For some, the holiday season begins with Black Friday shopping. Others ring in the holiday season by placing thousands of tiny little lights over their homes. But for me and my family, the holidays can’t begin without the annual viewing National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The 1989 Christmastime classic, and it’s my all-time favorite National spelling‘s vacation Franchising, has been a staple in my home for a number of years now, and has long been our way of going about things.
However, I’ve watched Chevy Chase’s Clark W. Griswold prank an angry truck driver, chop down a giant Christmas tree, and dream about an in-ground pool (and a lingerie saleswoman) more times than I care to count at this point. I’ve recently been keeping up this tradition, and decided it was the perfect time to jot down some random thoughts on one of the most popular Christmas movies…
I relate to Clark Griswold more as I get older
Some men like to see themselves as john mclan of Die hardand others by George Bailey It’s a wonderful life. Personally, I’ve felt more and more like Clark Griswold, especially the older one. Like Sparky, I also take things to the next level with just about everything I do around the house, especially when it comes to Christmas, which brings my stress to a very unhealthy level.
No, I don’t climb over the roof and install 25,000 weird Christmas lights at the end of winter, nor did I accidentally encourage my cousin to kidnap my boss, but it wouldn’t be the holidays without my Christmas cheer turning into 12 days of stress. And explosive outbursts that make my in-laws shake their heads in shame.
Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis are my two favorite versions of Rusty and Audrey
One of the biggest gags in National spelling leave The franchise has the Griswold kids – Rusty and Audrey – played by different actors each time. And while Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron did a tremendous job in their initial portrayals of the characters, I always felt like Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis played the best versions of Rusty and Audrey, respectively.
The two actors create some of the most memorable scenes in the movie, like Audrey’s eyes freezing while getting a Christmas tree, Rusty Clark being surprised at the store, and the two constantly complaining about their grandparents. They may have the least amount of screen time of all the Griswold kids, but they make the most of it.
The scene of “the arrival of the ancestors” is like something out of a horror movie
if National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation It was a Christmas horror movie, the scene where the grandparents arrive home would be the “monster that knocks at the door” moment, as unsuspecting victims come face to face with evil. With each ring of the doorbell, Griswold’s normal life is upended and plunged into chaos. Rusty watches It’s a wonderful life On the couch, Audrey is listening to the music in her room, Elaine is writing Christmas cards, and Clark is acting like Santa in the mirror. All these moments are the last normal life of the family.
Then the grandparents walk into the house and start complaining about the parking, talking about moles and pints off their backs and hemorrhoids, and pushing Rusty and Audrey in quarters (quarter, quarter) to rub their heels. It’s a great scene, funny, absolutely spooky, and perfectly sums up what “Christmas,” as Clark says, is all about.
Cousin Eddie appears out of nowhere in solid gold
Sure, Cousin Eddie is a character you’d hate spending the holidays with, but his unique personality and charm help make him National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Like this iconic movie (Shitter’s full, anyone?). And while the aforementioned draining of Eddie’s RV’s waste tank is a slick hit throughout, as is the rest of his scenes, nothing beats his sudden arrival just as Clark finally gets his Christmas lights on.
Clark’s expression when he realizes that Eddie, Katherine, their children, and their dog, Snoots, are there is classic and full of confusion and dread, completely wiping out the boundless joy that was painted on his face just moments before.
I kind of feel bad for Margo and Todd
I know Margo and Todd Chester are two National spelling leave Characters I’m supposed to hate, but I can’t help but feel bad for Clark’s bigoted neighbors. Sure, they’re elitist, sassy, and prone to bickering, but imagine being blinded by the lights, and a window and CD player smashed by a chunk of ice made the carpet wet, too. This is on top of living next door to Griswolds before the holiday season begins.
Through no fault of their own, the SWAT team raids Margo and Todd’s house in the final minutes of the movie, and puts a bow on top of the Christmas gift from hell.
I’ve always wondered what cooked turkey tastes like
I’ve always been obsessed with the food in the Christmas movies, more specifically, how it tastes. Donut and cheese pizza Home AloneMeatloaf and mashed potatoes Christmas storypasta and drink in it dwarf Are just a few examples that come to mind. But what stands out the most is the overcooked turkey National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Sure, the inside looks a bit gross with its dry, gray texture making it look like the inside of an overcooked crab, but the skin doesn’t look half bad. The color is nice, the texture is checkered, and the wings (at least on the outside) look good. I was going to leave the turkey in the oven for a long time myself, but some things are better left unknown, I guess.
Clark’s Christmas Eve meltdown has to be one of the best ever
I love a good on-screen breakdown, as I noted a couple of years ago with a recap of Tom Hanks’ Best. But as much as I would love to watch Hanks lose his cool and demand to be taken to the hospital in… purpsThat’s just child’s play compared to Clark Griswold losing his mind after his Christmas bonus was not a check, but a subscription to the Jelly of the Month Club.
As soon as I hear a knock on the door after the Christmas tree is on fire, I know Clarke is a minute away from starting one of the most epic rallies ever. That angry mix of laughing/crying as he dips his Wally World cup in a vat of eggnog, the epic rant about the “four-fanned, low-life, snake-licking, dirt” boss… it’s all great. The cherry on top is the final line of the breakdown: “Hallelujah! Damn it! Where’s Tylenol?” It doesn’t get much better than that.
Other random thoughts
This is not for me alone National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Thoughts, as I have several other random notes from the 1989 classic:
- The opening animation and song really kicked in.
- There are no mountains near the suburbs of Chicago.
- I still can’t get enough of the short show’s broadcast spectacle.
- My wife and I watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation before any other holiday movie.
- It’s weird seeing old school Walmart.
If you want to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation After going through all of these random ideas, you can do just that now with an HBO Max subscription.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation broadcast on HBO Max. (Opens in a new tab)