Elmo Saves Christmas

Elmo Saves Christmas is a Sesame Street Christmas musical fantasy comedy drama television special released on PBS on December 2, 1996. It was released to VHS that same year. Inspired by the 1892 short story "Christmas Every Day" by William Dean Howells, Elmo wishes for Christmas to occur every day, only to be taken to the future to learn the adverse consequences of his wish. The program was filmed in Sesame Street's usual home, the Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York City. Footage from the film It's a Wonderful Life also appears in the program and after the credits.

Plot
Elmo stays up on Christmas Eve to meet Santa Claus. He falls asleep, but is awakened by Santa stuck in the chimney. Elmo helps pull out Santa, who gives him the choice of a teddy bear or a magical snow globe. Elmo chooses the globe and is granted three wishes, wasting the first on a glass of water.

On Christmas Day, Elmo wishes for Christmas to be every day, but Santa warns him that Christmas would no longer be special. Lightning, a reindeer-in-training, takes Elmo to the future to see the effects of his wish. Big Bird becomes sad that Snuffy does not return from visiting his grandmother in Cincinnati, the businesses remain closed, It's a Wonderful Life plays continuously on every TV channel, Santa's overworked elves end up producing a cow/rabbit hybrid toy called the "Moo-Bunny", and other holidays are overshadowed. Meanwhile, Oscar enjoys the increasing misery.

By next year's Christmas, everybody is tired of celebrating, Christmas trees are endangered, all the businesses are bankrupt, and Santa is retiring to Florida. Elmo uses his last wish to make Christmas be once a year again, but breaks his snow globe before the wish is granted. Fortunately, Lightning takes him back to the Christmas Eve when he rescued Santa, and Elmo chooses the Moo-Bunny as his new gift. Snuffy returns, telling Big Bird that his grandmother came to Sesame Street instead. Elmo has finally learned that, although Christmas does not occur every day, everyone can keep their Christmas spirit alive in their hearts all year.

Cast

 * Maya Angelou as herself/narrator
 * Charles Durning as Santa Claus
 * Harvey Fierstein as the Easter Bunny
 * 14 Karat Soul as Themselves

Humans

 * Carlo Alban as Carlo
 * Alison Bartlett-O'Reilly as Gina
 * Emilio Delgado as Luis
 * Desiree Casado as Gabi
 * Sonia Manzano as Maria
 * Bob McGrath as Bob
 * Roscoe Orman as Gordon
 * David Smyrl as Mr. Handford

Muppet performers
Additional Muppets performed by Pam Arciero, Peter Linz, Noel MacNeal, Jim Martin, John Tartaglia, Alice Dinnean, and Matt Vogel.
 * Frank Oz as Bert, Cookie Monster, and Grover
 * Jerry Nelson as Count von Count, Mr. Johnson, and News Flash Announcer
 * Kevin Clash as Elmo, Baby Natasha, Benny Rabbit, Father, and Elf 3
 * Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn, Zoe, Easter Egg customer and Elf 2
 * Joey Mazzarino as Ingrid, Lightning, and Elf 1
 * Carmen Osbahr as Rosita
 * Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
 * Martin P. Robinson as Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, and Elf 5
 * David Rudman as Baby Bear, Humphrey, and Elf 4
 * Bryant Young as Rear End of Mr. Snuffleupagus
 * Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog, and Ernie

Songs

 * 1) "It's Christmas Again"
 * 2) "Every Day Can't Be Christmas"
 * 3) "Give Your Friend an Easter Egg for Christmas"
 * 4) "All I Want for Christmas is You"
 * 5) "Keep Christmas with You (All Through the Year)"