Sam and Friends Christmas episodes

List of known Sam and Friends Christmas episodes, when sufficient details are known beyond the featured recording.
==December 12, 1958==
The episode mostly doesn't involve Christmas, as Harry the Hipster asks the director for more room so he can introduce "a swinging little show called Sam and Friends." As the title card appears, Harry cues every portion of the theme in beatnik hep lingo ("Crazy.") Then after mentioning Esskay, he says "on with the gig."
This leads to Stan Freberg's 1955 version of "Nuttin' for Christmas" (one of five versions which came out that same year), with Freberg playing a bratty child on Santa's naughty list, and then the burglar who comes in to rob the place (and split with the kid).
After that yuletide number, the commercial has Moldy Hay missing farm breakfasts. This gives Professor Madcliffe the opportunity to plug Esskay Hickory Smoked Bacon. Moldy Hay becomes so convinced that city folk need to buy more Esskay bacon that "it should be illegal not to enjoy it. I'll sue! Write my congressman! Someone get me a cheap lawyer!"Shemin, Craig. Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show. p. 314.
==December 17, 1958==
Freberg is used again, this time his 1955 version of "The Night Before Christmas" (with child actress Babette Bain as his niece).
The commercial has Professor Madcliffe making an Esskay Oven Ready Turkey manifest out of nowhere, while telling viewers to buy one for their Christmas dinners.ibid. p. 316
==December 24, 1958==
For the Christmas Eve show, Omar wraps a single Esskay Sausage as a Christmas present, but Kermit says he's not thinking big enough. It should be a fully cooked ham or oven ready turkey. Omar just happens to be fond of Esskay Sausage, finally deciding to give a case of sausages.
"The Chipmunk Song" follows (where Alvin wants a hula hoop almost as much as Omar wants sausage).ibid. p. 319
==December 25, 1958==
"Jingle Bells" plays for the opening titles, while Omar states that "Sam and Friends, on this Yuletide Day, is brought to you by Esskay."
The record is "Carol of the Bells" performed by the Randolph Singers conducted by David Randolph (from their 1951 album Christmas Carols).
This leads to the commercial and Moldy Hay, but instead of the usual jingle, they get an excerpt from Freberg's satire on holiday commercialism, "Green Christ$ma$" (released that month). The Jud Conlon Rhythmaires sing, "We wish you a merry Christmas/now please buy our beer!"
Moldy Hay is irritated and threatens to quit, but Professor Madcliffe urges him to continue with the Christmas message: "All of us here, and all the people that make Esskay products, hope you've had a joyful day this day of all days." 
The show concludes with a second selection from the Randolph Singers album. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen."bid. p. 319-320.
==December 26, 1958==
The day after the holiday, Omar fusses at Yorick for eating all the Esskay sausages, the turkey, platter, tablecloth, dishes and even all the ornaments on the tree (which they hoped to use next year).
After the opening announcement, a thematic song follows, "Christmas Tree" from the Voices of Walter Schumann's 1955 album The Voices of Christmas. In addition to Schumann's usual choral group, the soloist is guest vocalist Bill Lee (busy session singer, movie dubbing voice, and a member of The Mellomen quartet with Thurl Ravenscroft). Lee, to the tune of "Shnitzelbank," leads the group in a call and response sing-along describing the Christmas tree and everything on and beneath it, detailing the different toys and the sounds they make ("Does the duck go quack quack quack?")ibid. p.320 
The commercial is less seasonal, reused from December 10, 1958. Omar stars as a detective in "The Sam and Friends Mystery Theater" drama "What Happens to Bacon for Breakfast?" Last seen on Sunday but missing the rest of the week. Professor Madcliffe however, enthusiastic over the sponsor's pork product as usual, goes off on a rant about the real crime: eating a smaller cold meal on weekday mornings "when they need energy-giving bacon for breakfast the most."ibid. p. 313.
==December 16, 1959==
Harry the Hipster discusses Christmas, a time when people think about peace and goodwill towards men, rather than money. This leads to Pearl Bailey's 1959 song "Five Pound Box of Money" (which is what she's asking Santa Claus for).ibid. p. 415
==December 17, 1959==
Kermit reminisces about his childhood Christmas to Harry. However, one year he didn't think he was going to get anything, and proceeds to lip-sync to "Nuttin' for Christmas" again.
==December 18, 1959==
Harry introduces the show by talking about the Christmas decor, with Icky Gunk in the rafters to provide the snow special effects for the next number: Homer and Jethro's "Santy's Movin' On."
Harry doesn't like the song or the insufficient snow, so Icky drops the remainder on Harry. 
Bernice (voiced by Jane Henson) enters and wants to kiss Harry under the mistletoe. Harry says they need to take the decorations down to get ready for George Washington's Birthday and start dying eggs for Easter.ibid. p. 416
==December 22, 1959==
Harry doubts the group can get through the next complicated number, which is "Christmas Tree" again.ibid. p. 416
==December 23, 1959==
Omar lip-syncs to a Japanese record of "Jingle Bells." The professor interrupts, saying he wanted something original "but this is ridiculous." Kermit asks Omar to join the rest of the cast for an American song, and they lip-sync to "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by the Weavers (from their 1951 album of the same name).
==December 29, 1959==
Harry and Kermit (in drag as Kermeena) play chess for the intro. The episode's theme is New Year's Eve (the song is the Frank Loesser number "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" sung by Margaret Whiting, as lip-synced by Kermeena), but Harry responds in dialogue interspersed. In the instrumental portion, he discusses Yorick's New Year's Eve party in the kitchen, and then discusses the Esskay sponsors' party. At midnight, they toss lunch meat and bacon out the window. When he attended wearing a vertical red striped outfit, "Mr. Schluderberg threw me out the window thinking I was a charred strip of bacon. I fell in the middle of a group of bonfire girls singing Christmas carols because their calendar was a week late."ibid. p. 418 
==December 16, 1960==
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Omar bought a Christmas present for his nephew, which happens to be a bird puppet. He calls it "a little doll-type thing" you put on your hand, "like they have on television."
Omar decides to take a stab at being a puppeteer, calling the puppet Billy and having him parrot every sentence Omar says. 
Omar 	Omar is wonderful.
Billy	Omar is wonderful.
Omar 	And I am his slave.
Billy	And I am his slave.
Omar 	For I am just a stupid puppet.
Billy	You sure are!
Omar is not gruntled by this and swears he will never become a puppeteer.ibid. p. 481
==December 19, 1960==
Harry, Kermit, and Moldy Hay perform "Jingle Bells," not using a recording but instead employing less traditional instrumentation via toy piano, kazoo, bells, whistles, and horns.
==Sources==
 
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Category:Christmas Productions