Meal and a Movie: A Christmas Story

Photo credit: amazon.com

Long ago I lived overseas for three endless years. I worked at a video rental that catered to Americans, and spent hours each day nursing a rotten case of homesickness with movies that brought me back to the Midwest. There were two that I watched so often the masters had to be replaced: Al Franken's One More Saturday Night and A Christmas Story.

Back in America A Christmas Story had been discovered by the mainstream. Now, this classic shows on at least one cable channel in a 24 hour loop Christmas Eve through Christmas Day. Everyone knows Ralphie and frageelay and not to stick your tongue on a frozen flag pole. Scut Farkis is a fixture in our neighborhood.

Dining during A Christmas Story can go a few directions. There is the vintage fare of mashed potatoes, meatloaf, and boiled red cabbage. Serve with milk. You can do the oatmeal thing. Serve with milk. You could also cook outside of the box and serve rabbit. And of course, Peking duck (or mock duck) with lots of white rice, chop suey, and fortune cookies served with cheap wine (not bad, but not good either) is a popular choice.

My favorite scene in A Christmas Story comes near the end. Ralphie and Randy are asleep clutching their prized gifts, and the mother comes downstairs where the Old Man has turned a chair toward the window. Only the lights of the tree and the snow falling outside are clearly visible. The mother perches on the arm rest, and the Old Man gently puts his arm around her waist. A scratchy radio plays Silent Night. As Ralphie says, All is right with the world.

Life is all about those precious perfect moments.  

If you haven't watched A Christmas Story yet this year, order some take out and load up your Red Rider air rifle. Then check out this week's Called to the Table.