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Why did A Christmas Story become a holiday tradition? It continues to stand the test of time. As this film is addicting, area networks continue to replay this movie on Christmas Day for 24 hours straight. A Christmas Story is one of the classic holiday movie favorites that many fans will revisit year after year.

This movie, without a doubt, has become a holiday tradition for many families around the world. With Peter Billingsley starring as Ralphie, the movie was first released in 1983. Ralphie is a young boy who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas.

What Makes “A Christmas Story” Stand Out?

Stories that promise disaster at the beginning and pay off that promise by the end are great. But, what can go wrong? A Christmas Story completely delivers on its promise of disaster, followed by disaster. The movie begins with Ralphie talking about what he wants for Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. The promise of disaster is evident from the start. His mother, teacher, mall Santa, and scary witches all warn him throughout the film with the same phrase, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Ralphie gets the rifle as a surprise Christmas present at the movie’s climax. The first time he shoots the gun, the bullet ricochets and hits Ralphie in the eye, knocking off his glasses. He then steps on and crushes them.

The Plot

The main plot of A Christmas Story is fascinating, because it is so simple. The main plot is interspersed with humorous, unrelated events vaguely related to Christmas. Holiday films are actually pretty common for this recurrent structure. A Griswold’s Christmas Vacation is sporadic; it is more a series of humorous incidents, rather than a single plot building to a climax.

This holiday movie’s sporadic structure works well for comedies, contributing to it becoming a classic. Even with its sporadic structure, however, this movie shines because it is actually funny.

Nostalgic Movie Power

We perceive the power of nostalgia as the main reason this film became a classic. When the film was released in 1983, it was not a huge box office draw. It didn’t even run through Christmas in most areas. However, the movie’s popularity increased, especially when TNT began airing it twenty-four hours a day on Christmas and Christmas Eve in 1997.

A Christmas Story is naughty and clever. It is strange, cute, mean, and relatable simultaneously.

• The leg lamp, cursing, beating up the bully–it’s all so NAUGHTY!

• The narrator’s witty banter, such as “the Bumpuses, hillbilly neighbors, 785 smelly hound dogs,” makes it CLEVER.
• Hound dogs eating a Christmas turkey, the leg lamp, and eating Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant are all very STRANGE.
• CUTE is when Ralphie gets performance anxiety in front of the mean Santa and can’t remember what he wants for Christmas. He finally remembers and crawls back up a slide to tell Santa, giving him a winning smile.
• Mean parts are beating up the bully, ripping the skin off Flick’s tongue when he gets it stuck on the flagpole, and especially the mean Santa scene. Santa tells Ralphie he’ll poke his own eye out if he gets the rifle, then kicks him with a big black boot down the slide.
• This story is nostalgic and RELATABLE. Almost anyone can relate to nostalgic moments like bullies, getting in trouble for swearing, triple dog dares, mom’s “irrational” fears about dangerous things, and finally, dads being dads.

Things Making It a GOOD Christmas Flick?

Did you ever consider what makes a good Christmas Movie to you? Consider some of the following things:

• Within minutes of watching the movie, you know that it is the Christmas season. The presents, snow on the ground, and Christmas tree will catch your eye. The sound of Christmas carols, of course.
• The film is centered around the close bonds Ralphie shares with his family and friends. As in most Christmas movies, the film is about being with those you love, and the film went to great lengths to make us feel part of their family.
• A Christmas Story never strays too far from ridiculous, it never feels like the characters will suffer long-time consequences for their actions. Even though the bully is pummeled with a bloody nose, the cussing makes the incident seem like nothing. And, when Flick’s tongue gets stuck on the flagpole and Ralphie breaks his own glasses, we feel like these events are mere comedy. No hospital trips or cries for help!
• Ralphie’s ultimate goal in A Christmas Story is to acquire a Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model air rifle (a glorified BB gun). In a Christmas movie, Christmas should have a profound impact not only on the plot, but also on the main character’s desire. This film meets that criteria.
• A Christmas Story is still shown on TNT and TBS for 24 hours, starting on Christmas Eve since 1997.

Things Making It a NOT SO GOOD Christmas Flick

• Santa Claus is a real jerk as he kicks Ralphie down the sliding board. Not so great for a Christmas movie.
• Time doesn’t stand still. For a movie to become a perfect Christmas film, it needs to be audience appropriate, passing the test of time. Many modern viewers would find an issue with some of the comedy present in the film today.
• A narrator for any movie must always remain relatable and clear. Adult Ralphie has a hard time with both. Therefore, the audience will miss many things throughout the film.
• At the Parker’s Christmas dinner, a group of Chinese men are chastised as they sing Christmas Carols with an accent. It is culturally insensitive.
• At the movies end, the plot and subplots are usually all tied up. But, in this film, the last few minutes are chaos.

A Christmas Story Trivia

Among the most popular scenes in A Christmas Story is when Ralphie says fudge. Well, Ralphie didn’t actually say fudge. He said: “The queen mother of [bad] words.” As it turns out, actor Peter Billingsley didn’t say fudge either. At 12 years old, Ralphie said the worst of the worst words repeatedly until getting the scene right.

Although Billingsley was a child actor, he used real chewing tobacco for the scene where he fired at the bandits in his yard. He explained later that he got dizzy, was sweating, and his lips were burning on the set. They should have given him black licorice.

Jack Nicholson had a shot at the role of Ralphie’s father. The films budget could not support the amount he requested. It’s not surprising that a low-budget family film couldn’t afford Nicholson, who was something of a superstar by 1983.

Ralphie says he wants a Red Ryder BB Gun 28 times in the film.

They continued to audition thousands of child actors, only to offer the role of Ralphie to Peter Billingsley, the first child to audition.

The films props included 3 leg lamps. None of the actors were able to take a lamp home, however, as they were all broken.

Peter Billingsley took 3 props from the movie set, which was unusual. He took the famous Red Ryder BB gun, the embarrassing pink bunny suit, and Ralphie’s broken glasses. What makes this even more interesting is that the broken glasses Billingsley took home weren’t a prop, they were his own glasses that broke on set.

Scut Farkus was not a character in the original book, but only the movie.

A Christmas Story Christmas

A Christmas Story Christmas, the latest film, follows Ralphie, now an adult. He returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas, like the one he had as a child. While reconciling the passing of his father, he reconnects with his childhood friends.

Once again, Peter Billingsley plays Ralphie Parker, all grown up!

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