12 Days of Xmas #12: A Christmas Story 

An old pal of mine was given an air rifle as a kid. While walking with it using it like a walking stick (and loaded) it went off, the pellet went right up his nose and lodged in his skull. They had to peel the front of his skull off to get it out. Left quite the scar.

The genius of A Christmas Story as something to put on around the holidays is that it's something you can tune in and out of, people can wander in, watch a favorite part, and wander back out to get more cookies or food. People can show up to it any time, going, 'Oh is this the part where "X"?" And when you need to stop the movie to do something else, you're always close to a pausable moment.

It's pretty much the only Christmas movie I watch these days. Sweet without being unbearably sappy, hilarious, and definitely relatable as someone who grew up in the midwest.

Bob Clark had such a unique filmography. A couple of genuinely fucked up bangers (Black Christmas, Deathdream, Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, A Christmas Story) as well as Porky’s and the entire Baby Geniuses franchise. Weird dude!

Ralphie's dad is Kolchak: The Night Stalker. I presume that Ralphie and the rest of the family suffered some weird and horrible fate.

As an Australian, I never saw this until recently. Just kinda assumed it was some dumb bullshit. But it really is good fun. I think "charming" is a good description. Also "quirky" might get a look in.

My grandfather was Ralphie's age in 1940 and absolutely confirmed that a Red Rider BB gun was what every boy at the time wanted

What I enjoy about A Christmas Story is how it adapts Jean Shepherd's stories about his childhood, really capturing the tone and perspectives. There is a pessimistic perspective of powerlessness & of things not going to plan but the characters try to carry on.

Im a swede so 24 is christmas for me and i just watched all the days of christmas in a row. I just want to thank you for all the great suggestions. I havent watched movies in a long while but i just lost my job so now is the time. Merry christmas and God jul!

My dad, being from Cleveland, always goes into long lectures about every place in the city that movie filmed at, perhaps because it was filmed in Cleveland but it's not the movie's setting. I thought it was his own quirk, but turns out everyone from Cleveland will do this if you give them a chance.

And thus with the advent of Christmas, Hiptang returns to the stygian depths, sated for now….

In America we get kinda over exposed to this one. I must have seen it 30 times. It's still great though. That leg lamp is a classic!

My family's favorite. I hope one year I get to show them Bob Clark's true holiday masterpiece Black Christmas. It's perhaps the scariest film of all time.

In the mid 80's, Jean Shepard (the Author/Narrator) did a series on PBS called something like "Jean Shepard's america" or something like that. I was fairly young at the time, but I appreciated it quite a bit. I haven't seen it since that time, but since Jean Shepard was a fairly celebrated author of anecdotes, it's likely still existing around the web somewhere. S It sure beats the hell out of "Lake Wobegon days", and makes Garrison Keillor look like a hack of the lowest sort. I say that as someone who currently lives in the twin cities, where having such an opinion puts my life at risk by various lutefisk munching barbarians.

I watched it the first time last year, I'm 38, but I'm German and live in Germany, like some other American classics it's virtually unknown here. My favourite Christmas movie remains the Muppets Christmas Carol ever since my childhood, but yes, I really enjoyed Christmas Story, very witty and charming 😁

Has anyone, not seen this film? I am shocked He hasn't. I have seen this movie more than I have seen Christmases.

Totally agree, but wait until you’ve seen it 120 times!

It’s always the movie my family and I watch first thing on Christmas morning

They love Jean shepherd in the Midwest. I suspect a Christmas story was a massive hit there from the get go. My ex-girlfriend was from Indiana. Her dad venerated shepherd and had a book about him called “excelsior you fathead!” I was always intrigued by the title.

My go-to Christmas movie is Mousehunt. Built on 3-stooges/laurel & hardy slapstick but with a depth and subtlety in script and acting that was completely missed by the critics. Great cameo by Walken and top soundtrack too. Would love to see this in next year’s list Georg…

I love this movie it takes me back to my childhood back in the 80s and as a matter of fact I'm actually watching it right now. 😂 It's a little hard to escape since they play it on TNT all day Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but I wouldn't have it any other way.

“A series of vignettes” is how I’ve always described A Christmas Story.

The writer of the original short stories, Gene Shepherd, is also the narrator, which gives the VO a personal touch it might not have had if it had just been an actor doing it...

This story is based on his actual life, if you can find it the other adaptation is called "Ollie Hopnoodles Haven of Bliss" it takes place during their annual summer road trip when he is a teenager. You'll love it. Merry Christmas!

Hiptang can open dimensions of time that we could assume were only accessible by memory... Added: happy Christmas

Merry Christmas Georg

Jean Shepherd is the narrator and the source of the stories the film is built around; he had a Depression Era childhood which he often used for fodder on his WOR-AM show. Darren McGavin as his "old man" is a little nicer than the actual Father Shepherd, who abandoned his family and ran off with his secretary in the late 1930s.

I will always feel for that kid and getting that Ovaltine ad after all that effort of drinking and mailing for his set and waiting. Nothing is quite as demoralizing as going through all that just to find you went on an easter egg hunt for ANOTHER ad.

Merry Christmas!

Americans are always baffled that this is completely unknown in the Uk and given how good it is, it’s a fair point. I guess our 1940s childhoods were a bit different

Today I feel Hip Tang tastes like frogs legs and soap.

Holy cow, the Hiptang skit had me rolling XD

That 1980s engagement with the 1940s.

It's interesting that you picked two movies this year that relate to someone refecting on themselves. This and SLC Punk! I don't know what that says really. Just something I felt like pointing out.

It's like a universal experience that everyone says "Oh I just watched this movie for the first time recently", even Americans

I have never seen this movie as a fellow Brit. However, I know about the Red Ryder bb gun. Some things transcend cultural boundaries.

This film was partly filmed in my home town of Cleveland!

It’s pure Christmas!

Jeez, how much does Ralphie look like the kid who was in Stuart Little?

Never heard of this before RLM referenced it a while back. Star Wars, that's a propa chrimbo film, on every chrimbo morning back in the 80's.

Merry Xmas Georg

thank you for for all you videos man .they mean a lot to me for some reason more than other creators I enjoy,your the only person I have with notifications on its probably because of your dry humor that is a lot like mine next with a very interesting subject mostly round film.anyway I just wanted you that unfortunately I'm not in a position where I could donate to you financially but I truly love your stuff and hope you have a great Xmas with the beautiful ones you love...take care and obey hiptang

Ralphie looks so much like me at that age that my family teased me for years about my career as a child actor.

Merry Christmas

100% Best Xmas Movie.

This was a great movie that really captured the peaks and valleys of a kid's experience. My favorite scene was Christmas morning when Ralphie looked out the window and saw his yard covered in frost. Magical. I would suggest you avoid the live musical TV version of this story that they made years later. Just awful, if only because it thinks it's a lot more clever than the original.

And it's from the director of Black Christmas.

Hiptang mixes great with gin.

Still no Christmas dinner for dead hair.. My wolves will be mostly having pork chops and steamed veg... I don't eat anything so skinny enough to ride em

i woke this morning thinking if this movie. crazy

Merry Crimbus!

Nice one!

Until next year Hiptang

Everyone knows, this is the best Christmas movie... after "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam.

Hiptang: You don't need a Red Rider BB gun to lose an eye.

I wish you reviewed those movies in some depth and not just read the wikipedia summary and showed us clips though T_T I love your analysis.

Just don't watch the film ten times every year. Keep the love.

But which is better, Stalingrad or Die Hard? Note both have German bad guys 😅

Damn, so much hatred in the comments for a good movie. None of you were forced to watch it ad nauseam.

There is but one christmas movie. I must ask you do your ducts seem old fashioned? Out of date? Central Services new duct designs are available in hundreds of different colors (colours) to suit your individual taste. Hurry now while stocks last to your nearest Central Services Showroom. Designer colors (colours) to suit your demanding taste.

Don't forget to take your Hiptang pills and keep your helmet on.

I cannot fucking believe your doing a Christmas movie! 🤣

Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra.

I feel like there are christmas movie factions, I fall under the christmas vacation war banner. I consider this movie our sworn enemy.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:11 🎄 *Introduction to "A Christmas Story"* - Brief introduction to "A Christmas Story" (1983). - Personal experience of watching the film for the first time. - Mention of Elon Musk and a humorous pony-related anecdote. 00:43 📽️ *Overview of "A Christmas Story"* - Description of "A Christmas Story" as a simple narrative around 1940. - Ralphie's anticipation of Christmas and the Red Rider 200 shot range model air rifle. - Emphasis on the film's simplicity, lack of a central antagonist, and focus on family anecdotes. 01:32 🌟 *Witty Writing and Relatable Dynamics* - Recognition of the film's simplicity as a series of visual anecdotes. - Highlighting the witty writing and relatable family dynamics as central elements. - Mention of various scenes, such as buying Christmas trees and fixing tires. 01:59 😂 *Humor and Charm in "A Christmas Story"* - Acknowledgment of the humor in "A Christmas Story." - Appreciation for the film's ability to be wholesome without being overly sentimental. - Describing the movie as a charming cinematic example with a balance of humor. 02:25 🤔 *Reflection and Teaser for Next Video* - Reflecting on the humor and charm of the film. - Wondering if the character Ralphie ever lost an eye. - Teaser for the next video about pincers. Made with HARPA AI

Gonna cry?

Please provide a potential in-process beverage warning at the beginning of these videos. The "killed it and ate it" bit nearly caused an unintentional liquid regurgitation disaster. That is all. 😉

I would rather cancel Christmas then watch this movie ever again.

we meet again, Hiptang I have never seen A Christmas Story and I plan on never seeing it, just because.

One bit of advice Georg: Maybe don't watch the sequel, "Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss". Or even, A Christmas Story 2. Both of which star none of the same people from any of the others and are somewhat less well written.

Funny without ever being cheap? Without EVER being cheap? Come on now.

I saw this for the first time last year when I was watching one Christmas film every day in December leading up to Christmas day, and I was excited for this one because I heard it was a cult classic. But I hate to say I really thought it was mediocre and flat. It could just be because I like my Christmas films to have a bit of spice to them (I love Krampus and Black Christmas, for example) and this film felt more like an anthology film than a slice of life story. There wasn't any throughline for me to latch on to or any twists and turns to keep me invested, it was just a turducken of schmaltz, Christmas imagery and 50s nostalgia. I really didn't get anything out of it other than a headache. For me, it's definitely a less enjoyable Christmas film than Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas.

Interesting thing about "Christmas Story". Almost all the guys I know love the filmgoer al the reasons noted here. But the women... the women don't get it and don't understand why it's beloved. Sorta like The Three Stooges, I think. Least that's been my experience.

I absolutely hate this film... It is the perfect example of something that was funny at the time, but due to the US having a fetish with playing this movie on a loop for 24 hours every single year, many of us ended up hating it.

I would love it more if I hadn't seen it so god damn much! One of Ted Turner's channels used to host this movie for 24 hours (or more) over the Christmas holiday.🫤🎄🎁