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The Christmas Toy aired on ABC on Saturday December 6, 1986. It was later adapted into a storybook in 1987.
In this one-hour Christmas special, Christmas Eve is celebrated at the Jones' home, where the toys in the playroom magically come to life when people are not around.
Following an introduction by Kermit the Frog, who provides a glimpse into the Jones' household as the family makes holiday preparations, the toys talk about the meaning of Christmas and how they will prepare to welcome the new toys that will be given to the Jones children, Jamie and Jesse.
Rugby Tiger, who was Jamie's Christmas present the previous year, remembers that special day, and decides to find a way into a gift box under the tree again this year. But the other toys are worried that he will become "frozen" once he leaves the playroom, and they devise a plan to rescue him.
The special spawned the 1994 spin-off series The Secret Life of Toys.
The special ranked 62nd out of 73 shows the week it aired, bringing in a 10.7 household rating (viewed by about 9.35 million households).
Cast
- Dave Goelz as Rugby Tiger and Ditz
- Steve Whitmire as Mew
- Kathryn Mullen as Apple
- Jerry Nelson as Balthazar
- Richard Hunt as Belmont
- Camille Bonora as Meteora
- Brian Henson as Cruiser
- Rob Mills as Bleep
- Nikki Tilroe as Ding-a-ling
- Marsha Moreau as Jamie
- Zachary Bennett as Jesse
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog and Jack-in-the-Box
Credits
- Executive Producer: Diana Birkenfield
- Producers: Martin G. Baker and Jim Henson
- Director: Eric Till
- Writer: Laura Phillips
- Music and Lyrics by: Jeff Moss
Home video
See The Christmas Toy (video).
- When this special was released on VHS in 1993, the opening sequence (seen before the main titles) was cut.
- The special was released in the UK on DVD as a special feature paired with A Muppet Family Christmas.
- HIT Entertainment released the special on DVD on November 4, 2008. On this release, Kermit's scenes were cut.