The iconic leg lamp from A Christmas Story has to be one of the most bizarre and recognizable props in movie history. The Christmas Story leg lamp first appeared in radio personality Jean Shepherd’s short story My Old Man and the Lascivious Special Award That Heralded the Birth of Pop Art -one of the many short stories in his best-selling book In God We Trust: All Other Pay Cash! – from which A Christmas Story the movie was based. Shepherd said he got the idea for the lamp after seeing an illuminated Nehi Soda commercial from the 1940’s.
When the Christmas Story movie was made, the task of bringing the leg lamp to life fell to movie production designer Reuben Freed. He made sketches of several possible designs and one caught the eye of author Jean Shepherd who, when he saw it, said “that’s it!” and the rest is history. Unfortunately none of the three original lamps made for the movie survived. All three were broken in the course of filming. But you can still buy replicas of the lamp and give yourself your very own “major award” – thousands of leg lamp replicas are sold each year. For more information on the legendary Christmas Story leg lamp and how you can order your very own visit achristmasstoryhouse.com.
