Hammond's (a) Christmas Story

There are Christmas shows that make you feel good down to the soles of your shoes, heart-warming, feel-good kinda shows that exude the spirit of Christmas. And there are shows that make you feel just as good through laughter. One show that is a tradition with our family is Jean Shepherd's "A Christmas Story". Recently my work has taken me to the great city of Hammond, where Shepherd based his holiday comedy. While he doesn't call his home Hammond, he creates the fictional name of Hulman (which has Hoosier roots of its own, but sounds suspiciously like Hohman-which is a major street named for some of the city founders). I also came to realize that THE main department store in downtown Hammond was Minas'. Could Shepherd have been thinking of Minas' as the location Ralphy was pushed down the giant slide by St. Nick's big foot? Possibly. I've included pictures of Minas Department Store in its heyday and a picture just before it was demolished recently. The owner of Minas' was Edward Minas, whose stately residence is at home in the Forest Avenue historic district of Ivanhoe.

But the movie is spectacular....it had me laughing just as hard Saturday when I watched it for the 20th time, as the first. And it's a great picture of Indiana in the late 40's. By the way-I want a leg lamp for Christmas this year. And I can sympathize with Ralphy-the bully, Scotty Farkas has a striking resemblance to my own childhood bully-Bobby Kowatch. Time for honesty here.....have you ever stuck your tongue to a flagpole? If not, I double-dog dare you!