Oh Fuuudge, It's the Holidays in Hammond

By Ali Trachta in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 4, 2008 5:45PM

Break out the pink bunny suits and leggy lamps! The classic holiday movie A Christmas Story turns 25 this year, and the film's home turf of Hammond is celebrating like gangbusters. The movie, based on a short story by Hammond native Jean Shepherd, centers on the author's hometown holiday experience in fictional Hohman, Indiana, a name chosen as a nod to one of Hammond's main downtown streets.

To commemorate this holiest of holies, Hammond will play host to a wide range of Ralphie Parker-inspired events this month that commemorate this iconic film. To name just a few:

• The Indiana Welcome Center is currently displaying six famous scenes from the movie, including "Higbee's Department Store Window," "Triple Dog Dare," and "The Parker Living Room." Open through Jan. 11.
• Kids can ask Santa for an Official Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun and get their picture taken just before getting kicked in the face and pushed down the slide at a replica of Santa's Mountain from the movie. Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas.
• Win a "Mommy's Little Piggy" mashed potato eating contest. Saturday Dec. 6 at 10:30 a.m. (Spuds for breakfast?)
• Enter your lamp in the "Ugliest Lamp Contest" for a chance to win a genuine leg lamp! Through Dec. 18th.
• Be the first to change a tire without cursing in the "Oh Fuuudge!" Relay Race and win a $400 gift certificate from Levin Tires or a set of father/son watches from Albert's Jewelers. Saturday, Dec. 18, 10:30 a.m.

The whole slew of what to do with times, dates and details can be found here.

If the above isn't giving you enough authentic, "shoot your eye out" experience, you can also bid on Ebay to spend Christmas at the original Parker house from the movie. As of posting, the price stands at $5,250.

In case anyone's wondering what Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie, is up to these days, he was last seen in Chicago on the Wild West Comedy Tour with local boy Vince Vaughn, whom he befriended while shooting an after-school special back in the early 90s. He can also be seen in the recently-released Four Christmases.

Photo of the original house from the movie by Dan Coulter.