'A Christmas Story' brings back fond memories at Robert's Christmas Wonderland
CLEARWATER, Fla. - It's been nearly 40 years since the release of the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" and the fan base keeps growing.
"It just brought back so many memories of growing up, and I think that's why it resonates a lot with families around Christmastime," said Dennis Wilkinson, one of the managers of Robert's Christmas Wonderland in Clearwater.
He says the merchandise from the film is still a bestseller.
"It's very, very popular. In fact, it's so popular we order a little heavier on Ralphie's house. Ralphie wanted the Red Ryder BB rifle and the whole story revolves around the family actually getting it for him," said Wilkinson.
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Back in 2013, one of the movie's cast members, Scott Schwartz, who played "Flick" in the film, was one of Wilkinson's customers.
In the movie, his character famously got his tongue stuck to an icy flagpole after a dare.
"I was setting up the Christmas Story village and this gentleman came in we were talking for a while, and he said, ‘You really sell a lot of that,’ and I'm like, "Yeah we do OK,'" recalled Wilkinson. "He said, ‘Well, what about the piece where the kid sticks his tongue to the flagpole? I said, ’That's the most popular piece.'"
Wilkinson said the man looked at him and it all clicked.
Bumpus House, courtesy of A Christmas Story House & Museum
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"I said, 'My heavens that's you.' As soon as he smiled I recognized him. I said, ‘Did you really stick your tongue to the pole?’"
No, he responded. Instead, a hole was drilled and a suction tube was installed, Wilkinson explained.
Along with sharing some movie secrets, Schwartz had some of his cast mates from the film join him for a meet-and-greet with fans at the store a few months later.
"He brought along the little brother who hid under the sink. He brought along the bully with the yellow eyes and the sidekick. I will be working here 47 years this year. I have never seen this store that busy before ever. The line seriously was out that door and past the two back warehouses for two days, and I've never seen anything like that in my life," said Wilkinson.
For him, it was a real-life Christmas story he'll never forget.
"The excitement of how well that movie is taken and perceived by people. I never dreamt it was that popular until that really opened my eyes," Wilkinson said. "A lot of the original characters are in the second movie coming out. Everybody's looking forward to that. Everyone."
"A Christmas Story Christmas" will be released on HBO Max on Nov. 17, 2022.