Year: 1983
Cast: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley
Director: Bob Clark
Run time: 94 min
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%
We wish you a merry time watching "A Christmas Story" online in 2024. And while we've previously indulged in "A Christmas Story" marathons on cable, we're now in the streaming era. These days, you can head to the internet to enjoy one of the best Christmas movies of all time.
The classic tale follows Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), whose dearest wish is get a Red Ryder air rifle under the Christmas tree. To be specific, that's a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. The 9-year-old wants one, despite being repeatedly told (by his mom, teacher and even the department store Santa Claus), "You’ll shoot your eye out."
"A Christmas Story" is a nostalgic treat with slice-of-life storytelling that will transport you back to childhood. And it's packed with so many iconic images and moments, from Mr. Parker's leg lamp to Ralphie's pink bunny onesie to a classmate getting his tongue stuck on a frozen flagpole.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch "A Christmas Story" online.
How to watch 'A Christmas Story' online in 2024 anywhere, with a VPN
Just because you're away from home and don't have access to your usual streaming services doesn't meant you can't watch "A Christmas Story" online. With the right VPN (virtual private network), it's easy to stream the movie from wherever you are.
We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more.)
How to watch 'A Christmas Story' marathon in the US
Right now, American viewers can watch "A Christmas Story" on demand via Max.
TBS and TNT also typically run the traditional 24-hour marathon of the movie, starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Christmas Eve through Christmas Day.
TBS and TNT require cable. So, if you've cut the cord and want to take part in the marathon, check out Sling. It is one of the best streaming services and best cable TV alternatives available right now. In fact, several TG staffers have used it to finally cut the cord.
We also recommend Fubo, another live TV service that's a bit more expensive but offers more channels.
A Christmas Story is also available to rent or buy at digital stores. Right now, it's on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99 to rent and $9.99 to purchase.
You can also get it on:
Looking for something else to watch? We've got all the details on how to watch "Love Actually" online.
How to watch 'A Christmas Story' in Canada
Canadians can watch "A Christmas Story" on on CTV, CTV.ca and the CTV app.
Travelers who are currently in Canada can still stream "A Christmas Story" on the services they pay for, with the help of ExpressVPN.
How to watch 'A Christmas Story' in the UK
Happy Christmas Story, indeed. Brits can watch "A Christmas Story" on demand via Virgin TV Go, which is a free app for Virgin cable customers.
If you are traveling in the UK and want to access your paid streaming services, you'll need ExpressVPN.
Is 'A Christmas Story' on Netflix?
Unfortunately, in the U.S., "A Christmas Story" is not on Netflix. But the streaming service is always adding new titles to its huge library, so we'll add it to our letter to Santa for next year.
