Cleveland Comes Alive with Festive Nostalgia Each Holiday Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year once again in Cleveland. We celebrate the generations of joy our city experiences every holiday season.

In years past and today, the city shimmers under strings of colored lights, while Terminal Tower wears its festive best. Families bundle up for a trip Downtown, or crowd into the Christmas Story House in Tremont for a lesson in Christmas film history. Local restaurants offer culinary delights that pop up on their menus only once a year.

The city feels smaller, a bit warmer, somehow, when magic lives in familiar places and traditions bind us together. Unwrap our enduring traditions, and meet the most festive locals who remind us why Cleveland still sparkles at Christmastime.

The Following Stories Appeared in December's "A Very Cleveland Holiday."

How "A Christmas Story" Became Cleveland's Favorite Holiday Film

From the yellow house in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood to the leg lamp "major award," revisit five movie memories and local hot spots that keep the 1983 film's legacy alive today in Northeast Ohio.

Mr. Jingeling Keeps Cleveland's Christmas Spirit Alive

Mr. Jingeling, the keeper of the keys, was supposed to be a one-off promotion for Higbee's, but instead, he became beloved in Cleveland. Today, a reboot of the character brings a holiday tradition back for new generations of Clevelanders.

Clevelanders Share Their Favorite Holiday Traditions

Barry Gabel, Kenny Crumpton and more tell us why there's nothing more special this time of year than a pint of Christmas Ale, a stroll around a festive Public Square or a trip to a Downtown arena for a holiday rock opera. Read more about their favorite holiday traditions.

Taste the Season Through Clevelanders' Favorite Holiday Dishes

What's on your plate this holiday season? Festive food traditions such as the Feast of the Seven Fishes, Hanukkah latkes and Kwanzaa feasts are rooted in culture, and bring warmth, meaning and plenty of flavor to local holiday tables.

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