Help Needed with Sesame Christmas

[electricmayhem]

I remember one of my favorite Christmas specials as a kid was the one on Sesame Street where Big Bird waited on the roof for Santa. But they are very fleeting images and I was wondering if anyone can help me refresh my memory on what all happened in the show. I also think I remember a 'Gift of the Magi' story with Bert and Ernie but I have that on a cassette tape too. I also have a picture of someone being in big colorful barrels and possibly ice skating while wearing the barrel. I think it might have been Big Bird in the barrel. I keep hoping every year that they will show it again but alas, it never happens. So any help that anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MuppetQuilter]

That's Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. Don't know if it is still available, but I have it on VHS and if it isn't in stores it can probably be found on eBay or rented from a video store.

The Bert and Ernie gift of the magi story is in it. Big Bird waits on the roof to see Santa. A bunch of Muppets (Bert, Ernie, Oscar) go ice skating (those are the barrels you remember). The main story is Big Bird wanting to see Santa and when he goes to wait on the roof, everyone worries. They don't know where he is and start searching for him. Meanwhile, Bert sells his paper clip collection to Mr. Hooper so he can buy a soap dish for Rubber Duckie to sit in and Ernie sells Mr. Hooper Rubber Duckie so he can buy comething for Bert a container for his paper clip collection. Mr. Hooper gives Bert and Ernie the paper clips and Rubber Duckie as gifts because he is touched by their friendship and thoughtfulness.

Hope that helps!

 

[FellowWLover]

Originally posted by electricmayhem
I also have a picture of someone being in big colorful barrels and possibly ice skating while wearing the barrel. I think it might have been Big Bird in the barrel.

That sweet ice skating scenes is one of my very favorite Muppet moments. I can still recall how happy I was when the show aired originally (and I was pretty old too). You may purchase the video on Amazon if memory serves.

 

[electricmayhem]

Great! Thanks so much for your help I'll go check amazon. BTW, I checked out your quilts MuppetQuilter and they are really good!

 

[ssetta]

One of my favorite Sesame Street Christmas moments, I don't think it was ever on the show, it was on the album Merry Christmas. They did a Sesame Street version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's how it went:

Snuffle-upagus: 12, uh... 12, uh... I can't remember. Ohhhhhhh, deeeeeaaar.
Herry: 11 broken buildings
Smart Tina: 10 wind-up rabbits
Big Bird: 9 pounds of birdseed
The Count: 8 counts a-counting (HA HA! I LOVE THEM ALL!)
Oscar: 7 rusty trash cans
Ernie: 6 rubber duckies
Bert: 5 argyle socks!
Grover: 4 wooly bears
Prairie Dawn: 3 footballs
Hardhead Henry Harris: 2 baby frogs (What kinda child present is that, man?)
Cookie Monster: 1 delicious cookie!

I think some things on that album were on the show. Someone told me the Christmas Pageant was. And also, they actually re-released the album in about 1996, and what they did was, edited out some of the old characters, and put in Telly and Elmo. I mean, has anyone ever heard of Smart Tina or Hardhead Henry Harris?

 

[TravellingMatt]

The revised Sesame Street "12 Days of Xmas"

Snuffy--12...uh...12...I can't remember...oh dear! (Martin Robinson re-recorded this part, as Jerry Nelson was Snuffy the first time around.)
Herry--11 broken buildings
Telly--10 triangles
Big Bird--9 pounds of birdseed
The Count--8 counts a-counting
Oscar--7 rusty trashcans
Ernie--6 rubber duckies
Bert--5 argyle socks
Grover--4 woolly bears
Prairie Dawn--3 footballs
Elmo--2 baby frogs (Just what Elmo always wanted!)
Cookie--1 delicious cookie

Hardhead Henry Harris and Smart Tina were two of the Muppets that appeared in the Roosevelt Franklin sketches. Hardhead Henry Harris was the squat blue Anything Muppet (think Fat Blue or Simon the Soundman) with black Ernie-type hair and dark glasses, and Smart Tina was the lavender Anything Muppet (rod puppet, not The Count/Mumford) with black hair and glasses. They were voiced by Roscoe Orman (also Gordon #3) and Sonia Manzano (Maria), respectively. This was in a time frame where the human cast members often voiced Muppets while the puppeteers manipulated them...the late Matt Robinson (Gordon #1) was Roosevelt Franklin, and Loretta Long (Susan), the late Northern Calloway (David), and (allegedly) Emilio Delgado (Luis) also voiced Muppets along with Sonia and Roscoe.

 

[MuppetQuilter]

Originally posted by electricmayhem
BTW, I checked out your quilts MuppetQuilter and they are really good!

Thanks! I've got plans to start a new one soon.

 

[electricmayhem]

I love that Sesame 12 Days of Christmas. I have that on a cassette tape. My favorite version of that song though is with the classic muppets where Piggy sings : "Fiiivvve Gollldddennn Rinnngs..BA DUM DUM DUM" I especially love it when everyone joins in with her on the last verse!

 

[ssetta]

So now I know how the new version goes. And from that, as usually, I liked the old one better! And I notice that what Elmo said is the opposite of what Henry said.

And there was something on the regular Sesame Street series, an animation called "1 to 5 Animals At Zoo Counting Song," which went to the same tune. It was a cappella with guys singing.