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After Ralphie’s friend gets his tongue stuck on a metal pole in the cold weather, a group of school boys, including Ralphie, gawk in amazement.

The critically acclaimed 1983 holiday film A Christmas Story starring Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker proves that it is worthy of a 24-hour long, Christmas Day television marathon.

The film follows the tale of a young boy (Ralphie Parker) growing up during the 1940s in America. To state simply, the movie is all about young Ralphie’s desire to receive a Red Ryder Ranger Model Air Rifle (BB gun) for Christmas, while the older people surrounding him keep telling him that he’d “shoot [his] eye out” if he were to receive it. Serving as a family-comedy, the film is meant to provoke a deep feeling of nostalgia within adults, and exist as a relatable tale for most children – as every child can relate to being told “no” by an adult.

This family friendly holiday film earned a score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1/10 on IMDB. Critics have gone on to say that A Christmas Story is “…delightfully entertaining…” and “…wryly amusing…” (RottenTomatoes.com) I would go as far as to say that A Christmas Story  can compete with any major, modern-day holiday movie. The voice-over provided by Jean Shepherd delivers a familiar holiday film narration that’s comforting for all viewers.

The film is so popular that most television networks, including TBS, hold 24-hour long, Christmas Day marathons of the film.

Some of the most iconic scenes in the film include Ralphie’s best friend getting his tongue stuck to a pole when he’s dared to lick it, as well as Ralphie’s father getting a package in the mail labeled “FRAGILE,” in which he mistakenly pronounces “FRAH-GEE-LEH.”

Darren McGavin who plays Ralphie’s father has the most notable performance in the film in my opinion. His frugal tendencies cause him to place a lamp in the shape of a woman’s leg on display in the family livingroom, in front of a large window, for the whole neighborhood to see.

Overall, I’d give A Christmas Story a rating of 5/5 candy canes, and I’d recommend that people watch the film with their families this holiday season.