Honestly, I don't really know if it deserves the high praise it gets or not. And, just as honestly, I can't really tell for sure.

It's not that the movie is confusing in any way. It was just, well, it came out when my dad (rest his soul) was 12. And, at least until recently, it was on the air every year since.

I remember watching it when I was really little, and I remember watching it until just a few years ago when it started to slowly vanish from Network TV tradition. Like "It's a Wonderful Life" this was a part of Christmas to the point where it was an unofficial Christmas tradition that brings up memories of childhood and family every time you view it.

Because of that there is a heavy nostalgia to it, and because of that it's hard to tell if the show is as great as I think it is, or if I think it's great because it's a tradition that comes with memories.