Seventh Annual Leg Lamp Lighting

What's the allure of the leg lamp? If you ask Ralphie it's the "warm glow of electric sex," but if you ask the hundreds gathered outside on Saturday, it may just be for the love of novelty, kitsch, and serendipitous beginnings.

Northport Hardware owners Billy and Jimmy Reichert found the iconic leg lamp replica from the 1983 film "A Christmas Story" while cleaning out the basement of the store in 2005. With help from Mayor George Doll and a few others, they brushed it off and gave it a place in the storefront window: a small homage to Christmas' number one dysfunctional family.

The original five people at the first ceremony have turned into hundreds who come to see the Bag Pipers, the Northport High School Tigerettes dance team, a faux snow shower, caroling, and electrician Bob Cross dressed in a pink bunny suit. "What started as a kind of a joke has become a tradition," said Doll.

For Northport locals like Joe Pokorny the annual leg lamp lighting is a tradition as strong as Black Friday or Thanksgiving. "It's kinda like the Black Friday of Northport."

Santa came by to say hello to the children while adults hung around the hardware store drinking and eating and sharing stories. "It's a good chance for people to chat, eat or shop while the kids play outside," said Doll.

This is one tradition that Northport tries to keep as local as possible, with organizers shying away from media attention. "We don't really advertise, people find out by word of mouth," said Bill Reichert.