I had never seen 
A Christmas Story until sometime around 1993 when my new husband, appalled at what amounted to my wasted childhood, insisted we watch it.  I have loved it since, every nostalgic moment from the period sets & costumes to the innocent dreams of pre-WWII kids.
Almost as much fun as rewatching it every year is looking up all of the actors to see what they're doing now.  
Peter Billingsley is refreshingly normal & successful; 
Scott Schwartz a tad less so...
 
Ho Ho Ho