My guess would be sometime around 1940, I know it had to take place sometime before World War II.
shareAccording to imdb trivia sometime between 39 and 43 (The Wizard of Oz, a calendar in the background of a scene and that Ovaltine decoder ring seem to be the clues)
Sorry to not be more specific
Christmas Story is from a collection of short stories of the childhood memories by Jean Shepherd, and they take place over several years. The stories were combined for this one script.
Since Shepherd was born in 1921, it would be from the late 20s to early 30s when he would have been the proper age to have been in grammar school. Indeed, he never mentions WWII at all.
Still, the console radio looked to be a Westinghouse from the late thirties or early forties and his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring said 1940. The old man's Olds is a '37.
My guess is that they didn't need a year and just placed it somewhere before WWII.
The Orphan Annie decoder badge, which he received in the mail during the movie, indicates the year was 1940. They came out with new ones every year (I have my dad's with "1937" embossed).
shareAfter 1939 (since The Wizard of Oz was in at least its second parade) and before America entered the war, almost has to be 1940. The book was set earlier, as Ralphie and his friends were actually of the age to fight in the war.
share