In Ohio, a collection of old books, antique toys, and costumes from the “Brady Bunch” TV and film sets are evoking Christmas memories. The exhibit, titled “A Storybook Christmas Featuring a Very Brady Holiday,” debuted on November 2nd and will be on display there through December 31.

At the historic Reese-Peters House, where the museum is located, the exhibition ushers in the start of the festive season. Visitors are invited to enter the pages of well-known Christmas tales like “The Night Before Christmas,” “Polar Express,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in five festively decorated rooms.

The exhibition that’s evoking Christmas memories in Ohio

The festively furnished Reese-Peters House parlors will include a blend of vintage toys similar to those portrayed in the Brady Bunch series, costumes, and artifacts from the TV show and movies as part of the exhibition that signals the start of the holiday season. 

Co-curator Dr. George Johnson said, “This innovative presentation over five rooms on the main floor mixes artifacts from different exhibits and produces a strong vision under one theme.” This is the first exhibition the Decorative Arts Center has staged in this manner.

Visitors will enjoy stepping into the pages of well-known Christmas storybooks, including “The Night Before Christmas,” “Polar Express,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” as part of the dynamic show, according to Johnson.

Brady’s family Christmas morning memories

Johnson stated that in addition to holiday classics like “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” there would be a greater selection of pop-up books on exhibit. A range of Golden Books from the late 1800s to the 20th century and some religious items will also be available. He explained that others would be placed under the Christmas trees as gifts, simulating what Christmas morning may have looked like for the Bradys and other families in the 1960s and ’70s. Some books will have their pages open so visitors can read extracts from their favorite Christmas stories.

Vintage toys that the Bradys would have opened that morning and outfits worn by the characters in various TV series and films are included alongside the storybooks. The Paramount Pictures Costume Archive is managed by co-curator Randall Thropp, who is also bringing many Brady Bunch set costumes and items. The collection includes a horse sculpture that was seen at the bottom of the staircase at the Brady home and a two-piece pantsuit that Florence Henderson wore in the episode where the Brady family visits the Grand Canyon.

Brady Brunch

The Brady Bunch is an American comedy created by Sherwood Schwartz. The show aired on ABC from September 1969 through March 1974 and revolved around s ix children that made up the huge, blended family. 

After being canceled in 1974, the show ran for five seasons before entering syndication in September 1975.  Even though it wasn’t a critical success then, the show has gained popularity and become a mainstay on reruns, especially among kids and teenagers.

The Brady Bunch Hour (1976–1977), The Brady Girls Get Married (1981), The Brady Brides (1981), A Very Brady Christmas (1988), and The Bradys are only a few of the television reunion movies. The spin-off show was due to The Brady Bunch’s syndicated success (1990).