The following contains minor spoilers for A Christmas Story Christmas, now streaming on HBO Max.
The recent holiday film A Christmas Story Christmas takes fans back to the charm of A Christmas Story. The bright-blue-eyed Ralphie is almost guaranteed to stir up nostalgia for plenty of people. But Ralphie isn't nine years old anymore, so it's fair to question when the film takes place.
A Christmas Story Christmas is the sequel to the highly beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Story. The long-anticipated sequel follows Ralphie, now fully grown, as he returns home with his family. In this, he hopes to give his children the same kind of magical Christmas that he once had.
A Christmas Story's Date Isn't Easy To Pin Down
The original A Christmas Story centers on Ralphie Parker, a rambunctious yet ordinary child. He gets bullied frequently and is witness to antics like licking a frozen pole. He spends his free time wishing for a Red Ryder BB gun and being rejected by his parents, teachers, and even Santa Claus. The film simply follows young Ralphie as he tries to get through the Christmas season.
The 1983 film doesn't have a precise setting, and it's pretty hard to pinpoint when A Christmas Story takes place. At first glance, one would assume it takes place around the 1930s due to the '30s-era vehicles shown. Even the Red Ryder carbine action BB gun -- the one toy Ralphie absolutely can't survive Christmas without -- can't be traced back to a specific year, as the brand has been thriving since the 19th century. Another instance in which there's a timeline discrepancy within A Christmas Story comes when the film The Wizard of Oz is referenced. This film was released in 1939, which suggests Ralphie's story takes place no earlier than 1939. Regardless of the setting, in terms of a specific year, the themes prevail.
A Christmas Story Christmas Reveals How Much Time Has Passed
After nearly 40 years, A Christmas Story's new sequel is finally here. There are plenty of familiar faces in A Christmas Story Christmas, with the notable exception of the late Darren McGavin, who played Ralphie's Old Man. The sequel features Ralphie working to give his kids a good Christmas while also paying tribute to his late father. Because Ralphie is so grown up, and his father has passed, it's fair to question when the new film takes place.
With the large age difference seen in the same bright-blue-eyed boy from 1983, it can be assumed that A Christmas Story Christmas takes place a few decades after the events of the first film. An unlikely character provides an exact answer: Scut Farkus. Now a local policeman, Scut recalls that it's been 33 years since Ralphie beat the snot out of him. This would make Ralphie 42 years old. Assuming A Christmas Story takes place around 1940, A Christmas Story Christmas is probably set in the early 1970s. The film doesn't explicitly confirm this, though there are plenty of clues to agree. Most notably, the decor in adult Ralphie's house and some fashion pictured here screams "the '70s." Just picture wood paneling on the walls and vibrant shag carpet to match.
It's unlikely that the creators of A Christmas Story Christmas will confirm that the movie takes place in a specific year. The setting of the original film has been debated for decades. Regardless of the year, Ralphie's Christmas Story has prevailed as one of the best holiday films of all time. There's a reason some TV channels have an annual screening of A Christmas Story on a loop every December 25th. A Christmas Story Christmas will likely prove nostalgic for both Ralphie and the audience as they return to Cleveland Street once more.
Time to reconnect with young Ralphie. A Christmas Story Christmas is now streaming on HBO Max.