In the spirit of O. Henry’s “Gift of the Magi,” a poor young otter named Emmet and his mother sacrifice each other’s money-making devices in an attempt to win a $50 prize at the town’s local talent show on Christmas Eve. Emmet puts a hole in Ma’s wash tub, so he and his friends can start a jugband, and Ma hocks Pa’s tool chest to get the money to make herself a proper costume. Both of them are operating under the wisdom of Pa, who took a chance on selling snake-oil while he was alive, and refuse to give up on their belief that things will get better if they don’t give up.

Set in a southern town called Frogtown Hollow just before Christmas, Emmet shows Ma a $40 guitar with mother-of-pearl inlay that he would really like for Christmas.

Since the duo barely earn enough money from Ma doing the townspeople’s laundry, and Emmet working odd jobs for the neighbors, a proper Christmas is hardly at the top of Ma’s list.

Presented with the news about a local talent show, both Emmet and Ma realize that if they could just win contest and the $50 prize, they could actually have a decent Christmas for once. Enter the gnarly gang of trouble-makers from River Bottom. Headed up by a growling bear named Chuck, the River Bottom Nightmare gang form a band of their own that just so happens to have all the right stuff to win the talent show.

The lesson of the story returns to the true spirit of the holiday season, and family, which in the end are really all that matters. On a positive end note, Emmet, Ma and the jug-band are offered the opportunity to perform for money at a local hotel, and they realize they can earn a lot more through their combined talents than they ever could doing odd jobs and laundry.

Jim Henson adapted the story from a 1971 children’s book of the same title, written by Russel Hoban and illustrated by Lilian Hoban. Henson and his crew explored a number of groundbreaking avenues in puppetry, performing much of the show with new methods that would change the world of puppetry for years to come. Featuring an all-original score written by musician, Paul Williams, the seven catchy songs performed throughout the show were a big hit with both children and adults alike. In 1981, the special was nominated for four Emmy awards, and in 2008, the Jim Henson Company produced a limited-run live stage performance of the show.

Anyone who has seen this one hour holiday special will whole-heartedly agree that Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas ranks right up there with some of Henson’s best creations, including the Muppet Christmas Special. If you haven’t seen this special, it is currently available on DVD. Take time out this holiday season to treasure it and create new memories with your family.