Christmas is swiftly approaching and I still
have to tell you about my favorite Christmas TV specials. So far, I have posted
about “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.” Today I
have a different spin.
I guess this movie makes the cut because who hasn’t been a
kid with one and only one gift on their wish list. Ok, I don’t remember ever
being that kid. I remember waking up every Christmas morning oblivious to what
might be under the tree, filled with joy that there were presents to unwrap and
Christmas cookies to eat. Some details of my childhood are remarkable. Alas, wishes
of Christmas past are not.
Maybe that’s why we all love this movie so much. We want to
return to our childhoods and be filled with the hope and expectation of getting
that one gift we want.
For Ralphie, it naturally is the Red Ryder Carbine Action
200-shot Range Model air rifle. Which of course is destined to shoot his eye
out.
Which brings up the myriad number of quotes we all know: “My
brother looked like a tick about to pop.” “I’d gone out of my skull.” “Only I
didn’t say fudge.” “He looks like a pink nightmare.” “Schwartz created a slight
breach of etiquette by skipping the triple dare and going right for the throat!”
“Fra-GEE-leh!
It must be Italian!” “He worked in profanity the way other artists might work
in oils or clay.” “All right! Everybody upstairs! Get dressed! We are going
out... to eat.”
Then there are the similarities to our current lives. Well,
mine at least. Every night during the winter, when it is cold and we feel sorry
for our three outside cats who have heated beds inside the garage, and we let
them in the back door, they rush into the house just like the Bumpuses dogs.
True story.
But what matters is that all is right with the world on Christmas day.
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