We have so many Christmas traditions in our culture. From trees to presents, from wreaths to ornaments, and from annual viewings of Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas to A Muppet Family Christmas. We can’t imagine spending the holiday season without these things, but there are also some traditions we have that we hardly even notice.
Let me bring one of these traditions to your attention now. I’ll give you a hint: It’s long, it’s red, and it’s in the title of this article. That’s right, it’s Kermit’s Christmas scarves!
Since Kermit is normally naked, we tend to notice what he’s wearing when he decides to show off his threads or make an attempt at keeping warm. And in the wintertime, that usually entails a scarf (and often nothing else). Let’s take a look at the many Christmas scarves Kermit has worn throughout the years.
Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (1977)
The first scarf I could find was the one Kermit wears in the introduction to Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas. This is fitting, since it might be the only time anything actually happens to the scarf, as it’s stolen by the Riverbottom Nightmare Gang and thrown into a tree. Kermit must’ve learned his lesson, because he keeps a much tighter grip on his neckwear in the future.
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)
Kermit wears a red-and-black-striped scarf in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, as he ponders Santa Claus’s methods for getting down chimneys. It doesn’t help.
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)
Kermit’s scarf in A Christmas Together is much shorter than the rest, making it border more on the “necktie” than “scarf”. Of course, it wouldn’t work as well as formalwear if that’s the only thing you’re wearing.
Henson Company cards (1981)
Kermit is waring a plaid number in these two cards, one a Christmas party invitation and the other a Christmas card sent out by the Jim Henson Company. I wonder if Kermit managed to remove the rest of his clothing without taking off the scarf in between sketches.
Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
Kermit is wearing a traditional solid red color at Emily Bear’s house, which (of course) he promptly removes in favor of nudity for the rest of the special.
Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Kermit wore this red and gray scarf in many of his promotional appearances for Muppet Christmas Carol, but he didn’t wear the top hat nearly enough.
Kermit Nutcracker (1993)
The only thing keeping this nutcracker from eating your face in the middle of the night is that scarf. And the fact that your face isn’t made of walnuts.
Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
Kermit adds a tartan scarf to his “Sesame Street News Flash” costume in Elmo Saves Christmas, which is apparently the special in which Kermit decides to show off his Scottish roots.
Ornament (1999)
In this horrible thing, Kermit somehow got saddled with the shiny star-covered scarf. Obviously, that one was meant for Gonzo.
It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
Everyone gets a scarf in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Muppet Christmas! And Kermit finds one of his mainstay scarves, which will pop up again a few more times over the years.
Ornament (2003)
Somehow this scarf has elongated Kermit’s neck so that it hardly looks attached to his pointy collar at all. And now you can’t unsee it! (Sorry about that.)
Ornament (2005)
The anatomical proportions are a little better on this ornament. Although if you ignore the book, it kinda looks like the candy cane scarf is choking Kermit. Yeesh, I need to stop putting these horrible images in your head.
Greeting card (2006)
Okay, so it’s not technically a scarf. But it’s kinda like a scarf made out of paper and ribbons which got completely out of hand. So I’m counting it! Hey, it’s my article, I can define scarves however I want!
“I Believe” (2008)
Kermit wore this scarf (the same one from the 2005 ornament) in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is unsurprisingly much more Christmas-oriented than Thanksgiving. The song is all about how Kermit still believes in Santa Claus, which is ridiculous because he’s like 50 years old and should know better by now.
Letters to Santa (2008)
The scarves are starting to come out a lot more now! Strangely enough, they’re still using different scarves in the same year, which is totally unnecessary since I’m the only one who would notice. This red and brown scarf is Kermit’s new favorite scarf, as he wears it just about every year from here on.
Christmas in Rockefeller Center (2008)
I think this is the least red scarf Kermit has ever worn. And it hardly even looks like a scarf. It looks more like a silk kerchief, or a really ugly and inaccurate American flag.
“Jingle Bells” with Andrea Bocelli (2009)
Kermit broke out the red and brown scarf again for the Muppets’ appearance on Andrea Bocelli’s Christmas special. Bocelli said that he thought it looked beautiful. (End of tasteless joke.)
Christmas in Rockefeller Center (2009)
The same scarf came back (with the Letters to Santa jacket) in Kermit’s second Rockefeller Center appearance. I think it means he’s in Gryffindor.
A Green and Red Christmas reissue (2011)
Fozzie’s hat is amazing. I know this is an article about scarves, but that hat had to get a shout-out.
National Christmas Tree Lighting (2011)
Yet another appearance of the red and brown scarf, this time to show off for the First Family. And now I know what to wear on my next visit to Washington, DC!
Best Made Toys (2011)
We spotted this little guy at Walgreens this holiday season. And the best part is, if you hate Christmas, all you have to do is untie his scarf and he’s just a regular old Kermit doll! Perfect for all you Scrooges and Grinches out there!
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade (2011)
On Christmas Day of this year, Kermit will appear (with scarf) in Disney World’s annual Christmas Day Parade. This isn’t the first time he’s appeared at the parade, but it is the first time for one of his scarves. They should make a plaque or something.
Walt Disney World’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (2011)
As we reported earlier this week, Kermit made a brief (but memorable) appearance in Walt Disney World’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” video. As far as we could tell, this was the only scarf-wearing amphibian through the entire poem.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2011)
Finally, we come to last night, in which Kermit appeared with his nephew Robin on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. And this year, everyone gets to rock a scarf! Of course, you’ll probably find it difficult to notice the scarves while you’re singing along to “When the River Meets the Sea”.
And so we’re brought to the present, and all the scarves have been worn. What will Christmas, 2012 bring? More red stripes? Or will Kermit switch to a parka? We’ll find out soon enough!
Merry Christmas, Muppet fans. And a happy new scarf!
Click here to keep your neck warm on the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
