When the holiday season is upon us, nothing sets the mood quite like a few Christmas classics. And despite the crazy amount of holiday flicks released every year, only a handful of movies manage to bring in the cheerful mood and set the tone for the celebrations ahead.
One of our all-time favorites, which never disappoints, is the lighthearted A Christmas Story, based on author Jean Shepherd’s semi-fictional stories inspired by his own memories of growing up in Indiana in the late ’30s and early ’40s.
Originally released in 1983, the iconic holiday film is set in 1940 and tells the tale of Ralphie Parker and his dream Christmas gift: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle.
Much like other holiday classics like Home Alone (which also features a memorable real-life house), the 1983 film is a holiday favorite, with the annual TBS marathon starting every Christmas Eve and attracting more than 40 million viewers.
But you don’t have to wait for the holidays. Fans of the film can keep the spirit alive year-round with A Christmas Story House & Museum.
In fact, if you’re a die-hard fan and have always dreamt about stepping foot into Ralphie’s A Christmas Miracle house, you should do it while you still can. The property’s longtime owner plans on selling the iconic movie house — if the right buyer comes along — so waiting might not be the best idea.
Continue reading all about Ralphie’s house and how fans can enjoy (and even stay overnight) at the real-life house featured in the movie.
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Where is the ‘A Christmas Story’ house?
Located five minutes from downtown Cleveland, OH, the house featured in A Christmas Story is in the Tremont neighborhood at 3159 W 11th St, Cleveland, OH 44109. The house, fully restored to look exactly like it did in the 1983 movie, is now a tourist attraction that’s open to fans year-long.
A family-friendly neighborhood, Tremont is one of Cleveland’s safest neighborhoods, known for its award-winning restaurants, lively art scene, shops and cafes, scenic churches, and fun-filled events. So there’s plenty to do and see in the area if you stop by to visit Ralphie’s house.
What can you do at Ralphie’s House?
Opened in 2006, A Christmas Story House & Museum welcomes visitors through the home of the Parker family, now restored to its original movie appearance.
The interactive experience invites guests to recreate their favorite movie scenes, such as taking photos by the leg lamp with a BB gun, climbing under the kitchen sink just like little brother Randy, or decoding a secret message in the bathroom while washing their mouths out with Lifebuoy soap.
What is in the museum?
The house across the street has been converted into A Christmas Story House Museum, which contains many of the props from the movie.
Items such as the family car, toys from the Higbee’s window, the chalkboard from Miss Shields’ classroom, and an official Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle (one of only six produced for the film) are all displayed inside and outside of Ralphie’s house.
Hardcore fans can spend the night
If the interactive house and museum aren’t quite enough, hardcore fans can also stay overnight at the Parker house for the full experience.
Fans can relieve the holiday magic by spending the night in the memorable movie home or the neighboring Bumpus House. There is no minimum stay requirement except for holidays (which require a two-night minimum).
The house can accommodate up to six guests per night, and overnight guests can enjoy access to the entire house all day.
Sleeping arrangements include a queen bed, a queen sleeper sofa, and Ralphie and Randy’s twin beds. Starting at $545 per night, the rate for bookings varies with the season.
Who owns ‘A Christmas Story’ House & Museum?
In 2004, Brian Jones purchased the Cleveland home for $150,000. Jones invested an additional $240,000 into the property to restore it to its original movie splendor.
During the opening weekend in 2006, the site drew 4,500 visitors, and now annually attracts 50,000 guests from all over the world visit, making it one of Cleveland’s top tourist attractions.
‘A Christmas Story’ house — listed for sale in 2022
The iconic movie home was listed for sale in 2022, in a very unique manner.
No minimum price was attached to the listing — which included the Parker family house, the Bumpus house, the museum itself, and as a bonus, an exact replica of the 1939 Ford LaFrance firetruck featured in the movie — and Brian Jones didn’t necessarily have an amount of money in mind, nor did he seem intent on offloading the property.
“I’m looking for the right buyer,” owner Brian Jones, told NBC affiliate WKYC of Cleveland back in 2022, when the movie home was listed for sale. “It’s something you not only own but that you have to take care of.”
The famous house from the movie “A Christmas Story” is for sale! The owner of this iconic home from this classic 80's movie is triple-dog, daring someone to take it off his hands. Check out the ins and outs of this property here: https://t.co/1qklUDC1W6 pic.twitter.com/H1pokNkJCs
— Eric Roark (@CoachRelocator) December 13, 2022
A cast member wanted to buy the house, but controversy followed
Soon after, actor Yano Anaya (who played Grover Dill in the 1983 movie) expressed interest in buying the house and later told TMZ that he and other cast members were interested in purchasing the property. Anaya didn’t say which co-stars, but fans of the movie rejoiced when hearing the news.
Well, that didn’t quite pan out, and not only did the Grover Dill actor fail to buy the house, but he also got kicked off the property in a highly publicized encounter with the owner.
While standing on the house’s front steps and taking pictures with fans, Anaya was cursed out by the property’s owner, Brian Jones, and told to “get away from my property” and to “never come here again.”
The incident was brought about by a GoFundMe campaign that the actor was reportedly associated with, and that was meant to attract donations that would have been used to purchase the house. Jones, who felt that the GoFundMe might be taking advantage of fans, accused Yano Anaya of trying to scam people.
He later apologized for his reaction in a written statement to PEOPLE: “I apologize for the way I expressed myself. However, it was out of concern that fans could be misled into contributing to a Go Fund Me campaign that will not result in the purchase of the house.“
Drama aside, did anyone end up buying the house?
Nope, longtime owner Brian Jones still owns Ralphie’s house from A Christmas Miracle, along with the museum and the neighboring Bumpus house.
Ralphie’s house makes a comeback in ‘A Christmas Story Christmas’ — sort of
A sequel to the 1983 classic was released in 2022, bringing back most of the original cast, 40 years after the first movie was released.
The long-awaited follow-up to the 1983 cult classic, A Christmas Story Christmas stars Peter Billingsley, who reprises his role as Ralphie, only this time he returns to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child.
The sequel takes place in the 1970s, with the now-adult Ralphie taking his family to his childhood home on Cleveland Street, where we see a familiar structure: Ralphie’s house, the same one used to film scenes for the original movie.
Unfortunately, A Christmas Story Christmas did not shoot any scenes at the house and was filmed primarily in Central Europe, on sets built in studios in Bulgaria and Hungary. But in order to re-create the magic of the first movie, the filming crew built replicas based on the original movie — including Ralphie’s house in Cleveland, Ohio.
And, in all honesty, the sequel just wouldn’t have been the same if the iconic movie home hadn’t made an appearance.
More classic holiday homes
Where is the Griswold house from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?
Iris and Amanda’s idyllic houses in ‘The Holiday’ and where to find them
Revisit the 10 Most Beautiful Homes From Your Favorite Christmas Movies
