Charming Christmas special from Jim Henson, based on the book by Russell and Lillian Hoban. This sweet story is about dirt poor Emmet Otter and his mother. Unbeknownst to each other, they both get the idea to join a talent show in hopes of winning the prize money to buy a gift for the other. It's a sentimental tale with a great moral lesson and some nice songs. Wait until you get a load of the Riverbottom Nightmare Band! Try to find the uncut version if you can. Unfortunately, after Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets, some scenes were removed from the DVD releases. Still, whatever version you watch I'm sure you will enjoy this delightful Christmas special.

In all of his work, Jim Henson seemed to always concentrate on the quality of the story, and not the frills and thrills that so many movie goers are now addicted to. To me, Jim was a hippie in many ways, and I mean that with the sincerest praise. He seemed to grow up in a time when imagination was blooming and people were breaking the bonds of tradition. In his short life, he allowed himself to explore his imagination as far as he could take it. It is a shame he left us so early.In this short film, he uses the simple premise of a mother and son's love. It is feelings that most of us can identify with. Emmett and his mother are poor and the things they work for are sometimes only used as a means of getting something else they need to work with. This film touches how those who have been stripped of most of their possessions still find it in themselves to laugh, love, and care for others around them.I recently bought this for my daughter and was so familiar with the lines that even after 20+ years ago, I could tell what was cut out from the DVD version. There is a simple scene in this film that makes your heart ache, and as I watched it, I was feeling like I was 12 again, having tears in my eyes and a big lump in my throat. Emmett and his mom are thinking about how they are going to get a Christmas present for each other, and both are thinking about the only two truly valuable things left in the home: a washtub and a tool chest. Each are willing to sacrifice these things to get the other a present. It is such a powerful scene, even in a children's movie, you will see the heart of the film shining through.Jim Henson's spirit lives on and as long as there are great storytellers in the world, his vision for humanity will be seen by those lucky enough to find it.

The first time I saw this movie it was on HBO. I watched it every year and looked forward to it coming on. But alas HBO stopped showing it and I didn't get to watch it for years. I pined for this movie yes people pined for it. The music the characters I was and am in love with this sweet movie. But then a miracle my sister found it on DVD and bought it for me I was so happy I sat in front of the tube and felt like I was eight or nine again, hey I'm thirty three so feeling like I'm eight or nine again is a miracle Like it has been stated in other reviews it's based on gift of the magi. Emmet and Ma work hard to just get by but with the love they feel for each other helps them get trough it. You can't help but enjoy the songs, I'd really like to see the bathing suit grandma otter wore. Any way I really think this is an enjoyable movie that is a Christmas classic. Oh by the way the river bottom nightmare band kicks it.

It's hard for me to imagine that I was four years old when Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas debuted. I can vividly remember watching it for the first time, as I was hooked from the moment Emmet and Ma sing "Aint' no hole in the washtub". So, to my pleasant surprise, I was at Target the other day, and saw that Emmet Otter was on DVD. For $12.99, it was well worth the price. So, I popped into my DVD player, and my wife and I sat back and enjoyed it. Heck, I felt like that little boy who watched it for the first time so many years ago.To be honest here, I think Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas doesn't get the respect and appreciation it deserves. It should be one of those shows that is played during the Christmas holidays (Like A Charlie Brown Christmas, or How the Grinch stole Christmas, etc.). EOJBC is in every way a classic like those shows. Sad reality is that most folks I know have never heard of Emmet Otter. HBO used to play this at every Christmas, but they stopped doing it year's ago. Why they did, I have no clue, but I know that it was played on other TV channels for a few years, and then it was gone. Thank goodness it found life on DVD.I think what impresses me the most about this show is that, for its' time (1977), EOJBC was a stroke of creative genius. Yeah, sometimes you see the strings that are controlling the movements of the muppets, but for the most part, you marvel at the vision Jim Henson had in creating the towns of Watervlle and Frog Hollow. And the songs are a real treat. You'll find yourself humming "Bar-B-Q". It is a catchy song.