Look, I want to love this. The Muppets are cultural treasures, and any excuse to introduce kids to Kermit should be celebrated. But this 2002 made-for-TV movie is just... not great.

The 82% critic score vs. 51% audience score tells the whole story: critics gave it a pass because 'hey, it's the Muppets at Christmas,' but actual viewers—including nostalgic adults—walked away underwhelmed. The 6.3 IMDb rating and 3.1/5 Letterboxd score confirm it: this is C+ Muppet content at best.

The It's a Wonderful Life homage is a clever idea, but the execution feels like a TV movie that knows it's a TV movie. The pacing drags, the humor is more 'early 2000s network television' than classic Muppet cleverness, and it lacks the heart and creativity that made the original Muppet Movie or even Muppet Christmas Carol so rewatchable.

If your kids are 6-9 and in a Muppet phase, sure, throw it on. It's safe, it's got a nice message, and it'll keep them occupied. But if you're hoping to share the magic of the Muppets with your family? Start with The Muppet Movie (1979) or The Muppet Christmas Carol instead. Those are the ones worth your time.

This one's fine for a rainy afternoon when you've exhausted everything else, but it's not going to become a holiday tradition.