The Christmas Story takes place in 1945. It is based on a true story of a small boy named Jeffery that lived in a small town in Kentucky. Jeffery's family was very poor and could not afford to buy him a Christmas present, so Jeffery's mother had to come up with a plan to make him a special gift. She decided to make a snowman, and she spent the entire night carefully crafting it. Jeffery woke up to a beautiful snowman outside his window, and it was the best Christmas present he could have ever asked for.