The Christmas Toy is a 1986 made-for-TV movie by The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...

. It originally aired on ABC

American Broadcasting Company

The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

 on December 6, 1986, and was originally sponsored by Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...

.

Originally introduced by Kermit The Frog, it was released on VHS

VHS

The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....

 format in 1993. In 2008, HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment

Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...

 (distributed by Lionsgate) released the special on DVD, but edited out Kermit's appearance due to legal issues.

The film later led to a series: Secret Life of Toys

Secret Life of Toys

Secret Life of Toys was a 1994 series based on the 1986 TV special The Christmas Toy. Each of the 13 30-minute episodes consisted of two 15-minute stories. The show was taped in Monheim, Germany , and aired on the Disney channel...

.

Plot

When no people are around, the toys still play in the playroom. But since a toy will be frozen forever (die) if a person catches it out of position, they have to be very careful. It's Christmas Eve, and Rugby the Tiger remembers how he was the FAVORITE Christmas toy LAST year and wants to be the favorite again THIS year, as not to be replaced by another toy. HOWEVER, he doesn't stop to think that if Jamie unwrapped him again THIS year, she'd see him out of his normal place that she usually puts him and he'd be "frozen forever" (dead). It's up to Apple the Doll, whom Rugby supplanted as favorite toy, to tell him what's in store. But Rugby won't believe her, and tries to get into the Christmas package and lets Meteora, Queen of the Asteroids loose. Unfortunately, she doesn't know she's a toy, and thinks she's landed among aliens. And it's up to Apple, Mew (the Cat's toy mouse), and the other toys to get Rugby out of the box and Meteora back in it before they're found and frozen forever!

Featured cast

Actor	Role
Marsha Moreau	Jamie
Zachary Bennett Zachary Bennett Zachary Bennett is a Canadian actor and musician in Toronto, Ontario, who is best known for playing Felix King in Road to Avonlea. He also co-starred in the 2006 TV film Jekyll + Hyde.He was born in London, Ontario...	Jesse

Muppet performers

Actor	Role
Dave Goelz Dave Goelz Dave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...	Rugby the Tiger/Ditz
Steve Whitmire Steve Whitmire Steven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...	Mew the Toy Mouse
Kathryn Mullen Kathryn Mullen Kathryn "Kathy" Mullen is an actress, voice actress, and puppeteer most closely associated with Jim Henson projects. She began performing on The Muppet Show in its third season, primarily as Gaffer the Backstage Cat...	Apple the Doll
Jerry Nelson Jerry Nelson Jerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...	Balthasar
Richard Hunt Richard Hunt (puppeteer) Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer best known as a Muppet performer. Hunt's Muppet roles included Scooter, Beaker, Janice, Statler, and Sweetums.-Early years:...	Belmont
Camille Bonora	Meteora, Queen of the Asteroids
Brian Henson Brian Henson Brian Henson is an Academy Award-winning puppeteer, director, producer, and technician. The son of puppeteers Jane and Jim Henson, Brian was born in New York City, New York....	Cruiser
Rob Mills Rob Mills Rob Mills is an Australian singer best known as one of the finalists from Australian Idol 2003. He was a co-host on the late-night quiz show The Mint as well as a regular singer on the game show The Singing Bee both on the Nine Network...	Bleep
Nicky Tilroe Nikki Tilroe Nikki Tilroe was an Emmy Award-winning American puppeteer. She is best known for her work as the "Mime Lady" on the children's television series Today's Special...	Ding-a-ling the Phone
Jim Henson Jim Henson James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...	Kermit the Frog Kermit the Frog Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over... , Jack-in-the-Box (Uncredited)