National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation A Hilarious Holiday Film
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a funny Christmas movie that’s become a favorite in my household. The 1989 flick stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, fired up with holiday spirit, but oblivious to just about everyone and everything else as he pursues his manic goal of a good, old fashioned Christmas. His wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) is leary of his plans, as are his son Rusty (Johnny Galecki) and daughter Audrey (Juliette Lewis). Clark has invited his parents Clark Wilhelm Griswold Sr (John Randolph) and Nora Griswold (Diane Ladd), and the in-laws Art Smith (E. G. Marshall) and Francis Smith (Doris Roberts), slightly whacked Aunt Bethany (Mae Questel) and toupee-challenged, cigar smoking Uncle Lewis (William Hickey) to spend the holidays at the Griswold Chicago home.’
Sound like a typical family holiday get-together?
Wrong.
25,000 lights-just your average house decorating project
After the in-laws settle in, Clark goes all-out, creating a decorated house that can be seen from space. He installs 250 light strands containing 25,000 lights, stapling himself to the soffit and falling off the roof. After hours of work, his initial unveiling fails. Unbeknownst to Clark, his mom and wife keep turning off the main switch inside the garage where a rats nest of extension cords are plugged in. The error corrected, Clark fires up, creating lighting that can be seen from space. It draws so much power that the local electric utility is forced to kick in their auxiliary nuclear generator, ticking off snobby yuppie neighbors, already disgusted by several Griswold close encounters.
Enter the uninvited kinfolk
The Kansas hick kinfolk appear at the unveiling , having traveled in a beat-up old RV, a rolling tenement well past it’s prime. Clark is shocked to see cousin Catherine (Miriam Flynn), her sleazy slob husband trooper hat wearing Eddie (Randy Quaid), with their kids, Rocky (Cody Burger) and Ruby Sue (Ellen Hamilton Latzen) and huge, drooling dog Snotz.
The gift you wish she hadn’t
Uncle Lewis and Aunt Bethany arrive. Bethany gives Clark a screeching wrapped present, her cat. Released, the cat discovers tasty Christmas tree light strand wiring, disappearing in a flash of light and puff of smoke.
Eggnog and moose mugs
Eddie and Clark reminisce about Christmas while drinking eggnog out of antlered moose mugs. Eddie reveals he’s lost the family home, and now lives in the RV. Clark offers to help Eddie treat Rocky and Ruby Sue to a good Christmas. Eddie agrees, giving Clark a list and advising him to get a good gift for himself.
Jet-speed snow saucer takes off
Fun-loving Clark take sthe family to snow resort and jumps on a snow saucer that he’s lubricated, using a new food oil rated to be 500 times more slippery than any other. He launches and the saucer takes off like a jet, leaving a blowing snow trail, weaving through the woods and eventually crashing.
Christmas Eve disaster
After dinner, a hibernating squirrel in the tree awakes and attacks, creating havoc as it runs around. It clings to Clark’s back as everyone attempts to flee. The squirrel nearly escapes until the dog arrives, completing the demolition of the dining room furniture and decorations.
“Jelly Of The Month” club
During all of this, loyal company man Clark eagerly anticipates his Christmas bonus, which he plans to use for a backyard swimming pool. But Clark’s Scrooge boss, Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle Murray), lacking holiday spirit, has heartlessly cut all employee bonuses, instead giving them a year’s subscription to “Jelly Of The Month” club.
Enter the Swat team
Clark loses it, railing at his boss, wishing he had Frank before him so he could tell him off. This inspires Eddie to give Clark a gift. He kidnaps Frank and brings him to the house in his RV for the confrontation. Frank finally sees the light as a SWAT team, called by his wife smashes into Clark’s home. Frank dismisses the SWAT team, saying that it’s been a misunderstanding, sheepishly admitting he was wrong to cut employees bonuses. He gives Clark his, plus an additional 20%.
Santa and his reindeer really do fly
Eddie empties the RV holding tank, dumping toilet contents into a storm drain. Rising methane gas bubbles ominously. Uncle Lewis’s cigar ignites the gas, blasting a Santa lawn display into orbit. Everyone is enthralled, as they watch Santa and reindeer flying across the sky, as Aunt Bethany sings The Star-Spangled Banner. Clark happily realizes that his dream of the perfect family Christmas has come true.
Christmas Vacation was directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. and was written by John Hughes, based on his short story in National Lampoon Magazine, Christmas ‘59. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is considered to be by many (me too) to be one of the best Christmas movies ever. But not only can you sit back in your easy chair and laugh your head off, you can become an active participant in the movie by getting your own official Christmas Vacation collectibles, including the film in DVD or Blu-Ray versions, like a Griswold Blackhawks Hockey jersey, drinking moose mug eggnog cup, a snow globe, cousin Eddie’s Trooper Hat, attack squirrel, or proudly wearing a “Jelly Of The Month” t-shirt.
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