Elmo Saves Christmas is a Sesame Street Christmas musical fantasy comedy drama television special which was released on PBS on December 2, 1996. It was released to VHS that same year. Inspired by the 1892 short story "Christmas Every Day" by William Dean Howells, Elmo wishes for Christmas to occur every day, only to be taken to the future to learn the adverse consequences of his wish. The program was filmed in Sesame Street's usual home, the Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York City. Footage from the film It's a Wonderful Life also appears in the program and after the credits.

Plot

Elmo stays up on Christmas Eve to meet Santa Claus. He falls asleep, but is awakened by Santa stuck in the chimney. Elmo helps pull out Santa, who gives him the choice of a teddy bear or a magical snow globe as a gift. Elmo chooses the globe and is granted three wishes, wasting the first on a glass of water. On Christmas Day, Elmo wishes for Christmas to be every day, but Santa warns him that Christmas would no longer be special. Lightning, a reindeer-in-training, takes Elmo to the future to see the effects of his wish. Big Bird is sad that Snuffy does not return from visiting his grandmother in Cincinnati, the businesses remain closed, It's a Wonderful Life plays continuously on every TV channel, Santa's overworked elves make flawed toys, and other holidays are overshadowed. Meanwhile, Oscar the Grouch enjoys the increasing misery. By next year's Christmas, everybody is tired of celebrating, Christmas trees are endangered, all the businesses are bankrupt, and Santa is retiring to Florida. Elmo uses his last wish to make Christmas be once a year again, but breaks his snow globe before the wish is granted. Fortunately, Lightning takes him back to the Christmas Eve when he rescued Santa, and Elmo chooses a plush Moo-Bunny as his new gift. Snuffy returns, telling Big Bird that his grandmother came to Sesame Street instead. Elmo finally learns that even though Christmas does not occur every day, everyone can keep their Christmas spirit alive in their hearts all year.

Cast

Humans

Muppet performers

Additional Muppets performed by Pam Arciero, Peter Linz, Noel MacNeal, Jim Martin, John Tartaglia, Alice Dinnean and Matt Vogel.

Songs