Changes: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

Revision as of 03:55, 17 March 2020

Portal-SesameXmas — The cover to the storybook adaptation

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is an hour-long Christmas television special based on the television series Sesame Street. It was originally broadcast on PBS on Sunday, December 3, 1978, and won the 1979 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program.

Synopsis

The opening features the inhabitants of Sesame Street enjoying an ice skating party. Big Bird has trouble skating, but a little girl gives him a hand, and he ends up doing very well. Bert falls victim to the antics of Ernie, Cookie Monster, and The Count as they play ice hockey with one of his shoes as the puck, clown around while barrel jumping, play a practical joke on him, and make him very dizzy in a game of Snap the Whip, the last of which somehow sends Oscar thrown into the air, tumbling down a flight of stairs, through a couple of walls, and onto the sidewalk where Big Bird and Patty catch up to him and get him back up on his feet. After everyone leaves the ice rink, the story leads into three principal plotlines.

Oscar asks Big Bird and Patty how exactly Santa Claus is able to fit in a narrow chimney, saying that there will be no Christmas presents if he can't go down them. Distraught, once they return home, Big Bird and Patty enlist the help of Kermit and Grover to ask children how he does it. Their responses vary. Big Bird even tries to experiment by having Mr. Snuffleupagus play Santa entering a pretend chimney, but he still does not find the answer. Patty tries to comfort him, but fails instead. He winds up trying to stay up all night on the brownstone's roof watching for Santa, but falls asleep while everyone becomes very worried and starts looking for him. During the search, Maria confronts Oscar for upsetting him. He says he was only teasing him and agrees to search for him. Back on the roof, at one point, sleigh bells and hoofbeats are heard, and a person's shadow falls over the dozing Big Bird. He is startled awake, but sees nothing unusual.

Meanwhile, in a retelling of The Gift of the Magi, Bert and Ernie want to give each other a Christmas present, but they both have no money. Bert trades away his prized paper clip collection to buy a soap dish for Ernie's Rubber Duckie, but Ernie has bartered that to buy Bert a cigar box for his paper clip collection. Mr. Hooper realizes what is happening and gives both their treasured possessions back while also reminding the audience that being Jewish, he doesn't celebrate Christmas but understands its spirit.

While all this is going on, Cookie Monster tries to write Santa and request cookies for Christmas. However, as he talks to himself about the many different kinds he wants, he gets hungrier and hungrier, absentmindedly devouring the instruments he is trying to use (a pencil, a typewriter, and a telephone). At the Robinsons' apartment, he laments that he was unable to contact Santa. Gordon reminds him that he might get what he wants if he leaves a plate of cookies for Santa, which of course confuses Cookie Monster.

At the end, when Big Bird comes down from the roof to warm up, Susan and Gordon make sure he stays. They comfort him by showing that there were indeed presents brought, but having him back is more important. Then Oscar appears and, stepping out of character, admits he's glad to have him back again...only to ask him how the Easter Bunny hides all his eggs in one night! The special concludes with the Robinsons returning to their apartment to find that Cookie Monster has eaten the needles and decorations off their Christmas tree. ("Scotch Pine delicious, but Douglas Fir give me heartburn!")

Songs

Home video releases

US releases

International releases

Trivia

When Big Bird and Patty check on Oscar following his ice skating accident, his original line was, "Sure. I've been thrown out of better places than that." It was later redubbed in post-production to "Let's go back and do it again!", as the original line was deemed too adult.^[1]

Edits

In various re-airings on PBS in the late 1980s, the closing scene with Susan and Gordon finding that Cookie Monster ate the needles and decorations off their Christmas tree was cut.
On video releases since the mid-1990s, the original 1978 Children's Television Workshop logo with Christmas music was cut. The 1996 VHS replaces it with the 1983 opening logo, while the DVD releases start with no logo at all.

Cast

Actor / Muppeteer	Character
Caroll Spinney	Big Bird Oscar the Grouch
Jim Henson	Ernie Kermit the Frog
Frank Oz	Bert Grover Cookie Monster
Jerry Nelson	The Count Mr. Snuffleupagus
Linda Bove	Linda
Northern Calloway	David
Will Lee	Mr. Hooper
Loretta Long	Susan Robinson
Sonia Manzano	Maria
Bob McGrath	Bob Johnson
Roscoe Orman	Gordon Robinson
Alaina Reed	Olivia Robinson
Debbie Chen	Patty
Jon Stone	Santa Claus
Richard Hunt	Assistant puppetry

Gallery

References

↑ Bailey, Joseph. Memoirs of a Muppets Writer, page 236

External links

Jim Henson Productions and Related Shows

Specials
Sesame Street and related shows	Christmas Eve on Sesame Street • A Special Sesame Street Christmas • Elmo Saves Christmas • Elmo's World: Happy Holidays! • A Sesame Street Christmas Carol • Elmo's Christmas Countdown • "Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten" • "Christmas Special (Barrio Sésamo)" • Christmas with Ernie & Bert • "Jul med Jeppe, Marie og Elmo" • "A Christmas Present in Summer" • "Boot" • "Monster Monster Day" • Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas • "A Furchester Christmas" • "Holiday at Hooper’s" • Sesame Street: The Nutcracker Starring Elmo & Tango • "Yip Yip Tree Tree" / "The Snowman Scarecrow"
The Muppets	John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together • A Muppet Family Christmas • The Muppet Christmas Carol • It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie • "Christmas (From the Balcony)" • A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa • "Ringing of the Bells" • Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular • "Single All the Way" • "Ho Ho Ho!" • "Christmas" (Muppet Moments) • "Santa Claus" (Muppet Moments) • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas" / "Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "It's a Wonderful Elf-bot" / "A Merry Litter Christmas"
Other shows and specials	The Jimmy Dean Show: Episode 114 • The Jimmy Dean Show: Episode 214 • The Jimmy Dean Show: Episode 314 • Santa Claus Routine with Arthur Godfrey • Christmas Reindeers • The Great Santa Claus Switch • Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas • "The Bells of Fraggle Rock" • The Christmas Toy • "Refrigerator Day" • Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree • "Mrs. Zabarelli's Holiday Baton" • "The Siberian Tiger and the Reindeer" • "A Berry Bear Christmas" • "Holidays" • "Hooblebumper Box Day" • "Oh Christmas Tree" • "Sid's Holiday Adventure" • "Cretaceous Conifers" • "Don's Winter Wish" • "The Annoying Orange Generic Holiday Special" • "Orange Carol" • "Joy to the World (Pajanimals)" • "War on Christmas (No, You Shut Up!)" • "A New York Christmas to Remember" • "A Song For Everyone" • "The Holiday Tree" • "Whitebeard/Coral Day" • "Traditions on Ice" • "Night of the Lights"

Albums

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street • Merry Christmas from Sesame Street • John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together • A Sesame Street Christmas • Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites • A Green and Red Christmas • Bob! from Sesame Street: Christmas Sing Along • Holiday Classics . It's Christmas Time

[1] Bailey, Joseph. Memoirs of a Muppets Writer, page 236

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Italic title}}
-{{title|image=title-xmasevess.jpg|director={{w|Jon Stone}}<br>|writer=Jon Stone<br>Joseph A. Bailey|release=December 3, 1978|runtime=58 minutes|rating=|available=VHS<br>DVD<br>[https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/christmas-eve-on-sesame-street/id404153020 iTunes]<br>[http://www.amazon.com/Sesame-Street-Christmas-Eve/dp/B005ZN74NI/ Amazon Instant Video]}}
+{{title
-[[File:Ceoss_cast.jpg|thumb|300px]]
+|image=title-xmasevess.jpg
-[[File:Portal-SesameXmas.jpg|thumb|300px|The cover to the storybook adaptation]]
+|director={{w|Jon Stone}}
+|writer=Jon Stone<br />Joseph A. Bailey
+|release=December 3, 1978
+|runtime=58 minutes
+|rating=
+|available=VHS<br />DVD<br />[https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/christmas-eve-on-sesame-street/id404153020 iTunes]<br />[http://www.amazon.com/Sesame-Street-Christmas-Eve/dp/B005ZN74NI/ Amazon Instant Video]}}
+[[File:Ceoss_cast.jpg|thumb|250px]]
+[[File:Portal-SesameXmas.jpg|thumb|250px|The cover to the storybook adaptation]]
 '''''Christmas Eve on Sesame Street''''' is an hour-long [[Christmas]] television special based on the television series ''[[w:c:muppet:Sesame Street|Sesame Street]]''. It was originally broadcast on [[wikipedia:PBS|PBS]] on Sunday, December 3, 1978, and won the 1979 [[wikipedia:Primetime Emmy Award|Primetime Emmy Award]] for Outstanding Children's Program.
 == Synopsis ==
-The opening features the inhabitants of [[w:c:muppet:Sesame Street (location)|Sesame Street]] enjoying an ice skating party. [[Big Bird]] has trouble skating, but a 7-year-old girl named Patty gives him a hand, and he ends up doing very well. [[Ernie and Bert|Bert]] falls victim to the antics of [[Ernie and Bert|Ernie]], [[Cookie Monster]], and [[Count Von Count|The Count]] as they play ice hockey with one of his shoes as the puck, clown around while barrel jumping, play a practical joke on him, and make him very dizzy in a game of Crack the Whip which somehow sent [[Oscar the Grouch|Oscar]] thrown into the air, tumbling down a flight of stares stairs, through a couple of walls, and onto the sidewalk where Big Bird and Patty, catch up to him and get him up on his feet. After everyone leaves the ice rink, the story leads into three principal plotlines.
+The opening features the inhabitants of [[w:c:muppet:Sesame Street (location)|Sesame Street]] enjoying an ice skating party. [[Big Bird]] has trouble skating, but a little girl gives him a hand, and he ends up doing very well. [[Ernie and Bert|Bert]] falls victim to the antics of [[Ernie and Bert|Ernie]], [[Cookie Monster]], and [[Count Von Count|The Count]] as they play ice hockey with one of his shoes as the puck, clown around while barrel jumping, play a practical joke on him, and make him very dizzy in a game of Snap the Whip, the last of which somehow sends [[Oscar the Grouch|Oscar]] thrown into the air, tumbling down a flight of stairs, through a couple of walls, and onto the sidewalk where Big Bird and Patty catch up to him and get him back up on his feet. After everyone leaves the ice rink, the story leads into three principal plotlines.
-Oscar tells Big Bird and Patty that there will be no Christmas presents if [[Santa Claus]] is unable to go down all the narrow chimneys. Distraught, once they return to Sesame Street, they enlist the help of [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] and [[Grover]] to ask children how he does it. Their responses vary. Big Bird even tries to experiment by having [[Mr. Snuffleupagus]] play Santa entering a pretend chimney, but he still does not find the answer. Patty tries to comfort him, but fails instead. He winds up trying to stay up all night on the brownstone's roof watching for Santa, but falls asleep while the residents of Sesame Street become very worried and start looking for him. During the search, [[w:c:muppet:Maria|Maria]] confronts Oscar for upsetting him. He says he was only teasing him and agrees to search for him. Back on the roof, at one point, sleigh bells and hoofbeats are heard, and a person's shadow falls over the dozing Big Bird. He is startled awake, but sees nothing unusual.
+Oscar asks Big Bird and Patty how exactly [[Santa Claus]] is able to fit in a narrow chimney, saying that there will be no Christmas presents if he can't go down them. Distraught, once they return home, Big Bird and Patty enlist the help of [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] and [[Grover]] to ask children how he does it. Their responses vary. Big Bird even tries to experiment by having [[Mr. Snuffleupagus]] play Santa entering a pretend chimney, but he still does not find the answer. Patty tries to comfort him, but fails instead. He winds up trying to stay up all night on the brownstone's roof watching for Santa, but falls asleep while everyone becomes very worried and starts looking for him. During the search, [[w:c:muppet:Maria|Maria]] confronts Oscar for upsetting him. He says he was only teasing him and agrees to search for him. Back on the roof, at one point, sleigh bells and hoofbeats are heard, and a person's shadow falls over the dozing Big Bird. He is startled awake, but sees nothing unusual.
-Meanwhile, in a retelling of ''[[The Gift of the Magi]]'', Bert and Ernie want to give each other a Christmas present, but they both have no money. Bert trades away his prized paper clip collection to buy a soap dish for Ernie's [[w:c:muppet:Rubber Duckie|Rubber Duckie]], but Ernie has bartered that to buy Bert a cigar box for his paper clip collection. [[Mr. Hooper]], the store owner, realizes what is happening and gives both their treasured possessions back while also reminding the audience that being Jewish, he doesn't celebrate Christmas but understands its spirit.
+Meanwhile, in a retelling of ''[[The Gift of the Magi]]'', Bert and Ernie want to give each other a Christmas present, but they both have no money. Bert trades away his prized paper clip collection to buy a soap dish for Ernie's [[w:c:muppet:Rubber Duckie|Rubber Duckie]], but Ernie has bartered that to buy Bert a cigar box for his paper clip collection. [[Mr. Hooper]] realizes what is happening and gives both their treasured possessions back while also reminding the audience that being Jewish, he doesn't celebrate Christmas but understands its spirit.
-While all this is going on, Cookie Monster tries to write Santa and request cookies for Christmas. However, as he talks to himself about the many different kinds he wants, he gets hungrier and hungrier, absentmindedly devouring the instruments he is trying to use (a pencil, typewriter, and telephone). At the Robinsons' apartment, he laments that he was unable to contact Santa. [[w:c:muppet:Gordon|Gordon]] reminds him that he might get what he wants if he leaves ''a plate of cookies'' for Santa.
+While all this is going on, Cookie Monster tries to write Santa and request cookies for Christmas. However, as he talks to himself about the many different kinds he wants, he gets hungrier and hungrier, absentmindedly devouring the instruments he is trying to use (a pencil, a typewriter, and a telephone). At the Robinsons' apartment, he laments that he was unable to contact Santa. [[w:c:muppet:Gordon|Gordon]] reminds him that he might get what he wants if he leaves ''a plate of cookies'' for Santa, which of course confuses Cookie Monster.
-At the end, when Big Bird comes down from the roof to warm up, [[w:c:muppet:Susan|Susan]] and Gordon make sure he stays. They comfort him by showing that there were indeed presents brought, but having him back is more important. Then Oscar appears and, stepping out of character, admits he's glad to have him back again...but, reverting back, only to ask him how the [[Easter Bunny]] hides all his eggs in one night! The special concludes with the Robinsons returning to their apartment to find that Cookie Monster has eaten the needles and decs off their Christmas tree. ("Scotch Pine delicious, but Douglas Fir give me heartburn!")
+At the end, when Big Bird comes down from the roof to warm up, [[w:c:muppet:Susan|Susan]] and Gordon make sure he stays. They comfort him by showing that there were indeed presents brought, but having him back is more important. Then Oscar appears and, stepping out of character, admits he's glad to have him back again...only to ask him how the [[Easter Bunny]] hides all his eggs in one night! The special concludes with the Robinsons returning to their apartment to find that Cookie Monster has eaten the needles and decorations off their Christmas tree. ("Scotch Pine delicious, but Douglas Fir give me heartburn!")
 == Songs ==
@@ Line 24: / Line 32: @@
 === US releases ===
-<gallery captionalign="center" widths="215" position="center" spacing="small" bordersize="none" hideaddbutton="true">
+<gallery captionalign="center" widths="200" position="center" spacing="small" bordercolor="transparent" hideaddbutton="true">
 XmasEveOnSesameStreetVHS_1987.jpg|{{Gallery note|VHS|Random House<br>1987}}
-XmasEveOnSesameStreetVHS_1995.jpg|{{Gallery note|VHS|Sony Wonder<br>1995}}
+XmasEveOnSesameStreetVHS_1995.jpg|{{Gallery note|VHS|Sony Wonder<br>1996}}
 XmasEveOnSesameStreetDVD_2002.jpg|{{Gallery note|DVD|Sony Wonder<br>2002}}
 XmasEveOnSesameStreetDVD_2008.png|{{Gallery note|DVD|Genius Entertainment<br>2008}}
 XmasEveWarner.jpg|{{Gallery note|DVD|Warner Home Video<br>2010}}
+Sesame_Street_Holiday_Double_Feature.jpg|{{Gallery note|''Holiday Double Feature'' DVD|Warner Home Video<br>2016}}
 </gallery>
 === International releases ===
-<gallery captionalign="center" widths="215" position="center" spacing="small" bordersize="none" hideaddbutton="true">
+<gallery captionalign="center" widths="200" position="center" spacing="small" bordercolor="transparent" hideaddbutton="true">
 ChristmasEveonSesameStreetAustralianVHS2.jpg|{{Gallery note|VHS (Australia)|VDI<br>1987}}
 ChristmasEveonSesameStreetUKVHS.jpg|{{Gallery note|VHS (United Kingdom)|The Video Collection<br>1989}}
@@ Line 40: / Line 49: @@
 XmasEveOnSesameStreetVHS 1999.jpg|{{Gallery note|VHS (United Kingdom)|Walt Disney Home Video<br>1999}}
 Christmaseveonsesamestreet2009vcd.jpg|{{Gallery note|VCD (Asia)|2009}}
-Christmasonsesamestreetaustraliandvd.png|<nowiki>{{</nowiki>Gallery note|DVD (Australia)|Madman Entertainment<br>2009<br>Part of the ''Christmas on Sesame Street'' DVD boxset, along with ''[[Elmo Saves Christmas]]'' and ''[[Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!]]''<nowiki>}}</nowiki>
+Christmasonsesamestreetaustraliandvd.png|{{Gallery note|DVD (Australia)}}Madman Entertainment<br>2009<br>Part of the ''Christmas on Sesame Street'' DVD boxset, along with ''[[Elmo Saves Christmas]]'' and ''[[Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!]]''
 Christmasevethai.jpg|{{Gallery note|VCD (Thailand)|TIGA}}
 </gallery>
@@ Line 48: / Line 57: @@
 === Edits ===
-*In various reairings on PBS in the late 80s, the closing scene with Susan and Gordon finding that Cookie Monster ate most of their Christmas tree was cut.
+* In various re-airings on PBS in the late 1980s, the closing scene with Susan and Gordon finding that Cookie Monster ate the needles and decorations off their Christmas tree was cut.
-*On video releases since the mid 90s, the original 1978 [[w:c:muppet:Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]] logo with Christmas music was cut. The 1995 VHS replaces it with the 1983 CTW opening logo, while the DVD releases start with no CTW logo at all.
+* On video releases since the mid-1990s, the original 1978 [[w:c:muppet:Sesame Workshop|Children's Television Workshop]] logo with Christmas music was cut. The 1996 VHS replaces it with the 1983 opening logo, while the DVD releases start with no logo at all.
 ==Cast==
@@ Line 61: / Line 70: @@
 | [[Frank Oz]] || [[Ernie and Bert|Bert]]<br />[[Grover]]<br />[[Cookie Monster]]
 |-valign=top
-| {{w|Jerry Nelson}} || [[Count von Count]]<br />[[Mr. Snuffleupagus]]
+| [[Jerry Nelson]] || [[Count von Count|The Count]]<br />[[Mr. Snuffleupagus]]
 |-
 | {{w|Linda Bove}} || [[w:c:muppet:Linda|Linda]]
@@ Line 73: / Line 82: @@
 | {{w|Sonia Manzano}} || [[w:c:muppet:Maria|Maria]]
 |-
-| {{w|Bob McGrath}} || [[w:c:muppet:Bob|Bob]]
+| {{w|Bob McGrath}} || [[w:c:muppet:Bob|Bob Johnson]]
 |-
 | {{w|Roscoe Orman}} || [[w:c:muppet:Gordon|Gordon Robinson]]
@@ Line 85: / Line 94: @@
 | {{w|Richard Hunt}} || Assistant puppetry
 |}
+==Gallery==
+<gallery widths="200" spacing="small" position="center" orientation="landscape">
+xmasanother81.jpg|A little girl teaches Big Bird how to ice skate.
+BigBird.jpg|Big Bird with Patty.
+Grover.jpg|Grover asks a child how he thinks Santa Claus comes down the chimney.
+Mr.Hooper.JPG|At Hooper's Store, Ernie trades his Rubber Duckie to get Bert a cigar box for his paper clip collection.
+CookieMonster.jpg|Cookie Monster attempts to write a letter to Santa.
+Santasnuffy.jpg|Snuffy gets into a barrel to show how Santa gets down a chimney.
+Oscar.jpg|Oscar starts singing "I Hate Christmas".
+ErnieandBert.jpg|Ernie and Bert opening their Christmas presents.
+xmasanother122.jpg|Maria confronts Oscar about Big Bird's disappearance.
+xmasanother123.jpg|Big Bird with Gordon.
+Cookie_Sick.jpg|"Scotch pine delicious, but Douglas fir give me heartburn!"
+</gallery>
 == References ==
@@ Line 90: / Line 114: @@
 == External links ==
-* [[w:c:muppet:Christmas Eve on Sesame Street|Muppet Wiki: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street]]
+* {{interwiki|muppet|Muppet Wiki}}
 * {{imdb title|0331217}}
+* [http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit54.html Platypus Comix's review]
 {{Muppets}}
 [[Category:Specials]]
 [[Category:Muppets]]
 [[Category:Santa Claus filmography]]
-[[Category:Warner Home Video]]
 [[Category:Award winners]]
-[[Category:Released in the 1970s]]
+[[Category:1978 releases]]
 [[Category:Originally aired on PBS]]
+[[Category:Musicals]]
+[[Category:Shout! Factory]]
+[[Category:The Gift of the Magi]]