Christmas is fast approaching.
For so many, one of our favorite traditions is spending time watching holiday movies. One that is a hit with some of us and a miss with others is A Christmas Story. This 1983 holiday classic will always be on rotation. Even the haters will sit through in the spirit of Christmas. Marceline, our youngest, loves this movie. When we were in Ohio this past summer, she insisted on stopping at the Christmas Story house. We did just that.
Located in Cleveland, this Christmas Story house is one of those attractions that you might as well do while you're there. The house is in a normal, urban neighborhood. It looks exactly how it appears in the film. You have the option of taking a guided tour or just visiting the exterior and museum. Naturally, we opted to do the tour.
You begin the tour in the infamous living room. Everything is exactly like it was in the film. You are able to sit on the furniture, touch the iconic leg lamp, and see all the gifts under impeccably decorated the tree. Even the outlet with multiple cords is authentic. Then you make your way into the kitchen. Your tour guide will spout interesting facts about the film as you go from room to room. You can pick up the leg lamp from the wooden box. Be careful, it's FRA-GEE-LAY. Kids (and adults) can try on Randy's bib. You're even able to hide under the cabinet like Randy if you're small enough to fit underneath. We loved how interactive the tour was.
Next, we made our way upstairs. There you can see Randy and Ralphie's room, the master bedroom, and the bathroom. Of course, the bathroom is complete with the Little Orphan Annie decoder and the delightful bar of soap used to wash out Ralphie's mouth. It's the little details that made this such a fun experience.
The tour is roughly 45 minutes and ends in the museum. This is was my favorite part of the tour. It was full of movie memorabilia, polaroids, and more.
Across the street from the house alongside of the museum are some of the vehicles used in the film as well. You can also see the Bumpus house and walk through the backyard where the iconic scene where Ralphie almost shoots his eye out. We ended our Christmas Story experience in the gift shop (just like Disney, right?) Overall, it was a really fun and different experience. If you are a fan of the film or like movie memorabilia- this is the tour for you. It's full of nostalgia and really makes you appreciate the film (even if you don't really love it).
For more information about the house from A Christmas Story, click on the link below.