Everything You Want to Know About the House in 'A Christmas Story,' Including How To Stay There

Kai Green

December 13, 2022 at 1:32 PM·10 min read

You can even spend Christmas Eve in the Christmas Story house!

In many ways, the film A Christmas Story seems to fly in the face of what a Christmas classic should be. All the main character, 9-year-old Ralphie Parker, wants for Christmas is an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle—even though everyone assures him, “You'll shoot your eye out!” Ralphie is also disappointed by Santa, fights a bully and is forced to put on a frighteningly pink pair of bunny pajamas made by his Aunt Clara. None of that seems like the warm and fuzzy makings of say, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and there's not much in the way of a Christmas Carol-like morality tale, either. But somehow, A Christmas Story has still become a cherished and beloved holiday tradition.

The film was based on In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, a collection of semi-autobiographical stories by humorist and radio personality Jean Shepherd. Shepherd lent his engaging radio voice to the film, narrating as adult Ralphie while telling the story of his circa-1940 Christmas (he also has a cameo as a customer in the department store who tells Ralphie to get to the back of the line to see Santa).

When the film was released right before Thanksgiving in 1983, there was no sign of how popular it would be today. “Nobody was ready for another Christmas movie,” says Steve Siedlecki, executive director of the A Christmas Story House & Museum. “It got most of its money earned right here in Cleveland from people who wanted to go see it from being filmed here.”

In the years since its release, however, it's only become more and more canonical. The story of a family from years gone by resonates with people–it even inspired The Wonder Years, right down to the voiceover every episode. Why do people like it so much? Zack Ward, who played Ralphie’s nemesis Scut Farkus, thinks he knows why. “I’ve seen 5-year-old kids squat down in front of the TV and not talk while they’re watching it. There’s no song from Frozen, there’s no dancing, no talking reindeer or snowman," he once said. "It’s kids, in a time when that 5-year-old doesn’t care if it’s a little white boy or girl, little black boy or girl, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish—it doesn’t matter: they don’t care. They’re watching it because that’s their family.”

Billingsley has likewise said, “There’s tension, there’s some fear of the father, there’s anxiety in the household, there’s very much a sibling battle, there’s a mother trying to hold things together and hold her place, there’s probably financial trouble, the father’s do-it-yourself aspect of the household: nothing is sourced out—he’s going to handle it! Yet through all that, there’s a genuine sense of love and protection within the house, and yet the words ‘I love you’ are never uttered in the movie.”

But what about the iconic house itself? In the years after filming, it became dilapidated and went on the market in 2004. However, in a true Christmas miracle, the house that served as the family's abode was rescued, became a LEGO set and now has a thriving museum and gift shop; people can even sleep there overnight! Sit back with some Ovaltine and find out everything you want to know about the house from A Christmas Story, including how it ended up on eBay, got saved by a purveyor of leg lamps and how you can sleep in the house–even on Christmas Eve!

Where is the real A Christmas Story house?

The house's address is listed as 3159 W. 11th Street Cleveland, Ohio. In a neat twist of fate, Shepherd actually grew up on Cleveland Street in Hammond, Indiana. However, it was A Christmas Story director Bob Clark who spotted the house that would become the house.

Clark and the production team were intent on finding a location that would resemble Indiana's steel mill towns, eventually turning to Cleveland. Clark immediately knew the house on 11th Street was the one; it reminded him of his own childhood house growing up. What clinched the deal was that the film required a department store to film in, and the nearby Higbee’s came through—as long as no one ruined the store’s reputation by cursing, of course. Fun fact: That’s why The Old Man just grumbles his curses instead of saying them out loud.

**Where did they film A Christmas Story?**

All the exteriors of A Christmas Story were done in Cleveland and nearby locations; all the neighborhood scenes and the backyard scenes were done at the 11th Street house. It turned out to be a challenge for filmmakers because even though they were in Ohio, a place that often gets its share of snow, there wasn’t enough of it during the production of the film. Much of the snow that viewers see had to be brought in from ski resorts in the area; firefighter foam and potato flakes were also used.

None of A Christmas Story was shot inside the actual house; in fact, just about all of the movie's interior shots (except Higbee’s Department Store) were largely done in Canada. For instance, while Warren G. Harding Elementary School is a real school–that Shepherd attended—the film shot those scenes at Victoria School in St. Catharine, Ontario, Canada.

Who owns the house from A Christmas Story?

The 1,792-square-foot house was bought in 2004 by California entrepreneur and A Christmas Story fan Brian Jones—on eBay! Jones ultimately bought the place for only $150,000 and paid for it with money from his business. What kind of business, you ask? The Red Rider Leg Lamp Company, which sells leg lamps, of course! Jones then spent $350,000 to restore the house and recreate the home’s interior from the film. Eventually, Jones bought the house across the street and turned that into a museum and gift shop; he also bought the ”Bumpus House” next door.

Is the Christmas Story house in a bad neighborhood?

Well, the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland where the house sits went through some rough times. “This was a neighborhood, to be honest, you did not venture into. It was crime-ridden,” says Gary Holden, a tour guide. He says that in 2004, when Jones bought the Christmas Story house, it “was about a month from being condemned and torn down. It was completely gutted, down to the stud walls: no copper, no wiring.”

However, renewed interest in A Christmas Story House has helped Tremont in recent years.“Every year I see the neighbors getting a little more invested in the Christmas Story house. And, of course, we invest in the neighborhood,” says Steven Intermill, curator of the museum. “[It's] really a fun neighborhood to be in here. It’s really great to see this part of Tremont really coming back. Very working class. Very Cleveland west side.”

There’s even an annual A Christmas Story 5K and 10K run that raises money for the neighborhood (though there won't be one in 2022, they're hoping to return for 2023). The finish line is in front of the museum. Says Holden, “Let me tell you—you’ve missed out until you’ve witnessed a thousand bunny suits running down this street."

How long does it take to go through the Christmas Story house?

If you decide to visit the Christmas Story house, you’ll be there for a while. The house itself, restored perfectly, is a sight to see; you can check out Ralphie’s bed or hide under the sink like Ralphie's younger brother did when he thought “Daddy’s gonna kill Ralphie.”

But that’s not all; since Jones owns the home of those hillbillies the Bumpuses, you can explore that house as well.

Across the street, A Christmas Story Museum will need some attention too. It’s packed with costumes (like Randy’s snowsuit), pictures, props and other neat items from the movie, like a replica of the Parker car. A gift shop is stocked with Aunt Clara’s bunny pajamas and you can buy your own Leg Lamp–er, major award.

If you don’t have time to get to Cleveland, don’t worry. There's a live-streaming video of the house, set up by the Museum, that's viewable at any time. You can also shop online and get your working Leg Lamp in a cardboard box or a wood crate like The Old Man. Fancy bunny pajamas from Aunt Clara? You can get those online too!

How much does it cost to stay in the house from A Christmas Story?

From April to January, the house can be yours! Reserving a stay gives you access to a private third floor loft–and a full run of the entire Christmas Story House from an hour after the house is closed to the public (about 8-10 p.m., depending on the day) until 9 a.m. the next day. The private loft is outfitted with a living room, bedroom, full bathroom and full kitchen. The house sleeps six, and you and your party can sleep in a queen bed, sleeper sofa–or even Ralphie and Randy’s twin beds, if you like.

So how much is all this? Prices vary throughout the year, but in 2022, costs started at $545 per night in April and ran up to $3,595 for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Certain dates require a two-night minimum stay.

For considerably less—and year-round—you can live the hillbilly life at the Bumpus house next door, which offers two spaces: The Bumpus House Hound Dog Haven on the first floor and The Bumpus House Stolen Turkey Suite, on the upper floors.

How much are tickets to A Christmas Story Museum?

Tickets cost $15 for teens and adults, $11 for children ages 3-12 and $14 for seniors older than 60. Military members, whether active or retired, can get a 20 percent discount on their tickets. Children under 3 can get in for free. You can buy tickets at the gift shop or online.

The museum's hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. There are house tours throughout the day beginning at 10:15 a.m. local time.

How can you watch A Christmas Story?

There are several ways to watch the film, but if you can wait until Christmas Eve, many fans enjoy the tradition of watching one of the nonstop broadcasts that take place for 24 hours on both TBS and TNT.

Next: Where Are They Now? See the Cast of A Christmas Story 40 Years Later

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