Rachel Rutledge

Christmas comes to the Cosmos when Roger and Fran Peoples and their son Benny try to celebrate the holidays in their new home on the planet Zolognia. Everything seems to go wrong until their alien neighbors, the Zox's step in to help. Misunderstanding just about everything about Christmas, Charlick and Mavo add bizarre and funny twists to old Yuletide traditions, and find out that in the end, that it's truly the thought that counts.

A Merry Mirthworm Christmas is an animated television special, produced by Perennial Pictures. It premiered on the Showtime Cable Network in 1984. The film features a cast of Mirthworms which are described as cuddly little critters about two inches long, who live in the tiny town of Wormingham.

Curtis Calhoun just isn't in the mood for Christmas and wishes it would all go away. It appears he gets his wish, at least until he finds a strange little man in a red suit stuck in his chimney on Christmas Eve. Is it a cat burglar in disguise, or is it really Santa Claus with a very special Christmas gift for the discouraged Curtis Calhoun?

It is nearly Christmas when two recently orphaned children have to choose with which of their relatives they will live – eccentric, stingy Aunt Edwina, who only wants them for their trust fund, or kindly Uncle Robert who wants to genuinely welcome them into his family. On Christmas morning, both Edwina and Robert have surprises in store for them when the children make their decision.

Transferred to a new job, the Peoples family arrive on the planet Bolognia. Feeling very insecure about the move, they become even more intimidated by the sight of their hosts who are green, spotted and have antennae! Their new Bolognian neighbors, Charlick and Mavo Zox, find the look of the Earth family just as shocking. However, when little Benny Peoples gets "lost", he unwittingly brings the two families together and life on this new planet begins to look promising.

Calling themselves "The Three Fishketeers," a trio of adventuresome fish set out across the ocean floor to seek fame and fortune. Toby, bright-eyed and spunky, Finner, aristocratic and thoughtful, and Gillis, a big "galumphing" guppy who calmly takes everything in stride. Meeting a "damsel" clearly not in distress, the would-be heroes comically try to help her recover a large pearl. But it isn't long before all four of them are swimming for their lives, and The Three Fishketeers finally learn what heroism really is.

The Mirthworms take center stage at the Wormingham Bowl as they present "Sleeping Beauty." The wicked Wormaline Wiggler tries to wrangle the lead but Crystal Crawler wins the prize. Wormaline attempts to steal the show, but her sneaky shenanigans bring down the house instead.

Wormingham is having a masquerade ball, and Bert wants to ask Crystal to be his date. But Wormaline's plans to go to the ball with Burt herself may interfere.