Oh, the joy of 24 hours of A Christmas Story! TNT started playing A Christmas Story for 24 hours straight from 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and through Christmas day in 1997. Twelve years later, the tradition continues on TBS. My older brother and I used to compete to see who could watch the most of it in one day. He always won, but I truly adore this movie. Its early eighties quirkiness combined with it's hilarious grasp on 9 year-old Ralphie's imagination makes it a classic and holiday-must. I "double-DOG-dare ya" to check out these A Christmas Story inspired holiday goodies:
A Leg Lamp: Okay, so it's not exactly 'classy', but this lamp is a replica of the one that started the 'battle of the lamp' escalating to such heights that when Ralphie's mom broke it, his father buried the lamp in the backyard out of respect for its glowing beauty.
Red Ryder Tin Sign: Every kid has that one toy they wish for more than anything in the whole wide world. Mine was an electric tablet that you could hook up to the tv and draw on. The drawings would pop up on the screen. It was perfect in so many ways, except that it broke within 6 hours of being unwrapped. Ralphie's wish was much more dangerous, and much more awesome. His Red Ryder BB Gun was essential to the Christmas Story plot and the taunting of "You'll shoot your eye out.." is an unforgettable line.
Snowpoke Party Invitation: This wintry party invitation reminds me so much of Ralphie's aspirations to be a cowboy!
Fortune Cookie & Takeout Box Ornaments: Ralphie's family ends up at a Chinese food restaurant on Christmas evening eating a "Chinese Turkey" as a result of the neighbor's dogs trashing their meal for the evening. It's funny, sweet, and so reminiscent of holiday times that don't go perfectly but end up fun anyway.
A Ralphie Finger Puppet: Who hasn't gotten a Christmas gift that wasn't quite their style!?
An 80's inspired Christmas dress: Look the part and infuse a little bit of early 80's inspired fashion into your holiday wardrobe. Help me though- have you seen this dress?!? I think it's adorable, but I misplaced the link. Let me know in a comment if you've spied it anywhere on the web!
I hope you find your equivalent to a Red Ryder BB Gun under your tree this year and that you don't find your tongue stuck to a flagpole.







