Maps of Movies
A Christmas Story (1983)
Where A Christmas Story says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
The Indiana town is made up, but the department store, the house and the parade are in Cleveland, and the schoolyard is in Canada.
View on the map
Scenes and places
The Red Ryder in the department-store window
Ralphie pushes through the crowd at the store window and spots the Red Ryder air rifle in the display. From here on he schemes to get one for Christmas.
Set in Higbee's corner window, downtown Hohman — The department-store Christmas window in the film's made-up Indiana town.
A big downtown department store whose Christmas windows were a seasonal event; in the film it stands for a store in the made-up town of Hohman.
Filmed at Higbee's Department Store, Public Square, Cleveland — The opening window scene was filmed here. The building is now the Jack Cleveland Casino. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: On Public Square in downtown Cleveland.
The schoolyard and the flagpole dare
At school Ralphie's friends dare each other over whether a tongue sticks to a frozen flagpole, and the dare is raised to a "triple dog dare". In class he hopes his teacher will back his plan for an air rifle.
Set in Warren G. Harding Elementary School — Ralphie's school in Hohman, where the class hands in its Christmas themes and the flagpole dare happens.
A real school building in Ontario stands in for the Indiana school named after a US president.
The Parker house and the leg lamp
The Old Man wins a lamp shaped like a woman's leg as a "major award" and shows it off in the front window. Mrs. Parker hates it, and the quarrel that follows is the household's running fight.
Set in The Parker house, Cleveland Street, Hohman — The family home where the furnace acts up and the Old Man puts a prize lamp in the window.
A real house restored and opened to visitors as a museum, set on a street named after the one the story's author grew up on.
Filmed at A Christmas Story House, Tremont, Cleveland — The exterior and some interior shots of the house were filmed here. Most of the interior was a sound stage in Toronto. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: In the Tremont neighbourhood on Cleveland's West Side; it is open to the public as a museum.
Buying the family Christmas tree
The family drives to a tree lot, where a salesman pitches the Old Man hard on his stock.
Set in The Christmas tree lot, Hohman — A roadside lot where the family goes to choose a tree.
A winter tree lot in Toronto passes for a small-town lot in the American Midwest.
The flat tire and the forbidden word
While helping the Old Man change a tire, Ralphie drops a lug nut and blurts out a four-letter word he has only heard from his father. He knows at once he is in trouble.
Set in The roadside, Hohman — Where the Old Man changes a flat tire and Ralphie helps.
A harbour road in Toronto; the freighters wintering in the background make it look like a lake-shore town in December.
Filmed at Foot of Cherry Street, Toronto — The roadside scene was filmed at the foot of Cherry Street by the port. The coordinates are for the whole street, so the exact spot may be a few hundred metres away. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: Cherry Street runs south toward Toronto's port area.
The Santa parade outside the store
Ralphie's mother takes the boys downtown for the parade and Santa. Ralphie decides he can ask Santa for the rifle himself.
Set in Downtown Hohman, outside the department store — The city square where the Christmas parade ends at the department store.
A real downtown square in Cleveland; the film crew shot it in the middle of the night to hide modern buildings.
Filmed at Public Square, Cleveland — The parade was filmed here at 3 a.m. so that newer buildings would not show. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: Cleveland's main downtown square.
Santa's line inside Higbee's
Ralphie waits in a long line, then freezes when it is his turn and asks for a football. He corrects himself and names the rifle.
Set in Santa's grotto in the department store, Hohman — The store's Santa corner, reached by a very long line.
A department store that decorated for Christmas every year and kept the Santa slide made for the film.
Filmed at Higbee's Department Store, Public Square, Cleveland — The Santa visit was filmed inside the store. It is now a casino. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Christmas dinner at the Chop Suey Palace
On Christmas Day the family ends up at a Chinese restaurant. The staff bring out a whole roast duck.
Set in The Chinese restaurant, Hohman — The restaurant where the family eats Christmas dinner.
A Toronto restaurant stands in for a small-town Chinese restaurant.
Filmed at Bo Ling's Chop Suey Palace, 744 Gerrard Street East, Toronto — Filmed in East Chinatown, Toronto. The coordinates given are for the district, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Characters
- Ralphie Parker — A nine-year-old who wants one thing for Christmas, an air rifle.
- The Old Man — Ralphie's father, who fights the furnace and loves contests.
- Mrs. Parker — Ralphie's mother, who keeps the family together.