Why Jim Henson’s The Christmas Toy Remains Hidden
Jim Henson’s 1986 festive film The Christmas Toy has faded from view, overshadowed by Disney’s Muppet takeover and tangled rights, despite its place as a cherished classic that predated Toy Story.
It’s rather surprising that a charming festive gem from the world of The Muppets isn’t readily available to stream alongside The Muppet Christmas Carol on Disney+. Yet, for many who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, the so-called golden era of Jim Henson’s Christmas productions has slipped into near-obscurity, thanks to years of corporate wrangling and rights disputes. Amongst the likes of Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977) and the singalong favourite A Muppet Family Christmas (1987), perhaps the most overlooked is 1986’s The Christmas Toy—a film that once seemed destined to become a seasonal staple, until a certain Disney release a decade later rendered it an awkward relic in the Henson archive.
Lost in the Shuffle: A Forgotten Festive Tale
The Christmas Toy first appeared as an ABC television special on 6 December 1986. True to Henson’s style, it offered a blend of warmth, wit, and music that appealed to both children and their more sceptical parents. While Kermit the Frog makes a brief appearance to introduce and close the story, this isn’t a typical Muppet outing. Instead, the narrative centres on Rugby Tiger, a plush toy, his feline friend Mew Mouse, the doll Apple, and a host of other playroom residents who spring to life when unobserved by humans.
The plot unfolds on Christmas Eve, as Rugby—Jamie’s favourite—mistakenly believes he will once again be her present. His hopes are dashed by the arrival of Meteora, a dazzling space princess action figure, blissfully unaware of her status as a toy. Rugby’s initial attempts to oust Meteora are soon tempered by the guidance of Apple and Mew, who help him grasp the true meaning of the season (in a thoroughly secular sense) and reconsider his prejudices. The story ends, as one might expect, with a rousing song.
Echoes of Toy Story and Disney’s Complications
If the premise sounds familiar, it’s not without reason. Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story (1995) would later tread remarkably similar ground, following a beloved toy’s jealousy over a flashy new arrival from outer space, who is oblivious to their own toy-ness. Whether this is mere coincidence or not, Disney’s growing involvement with Henson’s creations ultimately consigned The Christmas Toy to the sidelines as a festive tradition.
Though the film was released on VHS in the 1990s, it was not among the properties acquired by Disney when they officially took over The Muppets in 2004. This might have been a blessing, as the independent Jim Henson Company retained rights to The Christmas Toy, Emmet Otter, and other specials. However, Kermit’s cameo appearances in both The Christmas Toy and Emmet Otter, along with disputes over music rights in these and A Muppet Family Christmas, led to a tangle of legal headaches.
Chopped and Changed: The Fate of The Christmas Toy
An independent DVD release of The Christmas Toy finally appeared in 2008 under the “Henson Classics” label, but it was a rather makeshift affair. Kermit’s scenes and the closing musical number were clumsily excised to avoid upsetting Disney’s Muppet division. Since then, the only way to watch the original, uncut version is via grainy VHS recordings online. The same fate has befallen Emmet Otter and A Muppet Family Christmas, the latter notable for bringing together characters from The Muppets, Sesame Street, Muppet Babies, and Fraggle Rock.
With Disney recently announcing plans to return the original Star Wars trilogy to cinemas for A New Hope’s 50th anniversary in 2027, one might hope they could see fit to mark The Christmas Toy’s 40th in 2026 with a proper remaster—restoring Kermit and the closing song, ‘We’ll Be Together at Christmas’, to their rightful place alongside Rugby Tiger and Mew Mouse.
A Darker Edge Beneath the Festive Cheer
For those unfamiliar with The Christmas Toy, it’s worth noting that it carries a slightly darker tone than Toy Story. In this world, if a toy is discovered out of place by a human, it “freezes forever”—effectively dying—a fate that befalls several characters. Still, it remains a delightful festive watch, I assure you.