U.S.'s Politically Incorrect Christmas Present to Itself

Ah, Christmas, when America gets to unwrap its beloved, politically incorrect present. When more and more things qualify as guilty pleasures, and involve more and more guilt, Jean Shepherd's A Christmas Story does neither. Therein lie this movie's unabashed beauty and our desire to welcome it back more heartily every year. Only liberals could not love this movie — and undoubtedly do not — but no matter, it is now a classic and untouchable. A simple story, wonderfully and meticulously told, it follows nine-year old Ralph Parker's tunnel-vision Christmas pursuit of a Red Ryder BB-gun. Ralphie's memorized rapid-fire entreaties to