The Muppet Christmas Carol, originally released in 1992, is a twist on the classic “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. This version is easily the best adaptation of Dickens’ novel, and in my opinion is the most underrated Christmas movie of all time.

You may be wondering, “what exactly is a Muppet?” The Muppets are described as “an American ensemble cast of puppet characters.” These famed puppet characters have many movies, a few of which are takes on classic movies (for example, Muppet Treasure Island and the Muppets’ Wizard of Oz).

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a hilarious and fun movie, full of humor for the whole family. Unlike other Christmas movies, where different ones appeal to different demographics of people more than others (for example, the typical adult man may not enjoy a Hallmark movie as much as Die Hard, though there are certainly exceptions), there is something for everyone in the Muppet Christmas Carol. It is appropriate and enjoyable for all ages.

In this movie, the Muppets don’t play all the characters, just a few main ones. For example, Kermit the Frog is Bob Cratchit, and Miss Piggy is Mrs. Cratchit, but the lead role is played by British actor Michael Caine. Part of the humor of the movie is that Caine plays Scrooge seriously, while the Muppets are less serious because they are puppets. The juxtaposition of a serious actor and the Muppets creates a hilarious effect that can be enjoyed by all. 

While I do think that The Muppet Christmas Carol is a fantastic movie, I do not necessarily think that it is the best Christmas movie. However, it is certainly the most underrated. The amount of people who have never seen it is a travesty. Most of the attention is focused on popular movies such as Elf and Home Alone, while the Muppet Christmas Carol remains under-appreciated.