A Muppet Family Christmas is a Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired on December 16, 1987, on the ABC television network in the United States. Shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, its teleplay was conceived by longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl, and directed by Peter Harris and Eric Till (the latter of whom was uncredited). The special features various Muppets from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies. It also stars Gerard Parkes as Doc from the North American wraparound segments of Fraggle Rock, and Henson as himself in a cameo appearance at the end. In the plot, the Muppets surprise Fozzie Bear's mother with a Christmas visit to her farmhouse, unaware of her planned getaway to Malibu. Due to licensing issues with songs featured in A Muppet Family Christmas, some scenes have been cut from subsequent home media releases. Plot Fozzie Bear is driving many of the Muppets to his mother Emily's farm for Christmas while they all sing "We Need a Little Christmas". Unbeknownst to Fozzie, Emily Bear is preparing to go to Malibu for the holiday and rent her farmhouse to Doc and Sprocket, who want to spend a nice quiet Christmas in the country. Doc and Sprocket have arrived when Fozzie and the other Muppets enter, disrupting Emily and Doc's plans for the holidays. Just then, Miss Piggy calls to tell Kermit the Frog that she is at a photo session and will be late, making Kermit very worried. Rowlf the Dog and the Swedish Chef arrive, and they begin to prepare for Christmas. Meanwhile, Fozzie builds a snowman outside and the snowman comes to life singing along with Fozzie and putting on a comedy act with him. After the performance, Fozzie goes into the house where he tells Kermit about his new act. This is interrupted by Miss Piggy calling again, when she tells Kermit that she is doing a little Christmas shopping before she goes to the farmhouse. Sometime later, the gang watches a home movie of themselves as babies during their first Christmas together. A group of carolers then arrive consisting of Big Bird and the rest of the Sesame Street Muppets. All the Muppets continue to prepare for Christmas as the news comes on TV. The Muppet Newsman reports that the worst blizzard in 50 years is approaching the area. Kermit realizes that Miss Piggy is