Worthy successor
This really felt like a true sequel. The filmmakers were able to capture the feel of the original. The tribute to the Old Man(Darren McGavin) was moving and casting Julie Hagerty was spot on as Dillon has been retired for a long while now. All the OG cast that returned did great(seeing Scut and Grover together was cool) and the callbacks didn't seem forced. Ralphie still daydreaming was a nice touch. It had just the right amount freshness carried by Ralphie's family and the children in particular.
I waited until today to watch it for the first time after watching the original as I was worried it wouldn't live up to it but I wasn't disappointed.