STUDY GUIDE
To The Students
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL is based on the classic movie, A Christmas Story.
The story is the same, but the presentation is very different as this is a live, musical
performance on stage. For those of you that know the movie, note the adaptations that are
made in presenting this story as a theatrical production. Note how music, lyrics and
underscoring are used to enhance the scenes as well as sets, lights, sound, costumes and
props. Remember, there are always many ways to tell the same story.
To The Teachers
Thank you for choosing to bring your students to see A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE
MUSICAL. This Study Guide is intended to enhance your trip to the theater so that you will
have some fun and interesting education links for pre- and post-performance activities. We
hope this material will create a more comprehensive theatrical experience for your students.
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL is based on the Warner Brother’s movie classic, A
Christmas Story and Jean Shepherd’s book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.
Though the stage adaptation you are about to see is marketed as a “family musical,” it is
based on a PG-rated movie and Jean Shepherd’s humor. Therefore, it includes some
sophisticated comedy and a little bit of off-color language (as seen in the movie).
About the Movie
Ralphie Parker wants only one thing for Christmas: an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action
200-shot Range Model Air Rifle. Set in the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana,
A Christmas Story tells of Ralphie’s desperate quest to ensure that this most perfect of gifts
ends up under his tree this Christmas.
The biggest obstacle standing in his way is his mother’s fear that “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
But Ralphie is a man with a mission, and he hatches a series of schemes designed to win
his coveted holiday prize.
Along the way, he has to deal with his annoying little brother, a friend with his tongue frozen
to a lamppost, a yellow-eyed bully, a cantankerous department store Santa, the neighbor’s
dogs, his old man’s obsession with a “major award” he’s won in a contest, his mom’s militant
defense of her Christmas turkey, a smoke-belching furnace, and an untimely, four-lettered
slip of the tongue.
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL is based on the classic 1983 movie, which itself
was based on stories by legendary radio humorist Jean Shepherd. With songs both funny
and sentimental by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a faithful yet inventive book by Joseph
Robinette, A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL paints a refreshing holiday portrait of
simpler time in America. Unforgettably capturing every child’s holiday wonder with
deliciously wicked wit, a nostalgic eye, and a heart of gold, it’s a Christmas present that
audiences of all ages will be sure to embrace and cherish for generations to come.
About the Musical Based on the Movie
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL began life, of course, in the mind of author, radio
host, raconteur, and comic genius Jean Shepherd. Based on his childhood in 1930s
Indiana, Shepherd spun a series of tales that he either published as short stories, read for
his radio audience, or presented live on the college circuit. Among these were “Duel in the
Snow or Red Ryder Nails the Cleveland Street Kid,” “Flick’s Tongue,” and “My Old Man and
The Lascivious Special Award That Heralded The Birth of Pop Art.”
These stories and others were woven together by Shepherd, screenwriter Leigh Brown, and
director Bob Clark into a screenplay for the 1983 MGM film A Christmas Story, starring Peter
Billingsley, Darren McGavin, and Melinda Dillon. In its theatrical release, the film’s box
office performance was only mediocre, but after Ted Turner purchased the MGM film library
in 1986 (and Time Warner subsequently acquired Turner Entertainment Co.), the film found
new life on cable television. Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing through the 90s until
today, A Christmas Story has steadily grown in popularity and now occupies the top spot on
several prominent lists of all-time favorite Christmas movies. For more than a decade, TNT
has broadcast a 24-hour marathon of the film each holiday season that has set ratings
records.
In the year 2000, an authorized stage play adaptation of A Christmas Story was written by
Phillip Grecian which is widely produced each holiday season.
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL made its Broadway debut in November of 2012,
where it was both a popular and critical success. The show enjoyed a record-breaking run
at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 45
th
Street, just off of Times Square in New York City. This
new hit musical has a book by Joseph Robinette, music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin
Paul, direction by Tony®-winning director John Rando, choreography by Warren Carlyle, set
by Walt Spangler, costumes by Elizabeth Hope Clancy, lighting by Howell Binkley and
sound by Ken Travis. The Broadway show starred Dan Lauria as Jean Shepherd, John
Bolton as The Old Man, Erin Dilly as Mother, Zac Ballard as Randy, Caroline O’Connor as
Miss Shields and Johnny Rabe as Ralphie.
“I was dazzled.” – The New York Times
“The best darn musical I have seen in years.” – WOR Radio
“A Charming triumph of imagination.” – Associated Press
“The most fun I have had at a Broadway musical all year.” – New York Observer
“The tuner boasts a heartwarming but wise story, an impressive score, canny staging and a
series of laugh-out-loud production numbers.” - Variety
A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL also received Tony® nominations for Best Musical,
Best Score and Best Book. The holiday musical was named one of the Top 10 Shows of
2012 by Time Magazine, achieved recognition as the #1 Musical of 2012 in USA Today and
received Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Outstanding New Broadway
Musical.
About Jean Shepherd
Jean Shepherd (1921-1999) is a familiar name to millions of people who enjoy the annual
television marathon showing of the 1983 holiday film A Christmas Story. Shepherd based
the film, which he co-authored, on his 1966 collection of short stories about growing up in
small town Indiana, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. Over the decades, the film, in
which Shepherd’s voice is heard as the narrator, has developed a cult-like following. A
simple Google search for “A Christmas Story, movie” turns up more than 59,000,000 results.
The movie became an instant classic due to Shepherd’s uproariously funny, ironic and
honest portrayal of the euphoria and manic anticipation families experience around
Christmas time. Shepherd’s irreverent personality made him the natural choice to narrate
the film. He even makes a cameo appearance in the film as one of the disgruntled
customers waiting in line for Santa Claus.
During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, he was the sardonic host of a nightly radio program on
WOR in New York where his scorching comedy and witty observations on the human
condition made him on of radio’s most popular personalities. Although he claimed that his
shows took days of preparation, people who worked with him say he improvised most of his
talk. For the length of the program, Shepherd would wax philosophical about life, his
childhood, his army days and the general human condition. He addressed his listeners as
“you fatheads,” and used his favorite word, “excelsior,” repeatedly with varying definitions.
After Shepherd finished his career with WOR, he wrote a column for The Village Voice,
published short stories, and contributed articles to Reader’s Digest, Town & Country, and a
variety of other publications. He also became a noted screenwriter, and starred in his own
television programs over the years.
During his final years, Shepherd and his fourth wife, Leigh Brown, moved to Sanibel Island,
Florida, where he died of natural causes on October 16, 1999. A year after his death,
Shepherd was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Jean Shepherd Trivia
Provided the voice of the Narrator/Father character in the “Carousel of Progress,” an attraction at Disneyland and Walt Disney
World theme parks.
Inspired the deejay character in Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road (1957), Jason Robards’ character in the play A Thousand
Clowns (1965), and Peter Finch’s famous rant in the movie Network (1976).
He is mentioned in the “Dictionary of American Slang” in the entry for “Night People,” which is defined as “People who work
or
live at night, sleeping during the day” and “Noncomformists.” The dictionary goes on to credit Shep: “Pop. by N.Y. City disk jockey
and social commentator Jean Shepherd, c.1956.” In his early years of radio on WOR in New York, during his late night broadcasts,
Shep referred to his listeners as “Night People” often explaining how they differed from “Day People.”
Early in his tenure at WOR, he and his listeners decided to play a prank on the New York Times best-seller list. He suggested that
they go to bookstores around the city and start asking for a book that didn’t exist. The listeners suggested the title (I, Libertine!), an
author name (Frederick Ewing), and even gave this fictitious author a fairly detailed biography. The phony book and its phony
author were soon a hot topic in transatlantic publishing circles, appearing on best-seller lists, getting mentioned in Earl Wilson’s
syndicated gossip column, and even getting “banned in Boston.” Finally, one of his listeners, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal,
persuaded him that it was time to let the rest of the world in on the joke. By then, the book was such a big deal that Ballantine
Publishing asked Shepherd to actually write a book called I, Libertine!, and with the help of science-fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon,
he did.
Steve Allen, who listened to Shepherd on WOR, suggested him as his replacement on “Tonight!” (the first of the “Tonight
Show”
series) in the late 1950s. NBC went with Jack Paar instead, deciding that Shepherd was too caustic and unconventional to host a
network show.
Was a licensed amateur (ham) radio operator with the call sign K2ORS. Following his death, another ham took over Jean’s call sign
to honor his memory.
He provided all the voices for the “Sesame Street” skit, “Cowboy X” (1972).
Shepherd helped John Cassavetes raise money to film Shadows (1959) by having John on his show as one of his rare guests in
February 1957. The grateful Cassavetes expressed his thanks in the opening credits of the movie. A title reads: “Presented by J
ean
Shepherd’s Night People.” Shepherd also appears in a crowd sequence in the film, smoking a cigarette.
He wrote a column for The Village Voice weekly newspaper in New York City, called “The Night People Column” (1956-57).
In
1976, the International Platform Association awarded him its Mark Twain American Humor Award.
Awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Indiana University in 1995.
Posthumously inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame on November 13, 2000. Shep’s longtime friend Irwin
Zwilling accepted the award on his behalf.
In 2002, his home-town of Hammond, Indiana, named the new Community Center in Dowling Park the “Jean Shepherd
Community Center.” On April 7, 1981, he had received the city’s second annual Hammond Achievement Award.
Life in Ralphie’s World
Although the year in which the movie takes place is not specifically stated, the year is
probably 1940. This was just as the Great Depression was coming to an end and just
before the United States entered World War II.
The world of Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story is very different from life today.
Televisions were very rare. Instead, radios and newspapers provided an information lifeline
for Americans. Whole families gathered around the radio to listen to news broadcasts and
popular programs like “Little Orphan Annie,” quiz shows, mysteries, dramas, music and
sports.
Here are just a few toys, popular items of the day, and historic events in Ralphie’s world…
Red Ryder BB Guns
were the preference of Red Ryder, a fiction comic book cowboy in the
1940s. But the Red Ryder air gun, with its lever action, spring piston, smooth bore barrel,
adjustable iron sights, and a gravity feed magazine with a 650 BB capacity was a real
product and highly desired by many American boys. The Red Ryder “Range Model
Carbine-Action BB Gun” in the movie was a fictional mode from Jean Shepherd’s
imagination. It included a compass and “this thing that tells time” which were never a part of
the Red Ryder BB Gun. The “Buck Jones” Daisy Air Rifle did have a compass and sundial
in the stock and could have served as an inspiration.
Boy, It’s A Daisy!
The Daisy Air Rifle Company actually had its beginnings back in 1882,
as the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company, a manufacturer of windmills in Plymouth, Michigan.
However by the 1880s, the windmill business was changing and the struggling company
began looking for new ways to attract customers.
In 1886, Plymouth inventor Clarence Hamilton introduced a new idea to the windmill
company. It was a combination of metal and wire, vaguely resembling a gun that could fire
a lead ball using compressed air. Lewis Cass Hough, then president of the firm, gave it a try
and, after his first shot, enthusiastically exclaimed “Boy, that’s a daisy!” The name stuck and
the BB gun went into production as a premium item give to farmers when they purchased a
windmill. The gun was such a huge success that Plymouth Iron Windmill soon began
manufacturing the Daisy BB gun in place of windmills! On January 26, 1895, the company’s
board of directors officially voted to change the name to Daisy Manufacturing Company, Inc.
The sturdy little Daisy BB gun quickly became a staple with American youth. Youngsters all
across the land cut their shooting teeth on a Daisy. Competition was keen at the time, with
guns such as Bulls Eye, Dewey, Hero, Dandy, Atlas and others appearing almost overnight
and disappearing just as quickly. Over the years, Daisy has continue to improve and
expand their line of airguns, putting model after model within the reach of every young
shooter’s pocketbook and skill level.
In 1958, Daisy moved their offices and manufacturing facilities from Plymouth to Rogers,
Arkansas, where the company continued to prosper and grow. One gun, more than any
other, played a major role in making Daisy the household name it is today. Introduced in
1939, the Daisy Red Ryder sold more than 9 million units, easily making it the most famous
BB gun ever built! Today, Daisy has become a household word, selling guns in almost
every country and on five continents.
The Little Orphan Annie Show
was one of the first 15-
minute daily radio serials made for children. The show was sponsored by Ovaltine and ran
from 1930 to the early 1940s. It was inspired by the daily American comic strip by Harold
Gray about a young orphan girl, her dog Sandy, and her guardian, Daddy Warbucks. They
encounter many adventures including gangsters, spies and kidnappers. The show was also
known for its opening theme song sung by Pierre Andre.
Ovaltine
is a brand of milk flavoring created in 1904 in Switzerland and is still available
today. The powdery mix, made of sugar, malt extract, cocoa and whey, is often mixed with
warm or hot milk. As a sponsor for The Little Orphan Annie Show, Ovaltine offered Secret
Decoder Rings in exchange for proofs of purchase.
Decoder Rings
were all the rage during the golden age of radio, lending an air of
participation to popular radio shows like the Little Orphan Annie Show.
Shirley Temple Dolls
were manufactured by Ideal Toys and Novelty Company and were
fashioned after Shirley Temple, the child star known for films such as Bright Eyes, Heidi, and
The Little Princess.
Lionel Trains
were electric toy trains and model railroads that were embellished with hand-
painted details and authentic elements. Elaborate train displays were often featured as part
of department store Christmas displays and a Lionel Train Set was routinely found under the
tree on Christmas morning.
Open Road for Boys
was a popular boy’s outdoor adventure fiction magazine from 1919 to
1950 that featured advertisements for model airplanes and Red Ryder products.
Jujubes
are a candy drop created in 1920 that are still available today. Originally, it was a
hard candy that you had to suck on and the original flavors were lilac, violet, rose, spearmint
and lemon.
The Movies.
Ralphie may have read books like Daniel Boone and Make Way for Ducklings,
but one of the most popular forms of entertainment was at the local movie house where he
might have seen National Velvet, Lassie Come Home, Flash Gordon, Roy Rogers and
Superman. Ralphie could go to see a double feature, with newsreels and a cartoon-plus a
candy bar-for only a dime!
Radio Flyer
is a brand of toy wagons and sleds that are still popular today. The Radio Flyer
Company was founded in 1920 by Antonio Pasin, when he began his business by making
wagons at night in his little woodworking shop and selling them by day. During the 20s,
using the auto industry as inspiration, Pasin began using metal-stamping technology to
produce steel wagons, and applied mass production techniques to wagon making. These
innovations earned Pasin the nickname, “Little Ford.” To date, Radio Flyer is the #1 wagon
maker in the world.
From 1942-1945, Radio Flyer was asked to stop wagon production and focus all its
manufacturing effort on making five gallon steel “blitz cans,” used to transport fuel and water
during the war. On July 14, 1945, Radio Flyer was awarded the Army-Navy “E” Award, for
high achievement in producing materials needed for the war.
In 2003, Antonio Pasin was honored by becoming the 44
th
toy innovator inducted into the
Toy Industry Hall of Fame.
Zeppelin.
Randy falls asleep under the Christmas tree with a toy Zeppelin or airship in his
arms. A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von
Zeppelin in the early 20
th
century. Given the outstanding success of the Zeppelin design,
the term “Zeppelin” in casual use came to refer to all rigid airships. Zeppelins were operated
by the Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG (DELAG), the first commercial airline, and served
scheduled flights before World War I. After the outbreak of the war, the German military
made extensive use of Zeppelins as bombers and scouts.
The World War I defeat of Germany in 1918 halted the airship business temporarily. But
under the guidance of Hugo Eckener, the deceased count’s successor, civilian Zeppelins
became popular in the 1920s. Their heyday was during the 1930s when the airships LZ 127
Graf Zeppelin and LZ 129 Hindenburg operated regular transatlantic flights from Germany to
North America and Brazil. The Art Deco spire of the Empire State Building was originally (if
impractically) designed to serve as a dirigible terminal for Zeppelins and other airships to
dock. The Hindenburg disaster in 1937, along with political and economic issues, hastened
the demise of the Zeppelin.
The Hindenburg was an airship that was the center of a disaster that took place on
Thursday, May 6, 1937, as the German passenger airship caught fire and was destroyed
during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, located
near the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey. Of the 97 passengers on board (36
passengers, 61 crew), there were 35 fatalities as well as one ground crew death.
The disaster was the subject of spectacular newsreel coverage, photographs, and Herbert
Morrison’s famous recorded radio eyewitness report from the landing field, which was
broadcast the next day. The actual cause of the fire remains unknown, although a variety of
hypotheses have been put forward for both the cause of ignition and the initial fuel for the
ensuing fire. The incident shattered public confidence in the giant, passenger-carrying, rigid
airship and marked the end of the airship era.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street stock market crash in October of 1929 and
rapidly spread worldwide. The crash marked the beginning of a decade of high
unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities
for economic growth and personal advancement. Although its causes are still uncertain and
controversial, the effect was a sudden and general loss of confidence in the economic
future, creating a downward economic spiral of reduced spending, falling confidence, and
lowered production.
Banks began to fail in October 1930 – one year after the crash – when farmers defaulted on
loans. There was no Federal Deposit Insurance during that time as bank failures were
considered quite common. This worried depositors that they might have a chance of losing
all of their savings, therefore, people started to withdraw money and changed it into
currency. As deposits taken out from the bank increased, the money multiplier decreased,
which means money circulation is slowed down. This led to a decrease in the money
supply, an increase in interest rates and a significant decrease in investment.
Economists dispute how much weight to give the stock market crash of October 1929, but it
undoubtedly played a role in the initial depression. It clearly changes sentiment about and
expectations of the future, shifting the outlook from very positive to negative, with a
dampening effect on investment and entrepreneurship. Double-digit unemployment figures
characterized the depression years.
Industries that suffered the most were construction, agriculture (as dust-bowl conditions
persisted in the agricultural heartland), shipping, mining, and logging, as well as the
manufacture of durable goods like automobiles and appliances. The economy reached
bottom in the winter of 1932-33. Then came four years of very rapid growth until 1937,
when the recession of 1937 brought back the 1934 levels of unemployment. The
depression caused major political changes in America. Three years into the depression,
Herbert Hoover lost the 1932 presidential election to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a
sweeping landslide. Roosevelt’s economic recovery plan, The New Deal, instituted
unprecedented programs for relief, recovery and reform, and brought about a major change
in the role government played in Americans’ lives.
In the “First New Deal” of 1933-34, programs sought to provide work and relief through
increased government spending. In 1934-36, through the “Second New Deal,” Roosevelt
and his party added Social Security, and a national relief agency called the Works Progress
Administration (WPA). Through the National Labor Relations Board, Roosevelt added a
strong stimulus to the growth of labor unions.
The Great Depression and The New Deal remain benchmarks amongst economists for
evaluating severe financial downturns, such as the economic crisis of 2008, and the United
States’ present economic situation.
The Great Depression Facts & Figures
In 1929—before the Depression began—the unemployment rate averaged 3%.
In the 1920s, the banking system in the U.S. was responsible for about $50 billion, which was about 50% of GDP.
Between 1929 and 1932, industrial production fell by nearly 45% and homebuilding dropped by 80%.
From 1929 to 1932, about 5,000 banks went out of business.
By 1933, 11,000 of the 25,000 U.S. banks had failed.
Between 1929 and 1933, U.S. GDP fell around 30% and the stock market lost almost 90% of its value.
Corporate profits had dropped from $10 billion in 1929 to $1 billion in 1932.
13 million people became unemployed. In 1932, 34 million people belonged to families with no regular full-time wage earner.
In 1933, 25% of all workers and 37% of all nonfarm workers were unemployed.
In Cleveland, the unemployment rate was 50%; in Toledo, Ohio, 80%.
One Soviet trading corporation in New York averaged 350 applications a day from Americans seeking jobs in the Soviet Union.
More than one million families lost their farms between 1930 and 1934.
Between 1929 and 1932, the income of the average American family was reduced by 40%.
Nine million savings accounts were wiped out between 1930 and 1933.
273,000 families had been evicted from their homes by 1932.
There were two million homeless people migrating around the country.
Over 60% of Americans were categorized as poor by the federal government in 1933.
In the last prosperous year (1929), there were 279,678 immigrants recorded, but in 1933 only 23,068 came to the U.S.
In the early 1930s, more people emigrated from the United States than immigrated to it.
With little economic activity, there was scant demand for new coinage. No nickels or dimes were minted in 1932-33, no
quarter dollars in 1931 or 1933, no half dollars from 1930-32, and no silver dollars in the years 1929-33.
The U.S. government sponsored a Mexican Repatriation program which was intended to encourage people to voluntarily move
to Mexico, but thousands, including some U.S. citizens, were deported against their will. Altogether about 400,000 Mexicans
were repatriated.
New York social workers reported that 25% of all schoolchildren were malnourished. In the mining counties of West Virginia,
Illinois, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, the proportion of malnourished children was perhaps as high as 90%.
Many people became ill with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB).
1940 Trivia
U.S. President: Franklin D. Roosevelt
World Series Winner: Cincinnati Reds
NFL Champion: Chicago Bears
Stanley Cup Winner: New York Rangers
Golf, U.S. Open Winner: Lawson Little
Tennis, U.S. Open Winners: Donald McNeil/Alice Marble
NCAA Football Champion: Minnesota
NCAA Basketball Champion: Indiana
Kentucky Derby Winner: Gallahadia
Fashion Icons: Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Betty Grable
Time Magazine Man of the Year: Winston Churchill
Miss America: Francis Burke, Philadelphia, PA
#1 Pop Standard Song: “When You Wish Upon A Star” by Glenn Miller
Academy Award, Best Picture: The Grapes of Wrath
#1 Best-selling Book: How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn
Newberry Award, Childrens Book: Daniel Boone by James Dougherty
Most popular toy/Christmas gift: Red Ryder BB Gun
Pre-Performance Classroom Activities
DISCUSSION TOPICS
Have a discussion about who has seen the movie A Christmas Story. Emphasize to the students that the musical is based on the move
and there will be similarities as well as differences.
Have the students been to the theatre to see a live musical production before? Discuss the shows they have seen.
Discuss why it is important to be respectful of the live actors on stage. Discuss the many differences between watching a movie at
home and going to the theatre to see a show.
In addition to the actors on stage, discuss the importance of being respectful to those seated around you.
Discuss the various art forms and disciplines used in producing a musical.
o
Sets & Carpentry
o
Painting
o
Costumes
o
Makeup
o
Props
o
Sound
o
Music
o
Lyrics and Poetry
o
Drama
o
Voice & Singing
o
Dancing & Movement
Discuss how all these disciplines are put together to make a show and how the actors must work as a team.
VOCABULARY WORDS
Prize Stock Poison Department Store
Subtle Maneuver Appointed Connection
Fragile Epic Benefit Fuse
Insinuate Struggle Conclusion Retribution
Boggle Fluidity Cabbage Spectacular
Ozone Emporium Jealous Icicle
Glorious Plastic Shattered Gradually
Beautiful Academic Remains Season
Symbol Fudge Annihilation Christmas
Victory Guillotine Disappointed Marauders
Radio Connoisseur Explanation Nuance
Electric Profanity Equations Remorse
Natural Justice Hound Dog Eloquent
Margin Mysterious Mangy Bully
Compass Punishment Strange Victim
Theme Stricken Santa Claus
1. Look up the definitions of the words in the dictionary
2. Do you remember how the vocabulary words were used in the show?
3. Write sentences using the vocabulary words.
4. Write a “theme” using the above vocabulary words. Perhaps the topic could be “What I want for Christmas.” Use as many of the words as you
can.
5. Have a spelling bee using the vocabulary words.
Questions About The Show
1. Where did the story take place?
2. What was the name of the town’s department store?
3. What were the Parker boys’ names?
4. What did Ralphie want for Christmas?
5. What was Mr. Parker’s “clinker” in the basement?
6. What did Mr. Parker do to win the “Major Award”?
7. What was Mr. Parker’s “Major Award”?
8. What was the school bully’s name?
9. What was Ralphie’s teacher’s name?
10. On what did Flick get his tongue stuck?
11. Who came to help Flick unstick his tongue?
12. What brand of soap did Mrs. Parker use to wash out Ralphie’s mouth?
13. What was Ralphie and Randy’s favorite radio program?
14. What was Ralphie waiting for in the mail?
15. What did Ralphie’s mother say when he asked for a BB gun for Christmas?
16. What was “the mother of all dares”?
17. Why couldn’t Randy put his arms down?
18. Who had yellow eyes?
19. What were the neighbor’s pets called?
20. How did Mrs. Parker get Randy to eat his potatoes?
21. The crate that contained the “Major Award” had what message on it?
22. What did Aunt Clara make for Ralphie?
23. What happened to the Parker’s turkey?
24. Where did the Parkers go for Christmas dinner?
ANSWERS
1. Hohman, Indiana
2. Higbee’s
3. Ralphie and Randy
4. A Red Ryder BB Gun
5. The furnace
6. He completed a crossword puzzle
7. A leg lamp
8. Scut Farkus
9. Miss Shields
10. On the flagpole
11. The fire and police departments
12. Lifebuoy
13. The Little Orphan Annie Show
14. The Decoder Pin
15. “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
16. The Triple Dog Dare
17. His snowsuit was too puffy
18. Scut Farkus
19. The Bumpus Hounds
20. She told him to “Eat like the piggies eat.”
21. Fragile
22. A pink bunny suit
23. It was eaten by the Bumpus hounds
24. A Chinese restaurant
