“A Christmas Story” Summary: “A Christmas Story” is a heartwarming, nostalgic, and timeless holiday classic that has captivated audiences since its release in 1983. Directed by Bob Clark and based on Jean Shepherd’s semi-autobiographical stories from his book “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash,” the film takes viewers on a nostalgic journey to the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana. The story revolves around young Ralphie Parker, played by Peter Billingsley, and his unwavering quest to receive the ultimate Christmas gift: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Despite the constant reminder that “you’ll shoot your eye out,” Ralphie remains determined to make his dream come true.
Filled with memorable characters, quotable lines, and hilarious moments, “A Christmas Story” showcases the relatable, endearing, and often chaotic nature of the holiday season. The film delves into the lives of the Parker family, including Ralphie’s loving but frazzled mother, played by Melinda Dillon, and his gruff but well-meaning father, portrayed by Darren McGavin. Through comical vignettes and a series of misadventures, the movie explores themes of childhood innocence, family dynamics, and the magic of Christmas. With its unforgettable scenes and warm storytelling, “A Christmas Story” has earned its place as a cherished holiday tradition for generations of viewers.
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“A Christmas Story” Trivia Questions and Answers 1. Who wrote the original stories that inspired “A Christmas Story”? Reveal Answer A: Charles Dickens. 2. Who directed “A Christmas Story”? Reveal Answer Answer: Bob Clark
3. What does Ralphie Parker, the main character, want for Christmas? Reveal Answer Answer: A Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle
4. In which fictional town is “A Christmas Story” set?
Reveal Answer Answer: Hohman, Indiana 5. What is the name of Ralphie’s younger brother?
Reveal Answer Answer: Randy Parker 6. What is the name of the actress who played Ralphie’s mother?
Reveal Answer Answer: Melinda Dillon 7. What is the name of the actor who played Ralphie’s father, also known as “The Old Man”?
Reveal Answer Answer: Darren McGavin 8. Who is the bully that torments Ralphie and his friends throughout the film?
Reveal Answer Answer: Scut Farkus 9. What is the name of Ralphie’s teacher?
Reveal Answer Answer: Miss Shields 10. What phrase does Ralphie’s father use to describe the leg lamp he won?
Reveal Answer Answer: “A major award” 11. What does Ralphie’s mother do to prevent Randy from getting cold while bundled up for winter?
Reveal Answer Answer: She wraps him in layers of clothes, making it difficult for him to move. 12. What is the name of the radio program that Ralphie listens to, which includes the decoder ring promotion?
Reveal Answer Answer: Little Orphan Annie 13. How does Ralphie ultimately break his glasses?
Reveal Answer Answer: While trying to prove his shooting skills with his new BB gun, a BB ricochets off a target and hits his glasses, breaking them. 14. What happens to Flick, one of Ralphie’s friends, when he accepts a “triple dog dare” to stick his tongue to a frozen pole?
Reveal Answer Answer: His tongue gets stuck to the pole, and the fire department has to rescue him. 15. What is the meal that Ralphie’s family ends up eating on Christmas Day?
Reveal Answer Answer: Chinese food, specifically Peking Duck, as their holiday turkey was ruined by the neighbor’s dogs. 16. What is the name of the department store where Ralphie first sees the Red Ryder BB gun?
Reveal Answer Answer: Higbee’s 17. What does Ralphie accidentally blurt out when he is helping his father change a flat tire?
Reveal Answer Answer: “Oh, fudge!” (except he doesn’t actually say “fudge”) 18. What is the name of the soap that Ralphie’s mother uses to wash his mouth out with after he says the “f-word”?
Reveal Answer Answer: Lifebuoy 19. What is Ralphie’s response when his mother asks him where he heard the “f-word”?
Reveal Answer Answer: He blames it on his friend Schwartz, although he actually heard it from his father. 20. How does Ralphie ultimately defeat Scut Farkus, the neighborhood bully?
Reveal Answer Answer: He loses his temper and beats him up in a fit of rage. 21. How does Ralphie’s father respond when Ralphie is given a pink bunny suit as a gift from his Aunt Clara?
Reveal Answer Answer: He laughs and says that Ralphie looks like a “deranged Easter Bunny.” 22. What does Ralphie’s father use to fix the broken furnace in their home?
Reveal Answer Answer: He uses various tools, including a hammer and a wrench, but ultimately fails to permanently fix the furnace. 23. In which year is “A Christmas Story” set?
Reveal Answer Answer: The movie is set in the 1940s, although the exact year is not specified. 24. What is the name of the actor who played adult Ralphie and provided the voiceover narration for the film?
Reveal Answer Answer: Jean Shepherd, the same person who wrote the original stories. 25. How did the production team create the illusion of snow throughout the film?
Reveal Answer Answer: They used a combination of firefighting foam, potato flakes, and non-toxic snow-like material. 26. What is the name of the song that Ralphie’s family sings in the car on their way to pick up their Christmas tree?
Reveal Answer Answer: “Jingle Bells” 27. What does Ralphie’s father say when he opens his gift from his wife, a blue bowling ball?
Reveal Answer Answer: He says, “A blue ball! How’d you know, honey?” before accidentally dropping it on his foot. 28. What does Ralphie see in his daydream when he imagines himself using his Red Ryder BB gun to save his family?
Reveal Answer Answer: He sees himself shooting Black Bart, a fictional outlaw, and his gang.
Reveal Answer Answer: Grover Dill 30. What does Santa say to Ralphie after listening to his wish for a Red Ryder BB gun?
Reveal Answer Answer: Santa tells him, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid,” and then pushes him down the slide with his foot. 31. How does Ralphie’s mother trick Randy into eating his dinner?
Reveal Answer Answer: She tells him to pretend he is a piggy and eat like one, which Randy finds amusing and proceeds to eat his meal. 32. What is the name of the actor who played Scut Farkus, the neighbourhood bully?
Reveal Answer Answer: Zack Ward 33. Which famous catchphrase from the film appears on promotional material and merchandise?
Reveal Answer Answer: “You’ll shoot your eye out!” 34. What holiday tradition does the Parker family attend, which includes a parade and a visit to Santa Claus?
Reveal Answer Answer: The Higbee’s department store’s holiday parade. 35. What does Ralphie receive as the secret message after decoding it with his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring?
Reveal Answer Answer: “Be sure to drink your Ovaltine,” which disappoints Ralphie, as it’s just a “crummy commercial.” 36. What is the name of the actor who played Flick, Ralphie’s friend who gets his tongue stuck to the frozen pole?
Reveal Answer Answer: Scott Schwartz 37. How long did it take to film “A Christmas Story”?
Reveal Answer Answer: The movie was filmed over a period of approximately 8 weeks. 38. What is the name of the iconic house used as the Parker family home in the movie?
Reveal Answer Answer: The house is known as the “A Christmas Story House” and is located in Cleveland, Ohio. 39. What happened to the original leg lamp prop from the movie?
Reveal Answer Answer: The original leg lamp was accidentally broken during the filming of the movie. 40. How many sequels were made to “A Christmas Story”?
Reveal Answer Answer: Two sequels were made: “My Summer Story” (1994) and “A Christmas Story 2” (2012). 41. What is the name of the actor who played Ralphie Parker?
Reveal Answer Answer: Peter Billingsley 42. What is the name of the author who co-wrote the screenplay for “A Christmas Story” with Jean Shepherd?
Reveal Answer Answer: Leigh Brown 43. In 2012, which television network started airing “A Christmas Story” for 24 hours straight as a holiday tradition?
Reveal Answer Answer: TBS (Turner Broadcasting System) 44. How many total BBs could Ralphie’s dream Red Ryder BB gun hold?
Reveal Answer Answer: The Red Ryder BB gun could hold up to 650 BBs. 45. Which two actors from “A Christmas Story” later appeared together in the 1990 film “Coupe de Ville”?
Reveal Answer Answer: Peter Billingsley (Ralphie) and Yano Anaya (Grover Dill). 46. In what year was “A Christmas Story” added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress?
Reveal Answer Answer: 2012 47. What is the name of the book that Jean Shepherd’s semi-autobiographical stories were published in, which served as the basis for the movie?
Reveal Answer Answer: “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” 48. What is the name of the song playing during the opening credits of “A Christmas Story”?
Reveal Answer Answer: “Deck the Halls” by the Percy Faith Orchestra 49. In which country were some of the exterior winter scenes filmed, due to a lack of snow in Cleveland, Ohio, at the time?
Reveal Answer Answer: Canada, specifically the cities of St. Catharines and Toronto in Ontario. 50. Which actor from “A Christmas Story” later became a successful film producer?
Reveal Answer Answer: Peter Billingsley (Ralphie), who has produced films such as “Iron Man” (2008) and “The Break-Up” (2006). 51. What was the budget of “A Christmas Story”?
Reveal Answer Answer: The estimated budget for the film was around $4 million. 52. In what year did the “A Christmas Story” house in Cleveland open as a museum?
Reveal Answer Answer: 2006 Sharing is Caring:
