Meg’s Top Ten Favorite Christmas Movies, Number Two: A Christmas Story

It's time to grab a mug of cocoa and cozy up with some of the greatest holiday films of all time. I'll spotlight one of my favorites each day until we reach #1.

Meg's Top Ten Favorite Christmas Movies

Number Two: A Christmas Story (1983)

A Christmas Story is billed as "A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas," and it certainly lives up to the hype. I have literally seen this movie too many times to give you an accurate count. My older sister and I grew up sharing a room, and every Christmas Eve, we'd watch A Christmas Story when it came on TBS. We'd stay up in our room all night and watch the movie over and over again, repeating the dialogue along with the characters.

The movie follows young Ralphie through the holiday season. He hopes to get a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas but is frequently chastized: You'll shoot your eye out! His crazy parents, friends at school, and kid brother all ensure that this Christmas will be one Raplhie will never forget.

Favorite moments in A Christmas Story: the double-dog dare, "Frah-gee-lay? That must be Italian!" the Bumpus' dogs, the visit to the mall Santa, Ralphie's soapy encounter after mutterting the mother of all curse words, "Drink. More. Ovaltine?" the bunny suit, Randy in the snowsuit, any scene with the Old Man being angry, Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant.

A Christmas Story is one of those iconic flicks you just have to see ever year. We all have crazy stories about family and friends during the holidays, so everyone can relate to Ralphie's trials and tribulations. I think one of the reasons I love A Christmas Story so much is its portrayal of the season through a child's eyes. Who doesn't remember counting down the days in agonizing pain, all while hoping for that one magical toy to be under the tree on Christmas morning? So what if you shoot your eye out--at least you had fun!

Pro Tip: TBS still shows A Christmas Story marathon beginning on Christmas Eve. Watch it with your family this year.

Next up on the countdown: my favorite Christmas movie of all time...