Muppets, Osmonds & More: Nostalgia With Classic TV Christmas Specials

Christmas variety TV specials from the past created a wholesome, uplifting mood. Jump into your time travel machine for an old-fashioned celebration. These holiday extravaganzas included songs, dances, stories, vignettes, and plenty of Christmas antics -- perfect for family viewing.

The Muppets and John Denver

The Muppet Family Christmas in 1987 is still endearing to watch, with all the Muppets joining together for this adorable special. With Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Kermit, Gonzo, the Swedish Chef, Big Bird, and the rest of the gang, this is a cute way to enjoy the music and fun of the holiday.

And speaking of the Muppets, in 1979, John Denver joined the group for John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together. The show opens with Denver and the gang singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” but poor little Fozzie forgets his line.

Miss Piggy has a crush on Denver throughout the show, and rightly so. Who didn’t have a crush on him?

Besides all the fun and songs, John Denver tells the story of the Christmas tree, and recites the story of the birth of Jesus. The show was nominated for a Primetime Emmy.

Several years later in 1983, John again joined with the Muppets for A Rocky Mountain Holiday With John Denver and the Muppets. Camping with everyone in the Colorado mountains proved to be a musical experience for them all, and surrounded by a forest instantly puts viewers (and the cast) in the holiday spirit.

The Osmonds

“Our family Christmas shows were some of the happiest memories of my life,” Jay Osmond, one of the original Osmond brothers and the drummer of the group, told me recently. “I miss those times when our family would all get together and sing, play, and perform together.”

The Osmond family had yearly Christmas shows, so it’s a little difficult to pinpoint the best one. And as Jay says, they blend together, because they were all filled with holiday songs and fun.

However the one that stands out in his memory is the 1979 Christmas show where not only did the U.S. Ski Team took part, but so did Lassie!

These shows included their entire family and often a variety of guest stars, medleys of Christmas songs, duets, and fun with their whole family. To say these were “wholesome” shows is an understatement.

Later, siblings Donny and Marie had their own hit variety show -- and their own Christmas special. Here's the whole thing from 1976, with guests Andy Williams and Paul Lynde.

The Carpenters

The Carpenters, the popular singing brother and sister who had a number of hit songs, also had two hit holiday specials: The Carpenters at Christmas (1977) and The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait (1978). They included chats with guest stars, vignettes, and plenty of holiday songs, not to mention an assortment of red and green costumes.

“Merry Christmas, Darling” was made famous by Karen Carpenter, whose brother Richard composed the music. Today it’s a staple in the holiday music genre. Classic songs like “Jingle Bells,” “Toyland,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and more put viewers in the holiday spirit.

The following clip is part of a whole playlist of from the 1978 special.

Andy Williams

Andy Williams had a popular variety show from 1962-1969. This soft-spoken crooner with a velvet voice also had two Christmas specials (1967 and 1968) where he was joined by his brothers (The Williams brothers were a famous singing group in their day) and the Osmond brothers, as well as the entire Williams family including the patriarch and matriarch.

With the Williams brothers singing Christmas songs in their smooth style, as well as the whole gang joining in for holiday tunes, the spirit is at its peak in these shows. It’s like a visit to the Williams’ family home.

Christmas was a special time for their family and they wanted to share their love of the holiday with the television viewers.

Here's the 1967 special (though the video says 1966):

And the one from 1969:

The King Family

The Christmas with the King Family 1967 TV special is filled with warmth, charm, and a lot of fun. Not only do the original King Sisters sing, but the King Cousins and the King Kiddies also have a lot of holiday fun in this special. Talk about a cast of thousands!

This show is noted for the creativity of The King Cousins, singing a Christmas medley featuring “The Night Before Christmas”. They had a unique way of updating classic songs and, although these shows are decades old, they still impart the joy and magic of the season.

And another entire special from 1974:

Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra (1967)

The Dean Martin Christmas Special combined the Martin and Sinatra families for some cute vignettes all infused with the holiday spirit. Pairing the various Martin and Sinatra kids, it is mix and match as the duets and holiday songs come into play with plenty of humor and Christmas delight.

The finale has the two families on a living room set talking about donating toys to the children’s hospitals around the country to make Christmas a little special for those having to spend the holiday in the hospital.

Obviously, this particular campaign is long ended, but no doubt there's a hospital in your area that could use support!

And, From Our Family to Yours

Family Theater Productions founder Venerable Patrick Peyton produced a number of Christmas specials, with top talent, including Placido Domingo, seen below.

This clip is part of a playlist of Christmas classics, but there are more to be found elsewhere on FTP's YouTube channel.

Image: Adobe Stock/Firefly

Francine Brokaw is a longtime journalist whose articles have been published in national and international publications. She is accredited by the MPAA and is a long-standing member of the Television Critics Association. She also hosts Beyond the Red Carpet on YouTube.