by Erika Hancock

Created on: September 23, 2009

My Christmas Crack

It was 1981. The scene opened with America's Favorite Bike-riding Frog pedaling down a country lane as I sat on the floor in my blanket sleeper, my eyes glued to the screen. Once was all it took. I was forever hooked.

I'm talking about the movie I MUST watch every December (and throughout the year whenever the mood strikes me). It takes me back to days when the word Christmas held more magic than you could shake an enormous candy cane at and (as far as I knew) everything was right with the world.

I know that some readers, fans themselves, will have already figured out which movie I'm talking about by the time they finished the second sentence. For those who didn't guess it right at the start, I'll provide you with another clue: Frogtown Hollow. Do you know it now? Do you? Okay, very few of you may require yet another hint. Therefore, I give you these three words: Riverbottom Nightmare Band.

Yes, it's Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas. That classic tale of The Gift of The Magi retold...Muppet style. The snowy riverbank town, Pa's slide, the Paul Williams songs, Chuck, Mayor Fox's snooty wife Gretchen...it was all too perfect.

My copy of the movie still takes me back to the good old days. In 1986 I taped it off the television, so it's complete with 80's commercial breaks including Peter's Homecoming by Folgers and the McDonald's commercial called Hand Warmin', as well as the one with the little girl's piano recital (she played Fur Elise). Who else remembers that one? There's even a Venture commercial and we haven't had a Venture store in YEARS.

I don't want you to think that I loved the Pound Puppies and Juicy Fruit ads more than the movie, but seeing those commercials does add something to the movie for me. When I pop in that tape, it's like I become that little girl in her footed pajamas sitting on the floor of the living room. I can even smell my father's Old Spice and hear the sound of the dishwasher working on the dinner dishes.

No other movie does for me what Emmet and his pals do.

It's power to take me back in time is incredible. I do believe I will have to have the VHS tape transfered onto a DVD before it becomes an impossibility. Losing those memories and all that magic would be devastating, especially now that I've gotten my own children enjoying the movie in THEIR footed sleepers while they sit on the living room floor.

Monsieur Henson, thank you so much for the memories. You were taken from us much too soon!

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