"" Writer's Wanderings: Castle Noel - Oh, The Christmas Movie Memorabilia!

Monday, December 02, 2019

Castle Noel - Oh, The Christmas Movie Memorabilia!

It was a nice sunny half hour drive to Medina to our destination, Castle Noel For the last several years I had heard about the museum dedicated to Christmas memorabilia from movies and New York City's famous windows.

Along with our son who was visiting for Thanksgiving, we arrived about ten minutes before our appointed time for the tickets we had purchased ahead of time. We were checked in and signed a disclaimer because there were steps to manage and of course, a trip down an infamous Santa slide. After waiting a few minutes for others in our time slot to arrive, we were led into the first room and given some history of the museum.

Mark Klaus, a nationally renowned artist and sculptor, and his wife Dana have spent quite a bit of time accumulating enough artifacts to fill the museum that covers half a city block. In an article I read, Klaus attributed his interest in all things Christmas to his mother and father, who resembled Clark Griswold in his fervor to decorate at the holidays.

Klaus' talent for sculpting can be seen in the work that is displayed for sale in the gift shop. The Christmas ornaments and figurines he has there are intricately designed. He was commissioned to design the official ornament for the Times Square Millennium Celebration.

By 2002 his reputation allowed him access to those who held the artifacts he was interested in collecting and he began to acquire Christmas movie props and costumes. In 2013, his museum dream was realized as the doors opened to the wonder and delight of the visitors who have come to see his collection and, as the adults are promised, become kids again. Our golden tickets were marked "Youth" because we would feel like a kid again once we were done with the tour.

Once we had learned a little about how the museum came to be from Dana, Klaus' wife, she led us outdoors to one of the best props we had waited to see, Cousin Eddie's RV from the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie starring Chevy Chase. We took the appropriate picture and learned that the RV was actually made of aluminum and fiber glass and the rust on the outside was actually painted on. Thankfully Snots, the dog, was nowhere to be seen and we didn't have to rub his belly.

We followed Dana, our guide, into the next building and another tour guide took over, What awaited us would amaze us on every turn we took.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...