Flick with his tongue frozen to the flagpole in a triple dog dare. The Old Man and his prized leg lamp in the front window. The Red Ryder BB gun in the Higbee’s display window. Ralphie’s humiliating pink bunny suit.
These iconic scenes from “A Christmas Story” have become part of our collective holiday memory. And since the movie was filmed primarily in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, the cult following that has kept “A Christmas Story” alive all these years has a special hold in the hearts of Northeast Ohioans.
Christmas Past
Watching “A Christmas Story” is an enduring holiday tradition that fills Boomers with nostalgia and young people with amusement. Over the past 36 years, the film has spawned a Cleveland phenomenon, with daily house and museum tours, physical and online gift shops, overnight stays in the neighborhood, even a live theater show and upcoming 5K and 10K runs. The official website, achristmasstoryhouse.com, relishes in every detail of the film’s lore.
According to the website, when the film debuted in 1983, “A Christmas Story” was more a low-budget director’s passion project than a sure-fire hit. Since then, the powers of home videos and cable TV conspired to make “A Christmas Story” one of the most popular holiday movies of all time, alongside “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street.” The cable network TNT first aired its 12-showing, 24-hour movie marathon of “A Christmas Story” as a stunt in 1988, but popular demand turned the stunt into tradition. The film even inspired the creation of “The Wonder Years” television show.
Cleveland was selected from among 20 alternative cities as the primary film location (along with Toronto, Ontario), to depict an Indiana town during the 1940s. The willingness of Higbee’s department store to allow the movie to be filmed inside clinched Cleveland as the city of choice. Now, as they say, the rest is history and “A Christmas Story” has taken on a life of its own on the streets of Cleveland.
A Christmas Story House at 3159 W. 11th St. is open year-round for public tours. Across the street is A Christmas Story Museum, which features original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, as well as hundreds of rare, behind-the-scenes photos.
Both A Christmas Story House and The Bumpus House next door are open for overnight stays. The Bumpus House is the fictional home of Ralphie’s hillbilly neighbors, the Bumpuses, and their 785 smelly hound dogs. (Reservations available at BumpusHouse.com.)
After reliving “A Christmas Story“ at Ralphie’s house, visitors can stop in at the museum gift shop for movie memorabilia. The online gift shop is redriderleglamps.com. Proceeds from the gift shop and overnight stays help support and maintain A Christmas Story House & Museum.
Fans can continue their tradition of watching the annual “A Christmas Story” marathon on TBS on Christmas Eve. The movie marathon attracts more than 40 million viewers. But only Northeast Ohioans can visit A Christmas Story House and Museum whenever they please.
Try these “A Christmas Story”-themed events this holiday season:
2019 A CHRISTMAS STORY RUN (5K & 10K OPTIONS)
The distance between the former Higbee’s Department Store and A Christmas Story House & Museum is about 5 kilometers. Run back down memory lane to the movie set locations that made this film famous. Dress up like Ralphie, run in a Leg Lamp Costume or jog in the Bunny Suit that Aunt Clara gave Ralphie for Christmas, The 10K route runs to the House and back to the starting area at Public Square. The 5K race ends at the House and serves as a fundraiser for A Christmas Story House Foundation.
9 a.m. December 7
Cleveland Public Square start and finish
A CHRISTMAS STORY (On Stage)
He’s back! One boy. One holiday wish. And a world that seems to be conspiring to make certain it doesn’t come true. The record-breaking show returns to the CPH stage in all its pink-bunny-suit, glowing-leg-lamp, triple-dog-daring glory; the perfect holiday treat for the entire family (for children aged 4 and up).
November 29 – December 23
Allen Theatre, Cleveland Play House
($20 -97)
Estelle Rodis-Brown is a freelance writer and photographer from Portage County who also serves as digital/assistant editor of Boomer magazine.
