November 20, 2008
Clark Griswold: "The most enjoying traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin. Thith tree is a symbol of the thpirit of the Griswold Family Chrithmath." -National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, 1989.
In this Full Circle weekly series about the movie Christmas Vacation, I am exploring how the lead character Clark Griswold tries to create the perfect family Christmas.
In our household, we attempt to follow suit, mostly by making a big deal out of watching the movie.
I don't know exactly how viewing this classic holiday comedy, with such pomp and circumstance as we do, crept into our holiday traditions. But it did, big time.
Translation: get as many of us together in one spot, usually Thanksgiving weekend, eat some popcorn and pizza, and watch the movie again and again. Repeat the best lines from memory on cue.
Now, even the grandkids know key lines by heart.
We could be over the top, but we do not care as we are having way too much fun with it.
If all the kids cannot be there for the Thanksgiving viewing, no worries. We will gladly repeat this event when the next wave of offspring comes home for Christmas.
It has gotten so bad that most of us speak about mundane things or make casual conversation using quotes from the movie.
For example, when a friend inquired about our nephew Mark who happens to be in the Navy, one son replied with a line from the movie, "Clark, is Rusty still in the Navy?"
When visiting with friends who lament the onslaught of the Christmas season and the mountains of work ahead such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and writing cards, I give this advice from Ellen Griswold. "I don't know what to say, except it's Christmas and we're all in misery."
When the kiddos of any age spill something on the carpet, I demand, "And why is the carpet wet, Todd?" And they reply on cue, "I don't know Margo."
When my husband says I am trying too hard to make this the perfect Christmas, even he gets in the act by quoting the movie characters.
Ellen Griswold: "You set standards that no family activity can live up to."
Clark Griswold: "When have I ever done that?"
Ellen: "Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, funerals, holidays, vacations, graduations..."
In my defense, I discovered that perhaps we are not alone in this Christmas Vacation movie obsession.
The other evening we attended a neighborhood wiener roast and bonfire. There, I got into a conversation with one son's former English teacher, Bob. He remembered how about this time of year; he would begin quoting Christmas Vacation to his students, and give them a quiz on the movie. My son says that no one knows more about this movie than Mr. G.
So I am blaming Bob for starting this holiday obsession, uh tradition.
