A Christmas Story has returned. The classic heartwarming tale of a family at Christmas time continues to follow the main character, Ralphie Parker, this time in his years as an adult in the new movie A Christmas Story Christmas. He faces the real world, a place very different from the one of his childhood. In 1983, the original Christmas Story was released, traveling alongside the life of a young boy and his passionate hopes and dreams of Christmas. The movie, set in the 1940s, shows Ralphie’s obsession with the brand new Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun. The original brings many iconic scenes to the Christmas movie forefront. From tongues stuck on flagpoles, to triple dog dares, “You’ll shoot your eye out kid!” and the infamous leg lamp. 

From the beginning, the viewer can see that Ralphie is a very imaginative kid. The first movie is filled with multiple scenes of him spacing out, traveling to unimaginable scenarios. These fantasies continue as an adult. Ralphie, played by Peter Billingsley, continues to strive for a life different from his own. During both adaptations, Ralphie gets denied time and time again. During the course of the original, his wishlist is crushed by the adults around him, telling him that what he hopes for is entirely too dangerous and someone his age would never get the beloved Red Ryder. In A Christmas Story Christmas, Ralphie finds himself being turned down by multiple publishing companies for the hopes of accepting his entirely too long novel.

As well as bringing back references from the 1983 version, the new release also gives hints at other Christmas classics. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, Home Alone, and Christmas with the Kranks all find themselves involved in the scenes in one way or another. Iconic scenes from all these beloved films are portrayed in A Christmas Story Christmas, allowing the film to connect to all sorts of audiences.  A Christmas Story is known for its constant humor and a look into the overexaggerations that take place within the mind of a nine-year-old. The newest addition to this story is the perfect continuation, carrying on a chaotic, loving, and humorous tale of the times during the holiday season.