The New York City return holiday engagement of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's Tony Award-nominated stage production A Christmas Story, The Musical continues its run at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden through Dec. 29.
When they weren't on stage climbing onto Santa's lap at Higbees Department Store or escaping the clutches of Scut Farkus, the kids of A Christmas Story spoke with Playbill.com about the things that make their "nice" list each holiday season.
Alexa Niziak (plays Mary Beth)
My favorite holiday memory is opening a Christmas present every Christmas Eve. It's usually our "pjs." And we sleep in them, and we wake up on Christmas and open our presents!
Eli Tokash (plays Ralphie Parker at certain performances)
My favorite Christmas memory was watching "Christmas Vacation…" [Sings.] "Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say, the thing to say ‘Merry Christmas’ to you!"
Gabrielle Baldacchino (swing)
My dad's family is from London, and a Christmas tradition that we have every year is opening Christmas crackers. It's basically a little roll of gun powder, and everyone crosses their arms around the table and you pull, and then there's a really loud popping noise and whoever has the bigger side, there’s a little prize in it! They all come with these little paper hat things… like colorful crowns. And, almost every year we go to London to celebrate, and it's a lot of fun.
Hannah Bautista (kids' ensemble)
One of my favorite holiday memories is during Christmas we go to my cousin’s house and we do karaoke, and we sing lots of Christmas songs and we eat a lot of food.
Judae’a Brown (plays Nancy)
One of my favorite Christmas memories is that every year we go to my godmother’s house and we have dinner and we play games and watch really cool Christmas movies.
Lucus Schultz (swing)
My favorite holiday tradition would be putting ornaments on the tree. I just love looking at the ornaments that I made from kindergarten or ones that we just got. It looks so pretty — I just love doing it.
Nicky Torcia (plays Schwartz)
My favorite Christmas tradition is that every year we watch "Elf" the movie, and we always reenact the business scene. The one where they say, "Call me elf, one more time." So me and my dad always reenact that, so it’s one of my favorite parts.
Randy Baird (plays Randy)
Our family holiday is Hanukkah, and our family tradition is to light the candles for the eight nights and to play Dreidel. I usually get in second place and you play with chocolate coins.
Watch the video to see what holiday gifts the kids obsessed over the way Ralphie obsessed over the Red Ryder carbine-action BB Gun:
