{"id":10034,"date":"2022-11-17T14:45:23","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T21:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=10034"},"modified":"2022-11-19T14:12:49","modified_gmt":"2022-11-19T21:12:49","slug":"a-christmas-story-christmas-the-long-awaited-sequel-to-a-christmas-story-is-full-of-new-and-old-faces-and-plenty-of-hilarious-scenes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2022\/a-christmas-story-christmas-the-long-awaited-sequel-to-a-christmas-story-is-full-of-new-and-old-faces-and-plenty-of-hilarious-scenes\/","title":{"rendered":"A Christmas Story Christmas * The Long-Awaited Sequel To A Christmas Story Is Full Of New And Old Faces And Plenty Of Hilarious Scenes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/achristmasstorychristmas.poster.jpg?resize=102%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10041\" width=\"102\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/achristmasstorychristmas.poster.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/achristmasstorychristmas.poster.jpg?w=540&amp;ssl=1 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 102px) 100vw, 102px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>A Christmas Story Christmas<\/em> follows the now-adult Ralphie as he returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his Old Man. Peter Billingsley returns to the role that has made kids of all ages anticipate Christmas morning like no other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Katherine S. comments, \u201cA Christmas Story Christmas is the highly anticipated and long-awaited follow-up to the classic Christmas movie, A Christmas Story. It\u2019s full of new and old faces and, of course, plenty of hilarious scenes. This movie certainly gets you ready for the holiday season.\u201d See her full review below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Christmas Story Christmas<br>By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZQH_u6UyFAQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ChristmasStorychristmas.f.png?resize=225%2C127&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10035\" width=\"225\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ChristmasStorychristmas.f.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ChristmasStorychristmas.f.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ChristmasStorychristmas.f.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>A Christmas Story Christmas <\/em>is the highly anticipated and long-awaited follow-up to the classic Christmas movie, <em>A Christmas <\/em>Story. It\u2019s full of new and old faces and, of course, plenty of hilarious scenes. This movie certainly gets you ready for the holiday season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peter Billingsley returns as Ralphie in <em>A Christmas Story Christmas<\/em>. He\u2019s back and all grown up, and tries to give his kids a magical Christmas, just like the ones he had when he was younger. But with an unexpected loss, he must do it by himself. Can he live up to his dad\u2019s standards and give his kids the perfect Christmas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hUnhBQV2YLE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.e.png?resize=225%2C127&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10036\" width=\"225\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.e.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.e.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.e.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As the title suggests, this movie is the sequel to <em>A Christmas Story, <\/em>nearly 40 years in the making! It isn\u2019t necessary to watch the original movie to make sense of this one; however, there are references to the original movie that may be a bit confusing for those who haven\u2019t viewed it. Also, <em>A Christmas Story <\/em>is one of my favorite Christmas movies and is a joy to watch, so I do recommend it before watching this one if possible. One of my favorite parts of this movie is the fact that most of the original cast members play their same characters. Flick (Scott Schwartz), Schwartz (R.D. Robb), Randy (Ian Petrella), and even Scut Farkus (Zack Ward) all make an appearance. It is surreal (in a good way) to see what these former childhood actors now look like all grown up. I\u2019ve never searched for their current appearances, so they are all a pleasant surprise. I also love how the sequel stays true to the original movie with all the sets, transitions and personalities of the characters. The narration is even similar to the first movie. Peter Billingsley, on top of just acting in this movie, also co-wrote and produced it. Kudos to him for all the work he did to bring us this movie. Speaking of some of the actors, my favorite performances are from Peter Billingsley (Ralphie), Julie Hagerty (Ralphie\u2019s mom) and Erinn Hayes (Sandy). <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.a.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10040\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.a.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.a.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.a.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Peter Billingsley keeps all his mannerisms and quirks from Ralphie even in his adult years, which makes this movie feel familiar and comedic. Julie Hagerty replaces Melinda Dillon as Ralphie\u2019s mom, and she fills her shoes so well. Erinn Hayes plays the newly introduced character Sandy and fits right in.&nbsp; She makes me feel as if she has been there forever because of the amusing interactions she has with other characters. The actors have so much chemistry, no doubt due to the fact that most of them have known each other for so long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The primary message of<em>&nbsp;A Christmas Story Christmas <\/em>is that sometimes, it\u2019s the thought (and effort) that counts. This movie also deals with the loss of loved ones. There is some mild profanity and consumption of alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give&nbsp;<em>A Christmas Story Christmas<\/em>&nbsp;4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. Fans of original movie will enjoy this movie as well as those who are unfamiliar with the original. It comes on HBO Max November 17, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Christmas Story Christmas<br>By Allison B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mZILRPjsaew?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.d.png?resize=225%2C127&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10037\" width=\"225\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.d.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.d.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/christmasstorychristmas.d.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>A Christmas Story <\/em>is a must-watch and part of many families\u2019 holiday traditions. Holiday memes, ads, cards and messages are riddled with the film\u2019s iconic quotes and scenes (remember the LEG LAMP?). For diehard fans of&nbsp;this Christmas classic comes the long awaited sequel, full of the adventure and comedy like what made the first movie so memorable. Can Ralphie Parker honor his dad, create holiday magic and achieve his dream of becoming a writer &#8211; all before Christmas day? <em>A Christmas Story Christmas<\/em> is a hilarious and touching continuation of the life of the character we know and love which will pull at your heartstrings this festive season.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.c.png?resize=225%2C127&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10038\" width=\"225\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.c.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.c.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.c.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>A Christmas Story Christmas<\/em> follows a grown-up Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) as he tries to navigate the adult struggles of Christmas after his father passes. Ralphie and his family &#8211;&nbsp; his wife (Erinn Hayes), daughter (Julianna Layne) and son (River Drosche) head to Indiana from Chicago to console Ralphie\u2019s mother (Julie Hagerty) and spread some holiday cheer. What Ralphie doesn\u2019t know is that filling his late father\u2019s shoes is no small task. Frantically shopping for presents and&nbsp;buying the biggest tree imaginable, Ralphie tries to create the best Christmas for his family, all while trying to meet his Christmas writing deadline. Yuletide joy and Christmas spirit are ever present&nbsp;throughout this exciting film.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.b.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10039\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.b.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.b.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Christmasstorychristmas.b.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The true magic in this movie is in how sentimental and relatable it is for families who have lost a loved one, but still have the audience cackling with laughter. I don\u2019t think I have ever heard so many giggles in one theater. Layne, as Ralphie\u2019s young daughter, contributes many funny moments, displaying expert comedic timing, being sarcastic, adorable and relevant all at once &#8211;&nbsp;a huge feat&nbsp;for such a young actress. Another hilarious element of this film is the relationship between Ralphie\u2019s mother and his wife. These two actresses perfectly capture the beauty and awkwardness of in-laws. Their&nbsp;petty remarks had the audience rolling on the floor laughing. <em>A Christmas Story Christmas<\/em> is definitely a feel-good classic in the making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key message of this film is that when people show up for each other, there can be magic. Ralphie is only one hero of this story. Each Parker family member comes through in times of need, and that is what makes their Christmas so memorable and full of light. Without the support of family, such happiness and prosperity is far less likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>A Christmas Story Christmas <\/em>5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 18 to 18, plus adults. You can see <em>A Christmas Story Christmas <\/em>on HBO Max beginning November 17, 2022.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Christmas Story Christmas follows the now-adult Ralphie as he returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his Old Man. Peter Billingsley returns to the role that has made kids of all ages anticipate Christmas morning like no other. <\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Katherine S. comments, \u201cA Christmas Story Christmas is the highly anticipated and long-awaited follow-up to the classic Christmas movie, A Christmas Story. It\u2019s full of new and old faces and, of course, plenty of hilarious scenes. This movie certainly gets you ready for the holiday season.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[5938,4915,5933,5932,5937,5925,5935,5934,5936,5930,5931,5928,5926,5927,5929],"class_list":["post-10034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-cale-bo7yter","tag-clay-kaytis","tag-erin-hayes","tag-ian-porter","tag-jay-ashenfelter","tag-jean-shepherd","tag-julianna-layne","tag-julie-hagerty","tag-marc-tpoberoff","tag-nick-schenk","tag-peter-billingsley","tag-r-d-robb","tag-river-drosche","tag-sam-parks","tag-scott-schwartz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-2BQ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10034"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10067,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10034\/revisions\/10067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}