My husband has been saying for quite some time that he wants to do a guest spot on my blog and he FINALLY sat his butt down to write one. (I know, like it’s that hard, right?) He’s not as funny as I am (let’s be honest, who is?), but he is sweet and sincere, so I couldn’t help but love the post he wrote. Without further ado…

I wanted to start a holiday greeting with a picture that many people associate with Christmas, and one that I associate with Christmas. I’m sure I don’t have to tell anyone that the first picture is a screenshot from the movie It’s A Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart. What I may need to clarify is that the second image is a recent photo of a movie theater on Philadelphia Street in Indiana Pennsylvania.

Why would a movie theater in the middle of nowhere remind me of Christmas? And what could it possibly have to do with one of the greatest and most iconic holiday movies ever?

I guess it’d be easier to start with the connection between the two pictures. George Bailey lived in a small town in the middle of Pennsylvania called Bedford Falls. He dreamed of big things, seeing the world; but as anyone familiar with the story knows, all his dreams came crashing down. Instead he found (with a little help) that his life of raising a family, supporting his community, and running a business turned out to be just as fulfilling.

Now, most movie-goers tend to look for a real-life connection between ideas and places they see onscreen. In the case of It’s A Wonderful Life, most critics believe that Bedford Falls is actually based on a small town in upstate New York called Seneca Falls. The obvious similarities are hard to ignore, from the layout of the buildings, to the structure of the streets. But I’m about to tell you that it’s not Seneca Falls where George Bailey lived. It was Indiana, Pennsylvania.

I’m sure that some movie enthusiasts know that Jimmy Stewart was born and raised in Indiana, PA. In fact, the central point of the town’s layout (besides Indiana University of PA in the south of the town) is the Jimmy Stewart Museum on Philadelphia and 9thStreets. Just down the block from the museum, the “downtown core” of Indiana begins, and then the similarities to Bedford Falls emerge. I included the image above of the Indiana movie theater on Philadelphia Street to show exactly what I’m on about.

For me, the ultimate Christmas experience takes place right on the streets of Indiana. Apart from the towns decorations and the annual showing of It’s A Wonderful Life in that very theater, the town becomes completely magical during a winter snowfall. There is no parallel to the lights outlining the buildings shining through the gently swirling snow. It’s a very difficult phenomenon to describe, but somehow, standing in this place, Christmas really comes alive.

Perhaps for me part of the intrigue is the history. Jen and I met in Indiana, just before the snow started to fall. Our first Christmas celebration together was spent in a small apartment just behind Philadelphia Street. Indiana was a place that saw many unforgettable moments for us, both good and bad. In fact, it was so close to our hearts that we were married in one of the oldest residential buildings in Indiana on a less-than-perfect day in May of 2008. Indiana had so blessed us with inclement weather over the years, that it sent us off with a freak hailstorm on what should have been a glorious spring day.

For some, Christmas isn’t complete without gingerbread cookies, christmas lights, caroling, or presents. For me, it’s sitting with Jen and watching It’s A Wonderful Life and Christmas Vacation and enjoying each other’s company. I can’t say that I’d want to spend the rest of my days in Indiana, but the more I think about it, the more I realize, if it was good enough for George Bailey, even after his life-changing encounter, then why shouldn’t it be the perfect place?

Merry Christmas to all, and remember that no matter how your life compares to your dreams, you always have accomplishments to be proud of, be it careers, children, or simply your own happiness. Don’t fret the things that haven’t come true, because as long as you have hope, there is always time.

At the last moment, I’d like to add that I noticed after writing this that a local news station has published an article noting that the Jimmy Stewart Museum, after a difficult economy and budget cuts from the state of Pennsylvania, has begun asking for donations to keep the doors open. Please, follow the link below to donate (or purchase from the store) and help keep the memory of Jimmy Stewart alive. Thank you.

-Merry Christmas