As I stated on Facebook yesterday:
I feel a tiny bit silly (but not silly enough to keep it to myself, apparently). Growing up, my mom and I always listened to the Muppets Christmas cassette, which featured John Denver. I loved it SO much. So I just bought the album for myself. I couldn’t hold back. I mean, if you haven’t heard Miss Piggy singing the 12 days of Christmas, you’ve really missed out. (Ah, the memories…)
I have played the songs over and over within the last 24 hours. All I can think about while I listen to this is hanging out with my mom while we wrapped presents and made Christmas crafts together during the month of December.
I had all but forgotten the album existed until my sister-in-law texted something about it yesterday. Memories flooded back. Now I can’t stop listening to it. And I can’t stop smiling. You would think that after over 9 years of being without her, I would realize that calling to talk to my mom isn’t an option. But as I listen to this music, I have had to stop myself several times from picking up the phone to dial her number. “Mom!” I want to shout, “Remember our winter nights together? Remember Miss Piggy singing ‘ba-dum-pum-pum’ in the 12 Days of Christmas? Remember how much fun we had? I just got the John Denver Muppets album on CD and I’m listening to it now with the boys, and they love it as much as we did!”
So since I can’t tell her, I’m sharing this with you. Of all my Christmas memories, I have to say listening to this music while preparing for Christmas with my mom might be my favorite memory of all. I really can’t stop smiling. And crying. And laughing (“mee-mee-mee-mee-mee-mee” – you have to know Miss Piggy to get that one).
Here’s a little blast from the past for ya that I found on youtube:
This morning, I turned on the Christmas lights, cranked up the Muppets, and tried a new recipe. These muffins are simple, full of cinnamon, delicious, and perfect for Christmas time. My family and I had breakfast with Miss Piggy, Kermit, and John Denver.
Snickerdoodle Muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sucanat or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
Snickerdoodle Topping:
2 Tablespoons sucanat or brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir together flour, sucanat, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add egg, butter, sour cream, and milk – stirring until mixture is well combined. Scoop batter into 10-12 paper lined muffin tins. Stir together the sucanat/cinnamon topping. Sprinkle about a 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture onto each muffin. Bake in a 400° oven for 15-20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown. 
Here’s to tasty Christmas goodies, relishing wonderful Christmas memories, and creating new memories with our own families now.
Please tell me if you remember this Muppet Christmas album with John Denver so that we can talk about Piggy Pudding together! What are your favorite Christmas music memories?
Yes! We have the Muppets & John Denver special on DVD and it is definitely an annual favorite…then again, we love the Muppets year-round in our house :)
Thanks for this recipe! I can’t wait to make these, the family will love them!
I can just hear Animal in the background “Won’t go!”, “Won’t go!”
I absolutely remember it and it was the first Christmas album I bought for my boys. We listen to it every year!
I can totally relate. For me, it’s Christmas with Alvin and the Chipmunks. My mom and dad got me the album when I was little and we played it over and over…
Dave: Alright you Chipmunks, Ready to sing your song?
Alvin: I’d say we are
Theodore: Yeah Let’s sing it now
Dave: Okay, Simon?
Simon: Ok
Dave: Okay, Theodore?
Theodore: Ok
Dave: Okay, Alvin…Alvin?…Allvviinn!!
Alvin: Okay!!!
“Christmas, Christmas time is near…”
Oh my, I’m 39 years old and shedding tears over a Chipmunks Christmas song. LOL!
I can’t seperate memories of Christmas from my mom. She loves Christmas, through and through! My dad was a grump at Christmas, but my mom made Christmas AMAZING for my brother and I! She let us decorate the house with silly homemade things, pick out the biggest tree at the tree farm, and we made fudge and cookies for shut-ins and family till they were coming out of our ears! I live in NY, and my mom is down in GA with my brother as he and his wife just had their first baby and she is helpingo out. It’s my first Christmas season without having her practically by my side, but your post reminded me (as I read through tears), that memories are almost as good as the real thing! When I was probably 7 or 8, my mom let me spend some of my money on a Christmas tape at True Value called, “Home for the Holiday.” My favorite song is “Happy Holidays” by Alabama, http://youtu.be/pA7dscKNlTQ. I loved that tape and played it over and over! Now, many moons later, I still put that tape in every year (one plus of an older vehicle that still has a cassette deck), and it floods back wonderful childhood memories. I only hope that someday my sweet kids, ages 8 and 10 remember me with such fond memories as I have with my mom at Christmas. Sounds like the Muppets Christmas needs to go on my shopping list this week! Thank you Laura, I needed this today:)
Yes, I had that album! Actually, I think it’s still in a box in my basement. Alas, I have no record player (yes, it’s that old) to play it on.
And as I sat thinking about this, I found myself humming a song from the Peanuts Christmas movie. It’s funny how bringing back one memory kind of opens the floodgates!
You are not silly at all! This is one of my favorite albums of all time, not just at Christmas. Listened to it so much I could recite “Alfie, the Christmas Tree” by heart!
Why have I not watched this with my boys? Thanks for that clip! My boys gathered around the computer and are not clambering for the video.
Last year I googled the Muppets 12 Days of Christmas for my kids to hear. What a hoot! Brought back soooo many wonderful memories. I still have the Chipmunks Christmas album (and still have a record player) so we get that one out to listen to. Always a good thing to have some of the good, clean oldies to share with the younger generation. May need to find The Muppets Christmas so we can watch the whole program.
Making these for breakfast tomorrow, and we love the Muppets too!
Oh man! I haven’t heard this album, but I’m totally looking for it this year! Also, thanks for the recipe! My two-year-old and I just put a batch in the oven and they smell DELICIOUS and just like Christmas as promised. :)
Thanks for sharing that. I sat here and laughed and enjoyed myself like I haven’t in a while. My son enjoyed the clip, too. I may have to hunt down a DVD form somewhere.
I’m off to try those muffins now – we love every form of snickerdoodle you have offered up!!
I lost my mom just over two years ago. Reading this made me laugh and cry at the same time. We were the best of friends and I have so many sweet memories with her, especially from this time of year. The two of us always decorated our tree together and took our time reminiscing and talking about all the ornaments. Most of them came from all the ornament exchanges the ladies in my family would have each year. We would also take at least one day and bake up a storm. She always so willing, and happy, to have my help in the kitchen and to let me pick out new things to try. Plus of course teaching me all the family favorites.
My children are still quite young (I am only 26) and I hope I can make this time of year just as special for them growing up as she did for me. Thanks for sharing these memories. It is so sweet to read and do some remembering of my own.
Oh Laura, the whole household stopped to watch the video! Thanks for the reminder. “Sigh”, seems like the good/better old days, doesn’t it?
Laura,
Thank you so much for sharing! It brought back many wonderful memories of my own childhood and times with my children. These songs and videos are so heartwarming.
i understand! Monday is the 9th anniversary of my mom’s death and I still sometimes walk to the phone to pick it up to call her.
I just knew you were a super great person, but now this just confirms it :)
This has been one of our very most favorite Christmas albums since the year it came out. We have gone through 2 cassettes and at least 3 CD’s, because we listened to them so many times. We still listen to it, a lot, sometimes not just at Christmas either :) It’s nice to know I am not the only one that is a fan of John Denver and The Muppets, it is just happiness and joy and love all wrapped up in some fun too :) :) :)
I completely remember Miss Piggy’s pa-dum-dum-dum! I always try to add it when my girls sing the Twelve Days of Christmas and they look at me like I’m nuts!!!!!
These are so yummy, even my kids liked them. They haven’t taken to too many muffins I’ve made, I think living in Phoenix makes for dry muffins and I haven’t mastered the art of making them more moist. But not these, super moist! And now we’ve discovered that my husband really needs to be gluten free :( I’m going to try these with a gluten free baking mix and maybe even get creative with a coconut flour version.
I found these to be very dense. There didn’t seem to be enough leavening agents to help them rise adequately. Upon comparing them with Laura’s other muffin recipes, it seems that there are less eggs and baking powder for the yield. Would love to see an improved version of these, since the flavor had promise… My kids, who eat almost anything I make, were not impressed with these.