitly not Santa per the lyrics, but you're right on the hat/trim. It's definitely a hat/honorable mention then. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 22:35, January 6, 2011 (UTC)

I appreciate that you agree for it to at least be counted as a hat/honorable mention. Let me try to make my case though, for her to be fully counted: we clearly state on the page that the list is of "Characters dressing as Santa Claus," not "Characters impersonating Santa Claus." Piggy is not trying to actually portray the character--which would be odd for the musical number they're doing, anyway--but is dressing in as much a (female) Santa costume as she is in the image that Brad referred to earlier, which we do count. If in fact we have truly set our focus on the dressing part more so than on the impersonation aspect of the character, then this Grover mention would either have to be degraded to a mere hat mention as well, or need a better picture for validation (I don't have the book, so I don't know if he ever wears more of a costume, other than the hat and bag).

With that in mind, one could of course be making the case again for this photo, as I tried to indicate just a little over a year ago (below). — Julian (talk) 01:48, January 7, 2011 (UTC)

Well, the whole plot of that Grover book, as noted on the page, is that he's actually replacing Santa. As for the rest, it may be misreading the tone, but your "I appreciate that you agree at least" and bringing up the Grover bit, which reminds me of the old "If we get rid of this then we need to get rid of that" arguments that came around everytime a more major policy decision was made regarding Henson projects, sound just a tad like you're seeing this as a big deal (while to me, the distinction, if it gets it on the page, doesn't strike me as something worth arguing about in depth). If it means that much, go ahead and add it. You know I love you, Julian, and within reason, this page should be fun, not something to argue about. :) -- Andrew Leal (talk)

Aaaah, no! I'm really just trying to be as accurate as I can be, while having fun with it. And I'm truly sorry about the misunderstood tone. As annoying as I think emoticons can be, I should really use them little smileys more often. I'll explain more on my talk page where you left the other message. :) — Julian (talk) 01:28, January 8, 2011 (UTC)

Muppets All-Star Christmas Reunion?

I just added a publicity photo promoting the above mentioned show, but I can't find any mention of it, either on this wiki or elsewhere. Was A Muppet Family Christmas ever broadcast under this name?— Tom (talk) 05:02, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

Well, December 24 was a Sunday in 1989, and the "Family Christmas" page says that it aired that year as an episode of "The Magical World of Disney". I'll check with Andrew. -- Ken (talk) 05:19, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

It is without a doubt a promo shot for A Muppet Family Christmas (there's a color version of it too, as well as variant shots in different settings and with a few different characters). So, I guess that you've just found the working title for the special. And you might want to add Gobo to the list as he's hiding in the background... though, didn't we not count Santa hats without something more of a costume? Piggy's the only one in full gear (sans beard of course). — Julian (talk) 05:29, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, Julian and Ken. I don't think it's a working title, since the promo ad is from 1989. The article for A Muppet Family Christmas mentions that the show was aired on December 24, 1989 as an episode of The Magical World of Disney. That is the same date as the one on the promo photo, so perhaps the episode of Disney was called Muppets All-Star Christmas Reunion? I agree about the hats; I'll focus on Piggy and mention that the others are just wearing hats.— Tom (talk) 05:46, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, Santa hats only don't count. And if it says 1989, either the working title lingered or someone just got it wrong, which is easy enough to happen with a publicity release (since as is we have nothing to really indicate whether it aired under that title; certainly not when it aired as part of the Disney anthology series, as confirmed both by Bill Cotter's Disney TV book and by YouTube clips of the intro with Kermit the Frog and Michael Eisner.) I'm inclined to think it could be just old ad copy, with specifics changed, that was never properly updated, but we have no way of being sure right now. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 05:44, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

OK, I changed the title to A Muppet Family Christmas. To my eye, Piggy is trying to look like Santa with some sort of red garment with white fur trim. I'm not opposed to removing the reference all together, however, if others think that the photo is just another example of "hats only."— Tom (talk) 05:59, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

I spoke too late; Scott had already made that call for us. :)— Tom (talk) 06:01, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

Santa shadow

Parking another picture here in case we decide to use it. It's what appears to maybe be Santa's shadow on Big Bird in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. It's suggested via a large figure making footprint snow-crunching noises, sleigh bells ringing and reindeer trotting as Big Bird sleeps. —Scott (talk) 03:49, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

I'm all for adding this one! — Julian (talk) 08:02, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Beary Xmas

This is really just Bear and Tutter wearing Santa hats, but it kinda looks to me like Bear in the Santa role holding Tutter in a stocking. Anyway, just parking it here in case we wanted to use it. —Scott (talk) 04:45, 7 October 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, this one's just hats. There's an actual "Bear as Santa" from one of the books, though (and the text even says something along the lines of "At last, Santa has arrived" and then reveals Bear in the Claus outfit). I'll scan it as soon as I find it, possibly this weekend. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 04:03, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Citation needed

We need a source for Jerry Nelson playing Santa in Hey Cinderella! — Scott (talk) 18:00, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, Scooter added that. I asked him on his talk page, and he never responded. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 18:02, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Re-Format

I just reformatted the page, after realizing there were absolutely no pictures of the actual depictions of actors as Santa Claus, and no room for any. A few of the gaps, like from It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, I can fill in myself, but if anyone has access to images of Santa from Elmo Saves Christmas, Elmo's World: Happy Holidays, or the Whatnot and Anything Muppet versions not shown here, feel free to add them. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 01:58, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

Deleted Santa

In It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, is that Kirk Thatcher as Santa in the deleted scene? He sounds vaguely as if he were looped by Jerry Nelson, but looks like Thatcher to me. Andrew Leal (talk) 06:03, 27 July 2006 (UTC)

The Many Faces of Santa

Boy, this article has grown in such a very short time! It also place this in both Human Characters and Muppet Characters, as he's been incarnated as both. Unless anyone thinks each Santa, outside of those played by established characters in pageants/Christmas episodes, needs a page? (Oh, and I just remembered another in the latter category- Santa Hogg!) --Andrew, Aleal 15:48, 4 February 2006 (UTC)

No, I think it's great the way it is! -- Danny Toughpigs 17:27, 6 February 2006 (UTC)

Isn't that Jerry Nelson as Santa Claus in Elmo's World: Happy Holidays? Theatrefreak25 03:16, 13 March 2006 (UTC)

I don't think the santa in Elmo's World: Happy Holidays is played by Jerry Nelson. --Minor muppetz 23:07, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

Oh ok, it sounded like him to me, and that would explain why no on-screen credit was given. If it was a non-Muppeteer, I would think they would have to be credited, it wasn;t a small role. Theatrefreak25 06:05, 16 April 2006 (UTC)

Maybe he was the real Santa Claus! -- Danny Toughpigs 13:43, 16 April 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, as part of his contract, he insists on no billing for these sorts of public appearances, and residuals all go to charity. It was the only way he could stop the investigative probes into his sweatshop procedures, to say nothing of his off-shore operations and subsidiary front companies, such as the one run by "Sinterklaas." --Andrew, Aleal 13:52, 16 April 2006 (UTC)