One of the funniest scenes from this Christmas movie classic released theatrically in 1983. Written by Jean Shepherd (from the novel “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”), Leigh Brown & Bob Clark. Directed by Bob Clark. Starring Peter Billingsley as Ralphie.

FUNNYFIXX NOTE: How I got to 1993 without seeing A Christmas Story during the holidays, I’ll never know. But when I moved to Los Angeles, my friend and mentor, Linda Seger introduced me to this funny family film.

Coming from the South where the right to bear arms is considered a blessing, I could identify with Ralphie’s obsession with getting a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas. I never wanted a BB gun myself since too many cousins had shot their eyes out, but my Santa obsession was with a go-cart. Growing up with a single mom who worked hard for her money, asking for such an extravagant gift was not cool. Yet, every waking moment before Christmas was spent thinking about how fast I could go in that electric blue go-cart. Christmas came and went. No go-cart. My mom made sure my sister and I didn’t know we were always between pay checks, so there were plenty of presents. Even at age 10, I suspect a go-cart was a symbol of equality with the boys, so I was determined to get one. When I turned 11, there it was…my go-cart of equality. I raced that thing flat out as fast as it would go until it blew up (less than two weeks after my birthday). Many Christmases later I got a real race car, well, as real as it gets for a few thousand dollars…a Formula Vee and autocrossed it until it blew up.

Long story longer…have a marvelous Christmas and don’t fall for the “tongue on the frozen flag pole” dare. Ho, ho, ha!