You know that movie that’s been out for a long time, and everyone you know has seen it, except you? For me that movie was A Christmas Story. But, I finally saw it during this past holiday season. And now it’s growing on me. I blame that stupid pink bunny suit…and my friends.

I wasn’t avoiding it. I wasn’t even aware this movie existed until a couple of years ago. Somehow it eluded me despite apparent 24-hour A Christmas Story TV marathons, the merchandising, and the steady stream of references around the holidays among adoring fans. I don’t consider myself sheltered from popular culture, so my prolonged unawareness of this movie is a mystery to me. And after seeing it the first time, I wasn’t convinced I was missing anything special.

In fact my first impression of this movie was summed up in two words: awful and bizarre. I found it hard to sit through the entire movie and failed to find redeeming qualities. Then, 24 hours later, it was growing on me.

It’s growing on me because people in my circle of friends know it, quote it, and love it. At first, the movie in and of itself didn’t seem to possess the cache to hold sway over me. But the turning point came while visiting friends on Christmas Day. One of my friends had been gifted a set of four pint glasses, each depicting a different scene from the movie. I picked up one of the glasses, and still with disdain for the film fresh on my mind I began studying Ralphie in the pink bunny suit. Suddenly, it hit me. “I get this,” I thought. And just like that, the connection was made.

“He looks like a pink nightmare,” I can picture myself saying next year to friends.