Plot Synopsis

Based on the book of the same name by Mike Reiss, HOW MURRAY SAVED CHRISTMAS is a one-hour animated special that centers on cranky deli owner Murray Weiner, who is forced to fill in for Santa one Christmas after Edison Elf's latest crackpot invention knocks out St. Nick. The story takes place in the small town of Stinky Cigars, a city given an awful name by its residents so that outsiders don't visit -- because all of the holiday characters live there. This secret town is home to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, lesser known holiday characters like Labor Day Amos and Arbor Day Aardvark, and other residents like Murray, who is the grumpy owner of Murray's Holiday Diner. Even though Murray is the only unhappy resident of Stinky Cigars, he fills in for Santa who's knocked out by a Jack-in-the-Boxer -- and does a weirdly wonderful job as Santa's replacement, even delivering toys to the naughty kids. NBC broadcast a half-hour version of this special for the first time on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at 8:30pm ET/PT.