# Some Factual Questions About Events in "A Christmas Story" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866 "2009-12-29T02:46:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/81 "2009-12-31T13:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=qualityleashdog] I don’t think I follow on the pineapple being out of place. I bought a pineapple yesterday for $2. You have to think that bananas were pouring into the U.S. from Central America at a price cheaper than our own local fruit from the 1890’s on, and pineapples can be grown in Mexico, so transport is not so far-fetched. [/QUOTE] That pineapple was another of those “Whoa! How did he afford that?” things for me. Pineapples may be cheap now, but as a kid growing up in the Midwest, whole pineapples were a rare headline-worthy, call the neighbors so they can see this thing kind of treat. In 1968, the world pineapple crop was 3,600,000 tons, and of that, [only 100,000 tons were sold fresh](http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/pineapple.html). Thirty years earlier, I’m sure the ratio was even more lopsided. Sure, there was canned pineapple available year-round, but it’s only fairly recently that air freight has been economical. Back then, those pineapples proudly wore big tags proclaiming how they were “Jet Fresh” or something like that. Heck, even as recently as the late 80’s, buying pineapples at the airports in Hawaii to take home for the people back home was a booming business. Now, with our global economy and inexpensive shipping, we have come to expect fresh pineapples to be cheap and available year-round. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/82 "2009-12-31T13:54:32Z")
\*\*Hi everyone. OP here. I am not playing junior mod, but: This arguing about the date of the movie is unproductive. The clues given in the movie w/r/t the date can most charitably be described as “inconsistent,” especially in light of the fact that both the writer of the original book, and the director of the movie, have said \*on the record \*that there is no specific date intended. Please let it go.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/83 "2009-12-31T15:11:33Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > SDMB goes apeshit. > [@Philster](#): > > Awe, how cute that we try to play this game. I know this is the little ol’ SDMB, so I gotta be sharp, huh? [Moderator Note] I’ve already instructed you to dial it back and keep this discussion civil. Further comments of this kind may result in a warning. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/84 "2009-12-31T15:12:54Z")
Given that the thread has moved from the specific questions in the OP to a more general discussion of the movie, I’m moving this to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/85 "2009-12-31T15:22:57Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Honestly, I think **Philster** ’s theory is a really good one. It may not be the Set In Stone Canon Correct one, but it’s a really cute idea to think that it _is_ set in 1940 but that you jumble together things from your childhood. The idea that the movie is supposed to depict jumbled-together images from a single person’s childhood can easily be refuted. We’ve already established that the movie combines elements that can be dated anywhere from 1935 to 1955; no individual’s “childhood memories” span 20 years. I grew up in the 50s and Davy Crockett caps are part of my memories, but Orphan Annie decoder rings are not. Someone who had an Orphan Annie decoder ring would be an adolescent by the time Davy Crockett came along, so they wouldn’t associate that with their childhood. The movie actually jumbles together memories from many people’s childhood’s stretching across two generations. > [@rocking\_chair](#): > > i thought it was a fox hat not racoon. As has been mentioned, the tail is ringed, so it’s definitely racoon. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/86 "2009-12-31T15:36:45Z")
Back to pineapples, I’m not in my 80’s or 90’s! But I do remember when I was little the Big Excitement over the cutting up of a fresh pineapple during some holiday. This was when bringing home a net bag of oranges or grapefruit from exotic, faraway Florida was also a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/87 "2009-12-31T18:33:00Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The idea that the movie is supposed to depict jumbled-together images from a single person’s childhood can easily be refuted. We’ve already established that the movie combines elements that can be dated anywhere from 1935 to 1955; no individual’s “childhood memories” span 20 years. I grew up in the 50s and Davy Crockett caps are part of my memories, but Orphan Annie decoder rings are not. Someone who had an Orphan Annie decoder ring would be an adolescent by the time Davy Crockett came along, so they wouldn’t associate that with their childhood. The movie actually jumbles together memories from many people’s childhood’s stretching across two generations. :: shrug :: IMO, it’s a friggin’ movie, so who cares? Debate about the date can be interesting, but people are getting really het up over it. I still think it’s a cute idea and that y’all (on all sides of the argument) are taking it too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/88 "2009-12-31T18:43:02Z")
The leg was a logo of Nehi soda. In the original Shepherd short story, it is mentioned that the contest was sponsored by Nehi. > [@Enright3](#): > > Now you’ve done it. I want to Amazon\* some of the essays and other stories from Jean Shepherd. Any recommendations? > > - I did it here first. I used Amazon as a verb. There was a collection published under the title _A Christmas Story_ which contains the five stories from which the events of the movie were based on. > [@gotpasswords](#): > > I’ll bet the caption-writers had fun with the Old Man’s cursing. > > _It’s a clinker! \ Gad flabbity narperbroo muzzer! Who closed the flammer blamm damper?! \ Hoog! Ah tazwammit!_ > > At least that’s what it sort of sounds like. The captioned version I’ve seen just depicted the Old Man’s nonsense swears with typical cartoon cuss marks, i.e. #\*@&! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/89 "2009-12-31T19:59:44Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > The leg was a logo of Nehi soda. In the original Shepherd short story, it is mentioned that the contest was sponsored by Nehi. And wouldn’t have been a single leg but rather a [pair](http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/images/nehisign.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/90 "2009-12-31T21:07:03Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > I’ll bet the caption-writers had fun with the Old Man’s cursing. > > _It’s a clinker! \ Gad flabbity narperbroo muzzer! Who closed the flammer blamm damper?! \ Hoog! Ah tazwammit!_ > > At least that’s what it sort of sounds like. I made out the word “platypus” and the phrase “mundane noodle”. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/91 "2009-12-31T21:33:27Z")
[http://www.radiohof.org/adventuredrama/littleannie.html](http://www.radiohof.org/adventuredrama/littleannie.html) Little Orphan Annie ,ran on radio from 1931 to 1942. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/92 "2010-01-01T09:07:24Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > There was a collection published under the title _A Christmas Story_ which contains the five stories from which the events of the movie were based on. Here are the collected original classic stories: > **[Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters: Shepherd, Jean:...](https://www.amazon.com/Wanda-Hickeys-Night-Golden-Memories/dp/0385116322)** > > Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters \[Shepherd, Jean\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters > **[In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash: Jean Shepherd: 0884864700500: Amazon.com:...](https://www.amazon.com/God-We-Trust-Others-Cash/dp/0385021747)** > > In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash \[Jean Shepherd\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash > **[Amazon.com: A Fistful of Fig Newtons: 9780385188432: Shepherd, Jean: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Fistful-Fig-Newtons-Jean-Shepherd/dp/0385188439)** > > Amazon.com: A Fistful of Fig Newtons: 9780385188432: Shepherd, Jean: Books Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![akambe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@akambe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akambe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/93 "2010-01-02T01:44:56Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > I’ll bet the caption-writers had fun with the Old Man’s cursing. > > _It’s a clinker! \ Gad flabbity narperbroo muzzer! Who closed the flammer blamm damper?! \ Hoog! Ah tazwammit!_ > > At least that’s what it sort of sounds like. I played The Old Man in our community theater’s run of the stage play for two seasons. His cursing in the play is just as imaginative–and some of the hardest lines to pull off. What looks easy to do–spout gibberish–is the most difficult to memorize because it doesn’t make sense. I had cheat sheets backstage for my off-stage diatribes. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/94 "2010-01-02T16:41:17Z")
> [@akambe](#): > > I played The Old Man in our community theater’s run of the stage play for two seasons. His cursing in the play is just as imaginative–and some of the hardest lines to pull off. What looks easy to do–spout gibberish–is the most difficult to memorize because it doesn’t make sense. I had cheat sheets backstage for my off-stage diatribes. You’d think they’d just let you wing it. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/95 "2010-01-02T23:29:24Z")
My first exposure to Jean Shepherd was in 1982 with a jewel of a short film on PBS: [**The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084022/). Matt Dillon played Ralph and James Broderick had the role of his father. At the end of the film Broderick is sitting at the kitchen table eating an onion as if it were an apple and he talks about how holidays are milestones in our lives. The background music is the simple little waltz by Randy Newman that was used in **Ragtime**. Every year I look for the return of that film, but I’ve never seen it again. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/96 "2010-01-05T18:14:41Z")
> [@GayIthacan](#): > > There are several anachronisms in the film: > > 1. "Black Bart’ is referenced by Ralphie more than once. The original film with that character came out in 1948. True, but [Black Bart](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bolles) the historical outlaw and staple of pulp Westerns dates back to the 1800s (and Black Bart the pirate to the 1700s). ---
**Author:** ![snuffy406](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@snuffy406](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snuffy406)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/97 "2010-01-06T07:01:20Z")
1. The Old Man’s “Major Award” came from a contest sponsored by the Nehi soda pop company (sounds like knee-high), best know for “Nehi Orange”. The stockinged leg was their trademark, it was on every bottle. Shepherd doesn’t name the company in the printed version of the story, but he gives a long description of the “pop” and the logo that leaves no doubt. The contest was about “Great Figures From the World of Sports”. I don’t know if the lamp ever really existed, Shep was really good at making things up. (see “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash” by Jean Shepherd, chapter 10, "My Old Man and the Lascivious Special Award That Heralded Pop Art) 2. Both on radio in print, it was invariably “The Old Man”, “My Mother” and “My Kid Brother Randy”. In print the main character and narrator is always “Ralph”. I don’t remember “Ralphie” being used in print, not sure. On radio he always used “Jean”, and definitely used “Jeannie” once in a while (example: recounting his mother saying “Remember the time Jeannie …etc”) Shepherd’s real younger brother was named Randy (Randall) and I think his dad’s name was Jean Shepherd Sr. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/98 "2010-01-06T15:05:56Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > I’ll bet the caption-writers had fun with the Old Man’s cursing. > > _It’s a clinker! \ Gad flabbity narperbroo muzzer! Who closed the flammer blamm damper?! \ Hoog! Ah tazwammit!_ > > At least that’s what it sort of sounds like. Just as an FYI, the word _clinker_ is not intended to be a piece of cartoon expletive. The clinker was what was causing the furnace to act up. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/99 "2010-01-06T17:49:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The idea that the movie is supposed to depict jumbled-together images from a single person’s childhood can easily be refuted. We’ve already established that the movie combines elements that can be dated anywhere from 1935 to 1955; no individual’s “childhood memories” span 20 years. I grew up in the 50s and Davy Crockett caps are part of my memories, but Orphan Annie decoder rings are not. Someone who had an Orphan Annie decoder ring would be an adolescent by the time Davy Crockett came along, so they wouldn’t associate that with their childhood. The movie actually jumbles together memories from many people’s childhood’s stretching across two generations. > > As has been mentioned, the tail is ringed, so it’s definitely racoon. The only problem with this guess is that prop and costume people don’t represent all the memories. What a costumer does in outfitting a kid is different that what a prop person does in response to actual words in the story/narration. A coonskin hat finds it way into the movie (not narrated or essential to the story) versus a radio program that was. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866/100 "2010-01-06T18:17:16Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > The movie does seem to have a 50’s feel to it with the clothing and hairstyles, which doesn’t make much sense considering the radio serializations. By the way, this year is the 70th anniversary of the Red Ryder BB gun in the movie and stores are selling an anniversary box version of it. While Christmas shopping, I was waiting in the checkout line when two teenaged boys got in line behind me, both were purchasing BB rifles (I think they were Red Ryders). I looked at them and said “I feel it necessary to point out that you’ll shoot your eye out”. One of the young men was already in a good mood and laughed. His friend didn’t get it so the happy one had to explain it then they both started joking about shooting their eye out. My mother loves this movie because it reminds her of her childhood. She was born in 1928. So she was about Ralphie’s age in the late 30’s. Since it’s already been established that the time frame isn’t exact, I would just like to add that in a movie like this it would help more of the audience relate to it if the time frame wasn’t pinpointed to any particular year. I thought we only nitpicked sci fi movies to death here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-factual-questions-about-events-in-a-christmas-story/522866.md?page=6)