Introduction
Basic movie information
Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Full name: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Release date: December 1, 1989
What to expect: A whirlwind of festive chaos, heartfelt family moments, slapstick comedy, and the pure, unfiltered spirit of holiday mayhem.
Additional information: Based on John Hughes’s short story Christmas ’59, this entry in the National Lampoon series features returning star Chevy Chase as the ever ambitious Clark Griswold.
Budget: Approximately $25 million
Box office: Over $73 million worldwide
Initial thoughts
It has been so long since I watched this for the first time, but every Christmas we watch it, and every Christmas I anticipate the great amusement it brings. To see Clark fumble around never grows old. I resonate with his clumsiness, he is just like me. Strange, bizarre things happen to him as if the universe personally selects him for festive misfortune, and honestly, that is something I understand all too well. Each revisit brings those same warm laughs, the same anticipation of iconic moments, and the comfortable feeling of watching holiday traditions unfold across the screen.
Enjoyment
Plot summary
The story follows the Griswold family as Clark attempts to orchestrate the perfect Christmas. Naturally, everything spirals into delightful catastrophe, from malfunctioning decorations to surprise relatives to a house that seems one step away from achieving sentience through sheer chaos.
Was the movie fun?
Absolutely. It is wall-to-wall entertainment, with humor that lands just as effectively today as it did upon release.
Emotional impact
Beneath the comedic frenzy lies an honest affection for family, tradition, and the desire to create meaningful memories, even when the universe refuses to cooperate. That balance between hilarity and heart gives the movie its staying power.
Rating for Enjoyment
After thinking about all the aspects this movie has to give for enjoyment, emotional impact, and other factors, I decided to give the enjoyment section of this movie review a 10.
Pacing and audience
Pacing of the movie
The pacing maintains an energetic rhythm. Scenes flow briskly, jokes hit rapidly, and the film never overstays any comedic beat. It keeps a lively holiday tempo suitable for annual rewatches.
What audience is targeted?
Adults, families, holiday enthusiasts, and anyone who knows that gatherings in December come with equal parts love, awkwardness, and absurdity.
Script and dialogue
John Hughes’s writing shines with sharp comedic timing, witty exchanges, and lines that have become cemented into holiday pop culture. The banter feels natural, and Clark’s monologues remain legendary fixtures of seasonal film history.
What message does this movie instill?
It encourages embracing the imperfections of holiday life. The message is simple yet timeless: the true spirit of Christmas is found not in perfection but in perseverance, patience, and togetherness.
Rating
After some consideration, thinking over the dialogue and the scenes, I give the pacing and audience section a rating of 10.
Graphic style
Quality of graphics and art direction
For a late-80s comedy, the visual presentation holds up wonderfully. The practical effects, the lighting from Clark’s extravagant decorations, and the classic suburban Christmas aesthetic all work together beautifully. The film’s visual charm is part of its identity.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style of this movie a good rating. But after considering a lot, I decided to give it a 10.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the movie
The soundtrack is joyous, festive, and unmistakably tied to the season. From upbeat Christmas tunes to the film’s playful orchestral cues, the music underlines the comedy and lifts the emotional beats.
Acting and lines
Chevy Chase steals every scene with his chaotic energy, but the supporting cast, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid, and many more, contribute essential performances that magnify the film’s humor. Their line deliveries are sharp, memorable, and irresistible.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 10.
Personal experiences favorite scene
There are so many fun scenes to choose from. I love how the cat gets fried, morbid but hilarious, especially knowing it’s all movie magic. And the squirrel scene remains a classic staple of absurd comedy. Both moments capture the unpredictable spirit of the film. Furthermore, a sincere word of caution: do not watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2. Consider that an act of seasonal self-preservation.
Rating
My own personal rating of this movie is a 10.
PS: My wife also loves this movie!
Last words
Pros
- Timeless holiday humor
- Chevy Chase’s iconic performance
- Strong supporting cast
- Brilliant physical comedy
- Heartfelt family themes
- Classic, quotable lines
- Excellent pacing
- Festive atmosphere throughout
- Memorable soundtrack
- Effective practical effects
- Nostalgic Christmas setting
- Endearing chaotic energy
- Rewatchable every year
Cons
- It makes every other Christmas comedy struggle to compete
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation remains an essential holiday classic for a reason. It blends chaos, warmth, and humor in a way few films can replicate. Every scene offers something memorable, every joke lands with seasonal charm, and every rewatch reminds you why this movie has stood the test of time.
Final Rating
A BIG FAT 10!
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This movie is just xmas classic. If you don’t connect with this movie then wait til you are older and then you will understand.
Lol, that is so correct.
Great writeup on an absolute classic that always deserves rewatching
Every year it comes back!
I must admit, this is not at all my kind of humor so writing anything about this will be hard for me…. I am glad that there are movies out there that are made so good for their target audience, that they can be enjoyed for so long and after repeated watch. I’m not one for slapstick though and especially jokes like the one with “sleeping with your brother” are just weird. I think I might like the chipmunk scene, but I haven’t seen enough of that in the trailer… to chopped up…
Also… Christmas is something special to me, something with a real meaning, so I don’t enjoy stuff that makes fun of it like this. If others enjoy it, I have no issue, it’s just, I don’t even want to see it…
Everyone has their own sense of humour and Christmas, it is a very messy chaotic time but with fun and laughter. And for my wife and I this is what this movie represents, coming together despite all the chaos.
Oh that’s a long time ago since I last saw this. I always liked Chevy movies ^^
I like the heartfeltiness of Chevy with his a bit clumsiness but friendly in heart. But I don’t like are strange relatives ^^. And jokes which goes under the belt.
And I just cant relate to anything reguarding “oh those relatives you invite which you don’t want to have near you”. That’s something I’m really greatful to not have to experience.
Pretty on point with that, Hobbes. It’s a bit off the authenticity with the (intenionally/unintentionally) invited guests, and jokes do tend to overstay their welcome with overdramatizing. I get you with the under-the-belt jokes. 😀
There are some random things that happen in the movie that still give me giggles, though, like him testing the saucer as a sled and launching himself like a rocket, but it then goes for too long again. XD
I believe I saw Will Farrell’s movie reference this one. The one with Mel Gibson (IIRC).
The humour is kind of black, you need to like it, like my wife and I do.
I haven’t seen the movie, but I just watched the trailer and it already shows why it stuck around for so long. One gag that’s still funny today is Clark’s explosive rant, especially the line about waking up with his head sawed to the carpet. The way the anger keeps escalating is exaggerated but very relatable, especially around holiday stress
One thing that didn’t age well is the sexual humor, like the scene with “can I show you something?” followed by “I was just blouse… browsing.” That kind of joke clearly belongs to another time and today it feels more awkward than funny, even just from the trailer
Lol, people are a lot more prune to these things whereas in that time it was normal, either way, I don’t mind. But holiday chaos is just one of those things.
At the moment, I’m looking for films to watch over Christmas, so thank you for the idea.
I haven’t seen the film, but based on the trailer, I would say that what’s funny is seeing situations that we experience as a family every year, such as decorating the house and putting up the Christmas tree…
I hope you enjoyed the movie if you saw it already!
I have not watched the movie, which is not at all surprising, but after watching the trailer and reading your review, I am putting it up on my priority watchlist.
Get to it and tell me what you think of it!
It’s not exactly my type of movie, but there’s something intrinsically funny about physical gags, like when he pulls down the attic and the stairs come down on top of him, hitting him. Pretending to get hurt always gets a laugh from my niece and nephew. It’s not until we get older that we stop and think like “oh he could have gotten hurt”, but since it’s a movie we can suspend belief, ignore that part of our brain, and just have a childlike whimsy to enjoy watching someone in a movie get hit. There’s a reason that even though it’s almost 100 years after their time, and I’ve never seen any of their shows/movies, I still know who Moe, Larry, and Curly are.
Lol that stuff happens to me in real life, and nine out of ten times, I am perfectly fine, maybe a bruise. This actually did happen to me once…. or the christmas tree falling on me… getting hit in the stomach by a cat traveling basket because I held it wrong…. yeah, I could go on for a while.
I liked those as a kid, now i dont watch it anymore despite they playing it every christmas like Kevin etc., in general Im not watching film/series replays (especially every year) with so much stuff not yet seen to watch 😉 To be honest even from my top5 i dont in practive rewatch (only some accidental rewatching of single episodes like Sopranos when it is again in TV 😉 ) however i still have it in plans to eventually watch my favorites again. But those xmas classics, no, many of them i watched more then once because other people where watching them and thats enought for me 😉 Besides Trump is now everyday in TV.. 😛 Ok but little more about movie from what i remember, those serious was really very nice and funny/humorous, i liked actors, casts and story. Chevy Chase is of course brilliant in those series. I wont go into details because it been a while i last watched it, especially fully. Thanks for review. One situation/gag? I remember there was some early problem with salary premium and Christmas Tree “wounded”.
The christmas tree exploded, almost the same as wounded.
I’m not much into comedy, but looks like one of those old good movies
Good old movies with humor from a different age.
I have watched Animal House (1978) and Vacation (1983) from the series and found them to be fun watches. I felt the same after watching the trailer where the physical gags might land the hardest. I love that we all collectively have films that just have that special meaning to them we choose to return to, a friend we often revisit from to time, discovering new aspects and dimensions but still carrying that same core at the centre 🙂
Everyone has a movie they keep coming back to!
Honestly I never watched this, but guess not bad movie. Clark’s epic Christmas lights disaster is still funny years later. Some of the sexual humor, though, has aged a bit oddly compared to modern holiday comedies. However I’d like to add yet, that we at Poland watching Home Alone (Kevin McCallister) for Christmas.
Everyone still watches Home Alone….
So I watched the first episode of the series and I have to say that even though it’s a bit “heavy,” I laughed several times. It’s very representative of the humor in American comedies from the 1980s. I haven’t seen the rest, but I imagine it’s the same style of humor. Plus, it’s the right time of year to watch this one, so why not!
Humor from that time is awesome!
Last time I watched this or one of the sequels, I was a kid. I remember there was a funny scene about the getting a way to big tree from the forest. Not sure if stuff like cat biting in cable and gets electrocuted would still be funny today. But in general easy but good entertainment.
I would not go to the middle of the forest to get a massive tree, we have one that is not real, lol. It’s just back in the box this week.