FOR ALL AGES
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Produced and directed by Frank Capra, 'It's a Wonderful Life' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film based on Philip Van Doren Stern's short story and booklet 'The Greatest Gift', which Stern self-published in 1943 and which was itself loosely based on Charles Dickens's 1843 novel 'A Christmas Carol'. James Stewart plays George Bailey, a selfless community activist who contemplates ending his life on Christmas Eve before being visited by his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers). The angel shows him how the world would have been if he wasn't born. The angel showed him how many vital works he had done in his life and how much worse the world would be without those deeds.
1. "Peter Bailey was not a businessman. That's what killed him. Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to him, God rest his soul. He was a man of high ideals. So-called. But ideals without common sense can ruin this town." - Mr. Potter
2. "Zuzu Bailey: I'm not sleepy. I want to look at my flower.
George Bailey: I know, but you just go to sleep, and then you can dream about it, and it'll be a whole garden.
Zuzu Bailey: It will?
George Bailey: Uh-huh."
3. "Senior Angel: A man down on Earth needs our help.
Clarence: Splendid. Is he sick?
Senior Angel: No, worse. He's discouraged."
4. "Boys and girls and music. Why do they need gin?" - Annie
5. "You sit around here, and you spin your little webs, and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn't, Mr. Potter. In the whole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider!" - George Bailey
6. "Clarence: There is no George Bailey. You have no papers, no cards, no driver's license, no 4F card, and no insurance policy.
Clarence: They're not there either.
George: What?
Clarence: Zuzu's petals... You've been given a great gift,
George: A chance to see what the world would be like without you."
7. "I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow, and the next day, and the next year, and the year after that." - George Bailey
8. "Dear Father in heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me … show me the way... show me the way." - George Bailey
9. "Zuzu Bailey: Look, Daddy. The teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.
George Bailey: That's right, that's right."
10. "You're right when you say my father was no businessman. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anyone else can say anything against his character." - George Bailey
11. "A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town." - Harry Bailey
12. "George Bailey: This is a very interesting situation!
Mary: Please give me my robe.
George Bailey: A man doesn't get in a situation like this every day."
13. "You know what we're gonna do? We're gonna shoot the works. A whole week in New York. A whole week in Bermuda. The highest hotels. The oldest champagne. The richest caviar and the hottest music and the prettiest wife." - George Bailey
14. "Senior Angel: No, worse. He's discouraged. At exactly 10:45 pm Earth time, that man will be thinking seriously about throwing away God's greatest gift.
Clarence: Oh, dear, dear. His life."
15. "Bert: Isn't there any romance in you?
Ernie Bishop: Sure, I had it... but I got rid of it."
16. "You know, George, I feel that in a small way we are doing something important. It's deep in the race for a man to want his own roof and walls and fireplace, and we're helping him get those things in our shabby little office." - Pa Bailey
17. "I couldn't face being cooped up for the rest of my life in a shabby little office … spending all your life trying to figure out how to save three cents on a length of pipe. I'd go crazy. I want to do something big and something important." - George Bailey
18. "Help me, Clarence! Get me back! Get me back, I don't care what happens to me! Get me back to my wife and kids! Help me Clarence, please! Please! I wanna live again. I wanna live again. Please, God, let me live again." - George Bailey
19. "But George Bailey is not a common, ordinary yokel … A young man... the smartest one in the crowd, mind you... A young man who has to sit by and watch his friends go places because he's trapped … Do I paint the correct picture or do I exaggerate?" - Mr. Potter
20. "What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary." - George Bailey
21. "Ma Bailey: Why she lights up like a firefly whenever you are around? Besides, Sam Wainright is off in New York, and you're here in Bedford Falls.
George Bailey: And all's fair in love and war, right?
Ma Bailey: Well, I don't know about war."
22. "All you can take with you is that which you've given away." - Pa Bailey
23. "Is this the ear you can't hear on? George Bailey, I'll love you 'til the day I die." - Little Mary
24. "You see, George, you've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?" - Clarence
25. "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence
26. "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" - Clarence
27. "Harry Bailey: Say, where's Mother?
George Bailey: She's home cooking the fatted calf."
28. "Uncle Billy: They're putting us out of business. So what? I can get another job; I'm only 55.
Cousin Tilly: 56!"
29. "What's a pretty girl like you marrying this two-headed brother of mine?" - George Bailey
30. "Mr. Emil Gower: [George is whistling to himself] George! George!
Little George: Yes, sir.
Mr. Emil Gower: You're not paid to be a canary!"
31. "Cousin Tilly: Mrs. Bailey is on the phone.
George Bailey: I don't want Mrs. Bailey; I want my wife... Mrs. Bailey? Oh, that's my wife."
32. "Little Violet: I like him.
Little Mary Hatch: You like every boy.
Little Violet: What's wrong with that?"
33. "George, I am an old man, and most people hate me. But I don't like them either so that makes it all even." - Mr. Potter
34. "George Bailey: I know one way you can help me. You don't happen to have 8,000 bucks on you?
Clarence: No, we don't use money in Heaven.
George Bailey: Well, it comes in handy down here, bud!"
35. "George Bailey: There she blows. Do you know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are?
Uncle Billy: Uh-huh. Breakfast is served; lunch is served; dinner…"
36. "I been savin' this money for a divorce if ever I got a husband." - Annie
37. "George Bailey: How old are you anyway?
Mary Hatch: 18.
George Bailey: 18! Why it was only last year, you were 17!"
38. "Little Mary Hatch: I'll take chocolate.
Little George: With coconuts?
Little Mary Hatch: I don't like coconuts
Little George: You don't like coconuts? Say, Brainless, don't you know where coconuts come from?"
39. "Mary Hatch: Have a hectic day?
George Bailey: Oh yeah, another big red-letter day for the Baileys!"
40. "Do you know how long it takes a working man to save $5,000? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well in my book, my father died a much richer man than you'll ever be!" - George Bailey
41. "Is this the ear you can't hear on? (She whispers in George's bad ear) George Bailey, I'll love you 'til the day I die." - Mary Bailey
42. "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" - Clarence
43. "What'd you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait? Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? - George Baily (to Mr. Potter)
44. "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. And when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" - Clarence
45. "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence
46. "You've been given a great gift, George, a chance to see what the world would be like without you." - Clarance
47. "Teacher says, 'Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.' - Zuzu Bailey
48. "I want to live again." - George Bailey
49. "I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow, and the next day, and next year, and the year after that." - George Bailey
50. "You see George, you really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?" - Clarence
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Main image credit: Jeff Bukowski / Shutterstock.com
https://everydaypower.com/its-a-wonderful-life-quotes/
https://www.fatherly.com/entertainment/its-a-wonderful-life-best-quotes-christmas-movie
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60792/25-wonderful-facts-about-its-wonderful-life
https://www.wicaonline.org/blog/2019/11/4/article-25-wonderful-facts-about-its-a-wonderful-life
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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