To kick off Christmas Week I’d like to share with you my family’s favorite Christmas movie, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I cannot believe this movie is 21-years-old! Where does time go? I’ve watched this movie every year since I was a little girl. I can’t imagine a year without watching it at least five times.
Two fun facts about Christmas Vacation. First, the assistant director of Christmas Vacation, Frank Capra III, is the grandson of the legendary Frank Capra, who directed It’s a Wonderful Life. The part where Clark “fixes” the newel post by sawing it off with a chainsaw is an homage to It’s a Wonderful Life. The newel post at the Bailey’s house was also loose. Also, Russ is watching It’s a Wonderful Life on TV when his grandparents arrive. Second, in the scene where the two grandfathers are asleep in the armchairs while the Christmas parade is on TV in the background is real. The actors who played the grandfathers were supposedly both really asleep.
Here are a few of my favorite clips. Be forewarned, foul language in these clips. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
It’s not going in our yard Russ, it’s going in our living room.
Cousin Eddie emptying his motorhome’s sewage line.
Hap, Hap Happiest Christmas…
