The holidays are upon us, and we’re all getting ready for merriment, friends and family, and time off from work. They also mean gifts – both giving and receiving. And nothing makes for better gifts than Muppet-related things.
Whether you’re shopping for the Muppet fan in your life or offering up ideas for what people can buy you, we’ve got a solid (and growing) list of ideas to get you started.
Naturally, this isn’t a comprehensive list. There are official and unofficial gifts to be found anywhere and everywhere, both old and new. But if there’s anything you feel should be on this list that we’ve overlooked, please let us know and we’ll keep adding and updating as best we can!
Now if you’ll forgive us for the self-promotion, we’ll start things off with some ToughPigs offerings.
Over on the ToughPigs TeePublic store, we currently have 50(!) designs available. Despite the website name, they have way more than just t-shirts: these designs can be purchased on all different types of apparel, including sweaters, hats, hoodies, and shorts; all of which can be found in multiple colors. They’re also available as stickers, magnets, mugs, and many more options.
If you’re looking for something with a Christmas tone, we have designs inspired by some of the Muppet holiday specials, including the Charles Dickens, Rizzo the Rat, and Fozziwig designs from Muppet Christmas Carol, and Yancy Woodchuck‘s Emmet Otter design.
We’ve also updated some of our existing designs in clearer quality and with crisper colors, including the Reporter Frog and Pig in a Dress illustrations by Chris “Smig” Smigliano, which he created in the earliest days of ToughPigs’ existence. These realistic animals go nicely with Dave Hulteen’s Fozzie Bear-inspired design, which is a recent addition to our shop.
Speaking of recent additions, if you haven’t been to our TeePublic shop in a few months, you may have missed these newbies: the El Sleezo (by Noah Ginex), Danhurst College (the Muppets’ alma mater from Muppets Take Manhattan), and the MuppetVision 3D glasses (more on these shortly).
That’s just the tip of the iceberg! So here’s a few more: some of our bestsellers! Be the Monster (art by Becca Petunia), Movin’ Right Along (art by Morgan Davy), Manhattan Melodies, Ocean Breeze Soap, The Dubonnet Club, and Pete’s Luncheonette (the last four: art by Meagan Barbeau). I’m sure you get all these references.
Again, there are so many more designs on our TeePublic page, so be sure to check them all out!
The shirts (and hats and mugs and stickers and things) aren’t the only ToughPigs merch out there. Earlier this year, we offered up enamel pins paying homage to the iconic MuppetVision 3D glasses, and we still have some available for holiday gifts. As a bonus, we’ve lowered the price for the next week as a Black Friday deal. Just head to the ToughPigs Etsy shop to purchase a pin or two!
Our last ToughPigs-themed gift idea won’t come with physical merchandise, but hopefully it’ll come along with a sense of joy and purpose. You can contribute to the ToughPigs Patreon, either as a gift for a fellow Muppet fan or as a gift for us. The Patreon, TeePublic, and Etsy funds all go directly back into the website. We use those funds to pay for hosting fees, web security, and other costs that come along with running a website. These services also help us keep this website ad-free and without corporate sponsorship. And as always, the ToughPigs staff is completely volunteer-based, so you can be assured that all the money we earn will go right back to the website.
Okay, enough of ToughPigs stuff. There’s more!
The Jim Henson Company has a ton of offerings on their online store, with merchandise celebrating Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Farscape, and even the Monster Cereals.
Keep an eye on the online Disney Store for Muppet stuff, including pins, plush, art, and more. If you happen to find yourself at the Disney Parks this month, I’m sure there’s even more Muppet merch to be found in various gift shops.
For the Sesame Street fan in your life, the best place to find the best selection of merchandise is the online store for the Sesame Place parks. They’ve got a ton of stuff, some of which even featuring characters who aren’t Elmo.
There’s a new book about an old TV show – “The Sam & Friends Script Book” by Craig Shemin! It’s a terrific peek into the early creative process of Jim Henson, and it’s a great way to envision some proto-Muppet sketches would look like that you’ve never seen before. And it’s a perfect (yet predictable) companion to Shemin’s previous book, “Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson’s First Television Show.”
There are a few companies offering up Muppet apparel, so to spotlight just a few, we’ll start with RSVLTS. I personally own a few of their shirts, and I love showing them off. They’ve expanded their line into hoodies now too! And best of all, they have lines for both The Muppets and other Jim Henson properties.
Looking for a Muppet hat? Overlord has you covered, with lines featuring characters from Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and as a delightful surprise, Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas!
Speaking of hats, we just learned of this Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas hat now up for pre-order from Patti Lapel. They’ve also got a ton of fun pins, including a few Muppety ones, so be sure to scroll through their offerings.
Although official merchandise is always nice, I actually prefer handmade or artisan Muppet stuff as gifts. There are far too many online shops to list here, so I recommend heading over to Etsy and searching for “Muppets,” “Sesame Street,” “Jim Henson,” or whatever floats your boat. The list is seemingly endless, so it’ll be shocking if you can’t find some good gifts there. For example, you could get one of the incredible Muppet replicas by Emily Engel seen above!
Another place to search for unique finds is Instagram. There are countless talented artists throughout, so many of whom have their own online stores where they’re selling prints, or who may be open for custom commissions. Do yourself a favor, do some searching on Instagram, and follow as many Muppet artists as you can. And if you spot a few you like, consider supporting their work with your wallets.
If your tastes bend more toward charitable gifts, there are several organizations that you could consider, including the homes of Jim Henson exhibits: The Museum of the Moving Image, The Strong Museum of Play, and The Center for Puppetry Arts. We also recommend The Green Feather Foundation, the non-profit that contributes to the puppetry community with support of Heather Henson.
Hopefully we’ve given you more than enough to ponder over for this holiday season! And remember, many of the organizations we’ve mentioned may be hosting Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, so we recommend acting fast!
Happy shopping, Muppet fans!
Click here to get a gift receipt for the ToughPigs Discord!
by Joe Hennes – [email protected]
