It’s the most wonderful time of year. For me it definitely is. A time when you can eat, drink, be merry and relax. Pretty much all of my favourite things. Another thing that’s been synonymous with Christmas for me, is a time of films.
The more I thought about it, the more I realised how much Christmas contributed towards my love of film. As a 90s kid, VHS was always high on the Christmas list. It wasn’t always Christmas films either. I vividly remember getting the Star Wars Trilogy VHS (yes the gold one with Darth Vader’s mask on it) and insisting we watched them on Christmas Day. Star Wars, James Bond, Hercules, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Goosebumps VHS are all tapes that were forced on the rest of the family that didn’t have even a smattering of festive cheer.
However, there was one tape that was distinctively festive and got played every year. The Muppet Christmas Carol.
For me, it’s the perfect Christmas film. It came out the year I was born and I would guess that I probably watched it for the first time at about 4 or 5 years old and I’ve watched it every year since. My dad introduced me to Kermit and the gang through The Muppet Show on best of VHS tapes and I was obsessed. MCC though, took it to a new level. I’m going to explain why this is THE definitive Christmas film and why it should be on your VHS/DVD/Blu-Ray player every year!
Growing up in England, I always felt like we had our cultural icons imposed on us. Every school play being Shakespeare adaptation of Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet. The reverence around Queen, both the band and the old gal who sat on the throne in my youth. Dickens was another one. We never learnt about the empire or any of our national atrocities committed in Ireland but we all knew Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and Christmas Carol. It’s Victorian literature and it’s not exactly Harry Potter. The Muppets made literature accessible and showed you can modernise older material whilst remaining respectful of the source text. I will admit though, because of Waldorf and Statler, I was sure that there was more than one Marley.
On from this point, A Christmas Carol is pretty fucking bleak for 40-50% of it. The original text deals with poverty and exploitation of the working class. The Muppets don’t really gloss over it. We see the poverty divide between Scrooge and the poor. Yes the poor are rabbit, pig and frog puppets but the point stands. We see the Christmas future with Tiny Tim having passed away. That’s intense as a kid. It provokes questions. It prompts thought. It does it in a typically Muppet fashion but it doesn’t pull punches. The songs and frivolity stop and it deals with the big issues. It’s obviously mopped up in the ending with Scrooge’s reformed approach to life but it’s not glossed over and I’m sure my first understandings of loss, death and the adjoining horrors came from this film.
Talking of the songs, are there any better? From the opening title credits, with the suite of the main songs, you can tell you’re in for a holly jolly time. ‘Scrooge’ is a fantastic introduction to Michael Caine’s awesome portal of the main protagonist, ‘One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas’ makes you love Kermit/Bob even more than you did already and ‘Marley and Marley’ sets the scene perfectly. Throw in ‘It Feels Like Christmas’ and ‘Thankful Heart’ and you’ve got an incredible soundtrack.
‘Thankful Heart’ is the culmination of the journey Scrooge undertakes. It’s fantastic and it gives Michael Caine his opportunity to take a final bow before the curtains. On every watch, I’m blown away by him. People will have different favourites as Scrooge – Bill Murray, Patrick Stewart or Jim Carrey (if you need sectioning) but for me, Caine is Scrooge. The sincerity and gravitas he lends to the film is truly the glue that holds it all together. He makes me laugh, cry and fills my heart with Christmas cheer.
Getting older, Christmas can lose some of the magic that you experienced as a child. It comes down to Christmas spirit. It’s easy to keep feeling Christmasy when you’re a kid without having to worry about bills, work, what to buy for your sibling’s partner or where you’re going to spend Christmas that year. As an adult you can get bogged down and lose the true meaning. The Muppet Christmas Carol is full of spirit, heart, love and joy without pushing any agendas. “The message, if we hear it, is make it last all year”. Fine words from the Ghost of Christmas Present. It’s not overly preachy and it’s certainly not a religious tone. It’s the simple message of loving one another. Hopefully more world leaders and far right mouthpieces decide to pop The Muppet Christmas Carol on this year and we can have a much happier and harmonious 2026!
Merry Christmas and sending you love, prosperity and happiness for 2026!
