The house featured in “A Christmas Story” is normally a tourist hot spot during the holidays, but this year business is hurting as much as getting your tongue stuck to a frozen flagpole.
Folks running A Christmas Story House & Museum — the Cleveland residence used for exterior shots of Ralphie’s home in the 1983 classic — tell TMZ … they’re projected to have about 50,000 less visitors compared to 2019.
On top of that, the home — which guests can reserve for an overnight stay and sleep in Ralphie and Randy’s beds — is still available on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day … which we’re told is unprecedented.
Since the place began allowing overnight reservations in 2008, it’s usually booked for November and December 6 months in advance … even though it costs nearly $3k per night!!!
But, with COVID-19 cases surging, stay-at-home orders and financial struggles for families across the country … 2020’s put the ‘Christmas Story’ business in a difficult spot too.
The good news is … the museum’s online gift shop is helping make up for some of the losses in tour and lodging revenue this year.
We’re told the shop’s sold around 14,000 different variations of the movie’s famous leg lamp, 1,000 pink bunny suits, and a couple hundred Red Ryder BB Guns … and there are plenty more in stock.
