National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: What Goes Through My Head

This is truly one of my favourite Christmas films. Chevy Chase is everything in this film. And Juliette Lewis is in it and it is just all so wonderful. I like to watch this every year and every year I laugh with glee. So join me as I watch and write.

I love the opening music. The cartoon segment makes no sense. Just like all of the 80's.

The family is in the car in the country side. Off to get a tree. The station wagon reminds me so much of Canada. The kids in the back look suicidal. Hahaha.

Yay Griswold family Christmas tree hunt. Truck in the back with hillbillies. Hahaha. Clark is a bit of an ass, too. Puts his family in danger just to prove a point. Ahh, the 80's!

Clark asking trivia about the first White House Christmas tree. How dad-like! Hot wife, too. Walking through the snow. I wish it would snow, I really really do. Juliette Lewis is succumbing to hypothermia. I won't lie, I'm kind of like Clark when it comes to trees... the bigger, the better!

I will never understand how they uprooted that tree, but some mysteries will remain unsolved. Yaay, suburbs! And yaay! Elaine from Seinfeld as the Yuppie neighbour. Why is she wearing sunglasses at night?

I still to this day don't get the bendover joke when he says "I wasn't talking to you." Someone explain that to me, please.

Bed scene with the magazines and the sap on their fingers. Such a subtle scene and I love it.

Yaay! Downtown Chicago! My kind of town. And Clark's Tasmanian devil cup is epic. Clark says he is going to by his family a pool with his Christmas bonus. So something they can't use until at least July. Oooh, Clark's boss is a mean man."Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass, kiss his ass." Hahaha.

Time to go Christmas shopping. Clark is in the lingerie department. This is totally a racy scene. Those 80's. "A bit nipply out." He looks like he is going to have a stroke. "Just looking for something for my wife, God bless her soul." Clark! What department store clerk lifts her skirt?

Here come the relatives. The doorbell segment is hilariously ominous. "They took a pint of fluid out of my spine." Time to decorate the house with lights. Old school outdoor lights; have to check every bulb. Stapling the bulbs to the house,  how this man has not died is a mystery.

Juliette Lewis is hilarious in this scene. "Do you sleep with your brother?" "I have to sleep with your father." Ahahaha. Lights a cigarette. Clark still on the roof. Again, why is he not dead. Icicle into the neighbours house, super modern (not anymore) sound system destroyed. Elaine says one of the best lines ever:

Poor Yuppies. Now time for the lighting of the house. I always cringe at this scene. But that house is so idyllic. And Clark's in laws are douches. "He worked really hard, Grandma" "So do washing machines." Chevy Chase was kind of hot back then. What is wrong with me? Poor Clark, checking all the lights.

Next morning. I laugh every.single.time he opens that attic staircase and gets hit in the face. I don't know why. Laugh out loud. He is hiding gifts and then finds one for Mother's Day he forgot about. It still bugs me I don't know what is in there. Uh oh, Clark trapped in the attic. How does that whole family fit in the station wagon. Oh, the 80's!

The scene with him watching the old home movies makes me bawl all the time. Love his fur and turban, though.  Gah! Still crying! Miss my family.

Now I am laughing at the above moment. I love the running outfits of the Yuppie neighbours. Pure silver goodness. Clark still working on the lights. Hahaha. Awesome light scene about to happen. Poor Yuppies. Lights on. Lights off. Lights on. Family heading outside to see the lights. Poor Yuppies, again. Clark flips out, killing the plastic reindeer. But Ellen to the rescue! I kind of just love this scene. And poor Elaine the neighbour with wine on her carpet. I totally love how the whole family gets totally emotional over Christmas lights on the house and he even says to his dad "You taught me everything about exterior illumination." Hahaha. Oh hey, Cousin Eddie. Who is he related to anyway? Snot the dog. Ha!

That house is ridic. with the lights. I love it. Eddie and Clark drinking eggnog. I always wonder why Eddie is dressed like a 1970s ski instructor. And those eggnog moose cups. Been obsessed with those for years. "We're taking it with us when we leave next month." ahahaha!

Back in downtown Chicago at the Hancock building. Man, my parents lived in Chicago and visiting them at Christmas was amazing. Do adore Chicago. Clark's boss is still a jerk.

Here comes the sledding scene which is actually my least favourite scene so I am going to go grab myself some eggnog.

December 21st and Clark is at work, playing with this model pool. Again, is this a good gift for Christmas? Clark waiting for his bonus or else he is screwed since he put down a down payment on the pool. I am a little concerned about Clark's finances. Later in the evening and Clark is imagining his new pool and his whole family visiting. Now he is imaging that woman from the department store. I am a little worried about Clark's marital status, too. Whoah, I think I saw nipple. This was a family film? Whoops, Eddie's little girl just interrupted Clark's dirty fantasy. Poor little girl didn't get any Christmas presents last year. "You house is always parked in the same place." awww. That gives me the sads.

Next morning, Clark looking out the window, waxing poetry about Cousin Eddie emptying out his septic tank. "Merry Christmas! Shitter was full!"

Clark offers to buy gifts for Eddie's kids. That's sweet.

Yay! Christmas Eve. "Is your house of on fire, Clark?" Ahahahah! Aunt Bethenny. That couple is amazing. She wrapped her cat. Bahhahaha!

Awww. Clark so proud to be head of the family. "Grace? She passed away years ago." Aunt Bethenny is epic. "THE BLESSING!" The turkey scene has made me paranoid of cooking fowl for years. And yet, crispy skin, yum.

Oh no! Poor cat! Don't eat the wires! Dog under the table, yakking on a bone. Oh no! Don't plug that tree back in! Poor cat!

Back to the dinner table. Large flame from the living room. Tree destroyed by Uncle Lewis. Uncle Lewis on fire. "It was an ugly tree anyway." Oh look, a delivery for Clark! Could this be the bonus for the pool... that will be the Christmas present... ready in July. Again, Clark, a little worried about your finances. And how much was this bonus supposed to be? A million dollars? Ah, the 80's. By the way, kind of have always loved what Ellen wears on Christmas Eve. The blouse is a little dated but still a cute look. Anyone else agree?

Back to the bonus. Uh oh. Nope. Not a cash bonus. "I can't swim, Clark." "I know Eddie." AHAHAHA. Oh no, one month membership to the jelly of the month club. Here comes Clark's best monologue. "Where's the Tylenol?" Is probably the best end to a rant.

Ellen throwing the eggnog cup into the bushes is epic. Yay! Yuppies! Christmas tree through the window! Ellen is the voice of reason too. Great green silk skirt, too! Clark is all of us on Christmas... snapped! I now my favourite scene of the WHOLE MOVIE! SQUIRREL!!!

This is laugh out loud ridiculous and I love it. And poor yuppie neighbour... attacked by the squirrel... and dog. She is so buying a condo after this. And maybe leaving Todd. That is quite a punch. Bags packed, Clark's perfect family Christmas might just be ending. "We are in the threshold of Hell!" ahahaha. The dad talking to Clark is actually lovely. Tears. I still kick myself for not buying "The Night Before Christmas" book when I was pregnant in London. I loved that book as a child.

Oh no. Here comes Eddie with Clark's boss. Apparently "literal" is literal. "I'm sorry, this is our family's first kidnapping" Love it! Kind of a sweet scene as well. I probably would have been like "Take my cousin to prison. Nothing to do with this!" Look at the boss, being a good guy.

And here comes the SWAT team. Again, these poor yuppies. Their insurance is going to be through the roof. And I still can't get over Ellen's hand cupping Clark's family jewels.

In what universe would a multi billionaire forgive kidnapping. And what high society wife would, too. And the captain saying "If I had a rubber hose..." what is HAPPENING?!?!?!

I think Uncle Lewis needs to quit the cigars. EXPLOSION! And there goes Aunt Bethenny, she's amazing! "Play Ball!" And a happy Christmas for everybody. "Merry Christmas, Sparky." Oh heart. Love it.

"I did it." Probably the best ending to a film of all time.