December 15th – Burnt Christmas Tree

For the full Movie Advent Calendar click here.

When compiling this list I tried to describe the moments that “made” the movie for me – some seconds that define the movie and why I do think that the movie is memorable.

This scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a little exception. It stood out to me not because it is the funniest scene but because for some reason almost everyone remembers the moment when the old man blows up the Christmas tree.

Even my grandmother who can’t remember any other Christmas movie remembers this one as “that funny movie where grandpa burns down the tree”. Christmas Vacation is a funny treat with the burning tree being just a minor gag among many other quotable lines. If it weren’t for the schmaltzy American ending there would be no complaints at all I could make.