Ah the yuletide season beacons once more. With its arrival does come the often procellous nature of the holidays, where we are rushing and racing, and trying to get everything that we need to get accomplished just in a nick of time to ensure that there is a nicely decorated tree, presents for one and all, and that our budgets have not been precariously exhausted through the roof. We run around in a profoundly raucous manner during this time of the year, so that we are able to enjoy a few days off from our otherwise tumultuous work schedules; all so that we can enjoy the holidays, of course and spend some time with our families.
The colloquialism of the traditional holiday rush actually officially commences on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, when the New Year clock starts ticking down inside of our minds, and when you can almost hear Santa laughing off in the distance with his sleigh bells jingling. This jolly and giving time of year represents a serendipitous escape from the numerous calamites that often surround everyday life. So what better way to ring in this holiday season than by recanting a Christmas classic silver screen flick that was fomented by none other than the giddy, joke-cracking and off-colored folks at National Lampoon?
We could be talking about only one movie here folks: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
If Chevy Chase ever had a prime of his career, it was easily during part of his run in this series of hit parody films by National Lampoon. Get ready to travel back in time with us a bit here folks, all the way to the release date of this film, 1989 – 22 years ago – when Clark Wilhelm Griswold decides to forgo the family’s traditionally tragedy-prone holiday vacations, and instead opens up his home to his relatives for some holiday togetherness. Unbeknownst to Clark, however, is that his ill-mannered redneck cousin, Eddie Johnson (Randy Quaid), will prove to be the spoiler of his signature 20,000 Christmas lights and well planned holiday get-together. With Johnson on-hand to ruin everything, a holiday bonus check that never did arrive, and a turkey that bursts into flames upon being overcooked, disaster is around every corner for the Griswold family. And laughs are also around every one of those corners for viewers to enjoy.
Here are a couple of our favorite quotes from this holiday classic, so you can rehash the humor in your own minds.
Clark Griswold: “Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?”
Eddie: “Naw, I'm doing just fine, Clark.”
Clark Griswold: “Our holidays were always such a mess.”
Clark Sr.: “Oh, yeah.”
Clark Griswold: “How'd you get through it?”
Clark Sr.: “I had a lot of help from Jack Daniels.”
Ellen: “Clark, Audrey's frozen from the waist down.”
Clark Griswold: “That's all part of the experience, honey.”
Ruby Sue: “Uncle Clark, are you sure you ain't Santa Claus?”
Clark Griswold: “I'm sure... I can't even afford to be an elf.”
Clark Griswold: “Hey, Kids, I heard on the news that an airline pilot spotted Santa's sleigh on its way in from New York City.”
Eddie: “You serious, Clark?”