Saturday, April 27, 2024

La Mirada man's 'Christmas Vacation" house draws visitors, city scrutiny Los Angeles Times

christmas vacation house

Realizing too late that they did not bring any tools to cut down the tree, they are forced to uproot it instead. Clark's holiday plans inadvertently cause steadily escalating chaos for the family's yuppie neighbors, Todd and Margo Chester. Based on Hughes's short story, "Christmas '59", published in National Lampoon,[3] the film tells the story of Clark Griswold’s efforts to have a good old-fashioned family Christmas as they take a hilarious turn for the worse. It is the final film in the series to involve Hughes and National Lampoon.

for Christmas in Los Angeles

While much of the movie takes place inside the property, and you get to see a lot of interior shots throughout the film. Fans of the 1989 movie ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ will likely recognize the Grizwold house. However, those who have never seen the movie may still recognize this property. That’s because the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation house has featured in numerous movies over the years, something we shall discuss later in the article. The city's mild climate allows you to enjoy outdoor activities like paying a visit to one of the many amusement parks, shopping at the Grove outdoor shopping mall, or strolling through one of the holiday markets. Inspired by the modern movie classic of the same name, enjoy lighted Village pieces and accessories that tell the story of the funniest Christmas vacation ever.

The actual location of the Griswold house

Albert Saldovar of La Habra said his 27-year-old son, Damian, recently watched “Christmas Vacation” for the first time. His parents looked on and chuckled as he stood in awe of the display. Sure they’re wrapped differently, but size- and shape-wise, the gifts are identical. It’s not like the Rockies are within driving distance of the Griswolds’s Chicago residence, but that’s where Clark and the family go hunting for the “perfect Christmas tree” early in the movie.

California Christmas Vacation: What is the price per night for a stay?

The special occasion attracted a crowd of fans who love the Christmas classic movie. The home had Clark's station wagon, thousands of twinkling lights just like Clark hung on his own home, and even came with cousin Eddie and his RV. The display grew so much that the Harbaugh family decided to launch a toy drive to go along with their decorations in an effort to give back to needy kids at Christmas.

Clark, Gone...

While the property still stands, much of the interior and exterior have been redecorated. This is because the property stands on a street known as ‘Blondie Street’, in a private Warner Bros. compound in Los Angeles. The street, and the dozen or so properties on it, have been used in numerous movies over the years.

Clark Griswold grew up in Samantha Stevens’s house.

He covers the house's entire exterior with thousands of lights, which temporarily cause a citywide power shortage once he gets them to work properly. The Griswold house is actually an exterior set on “Blondie Street” on a Warner Brothers back lot in Burbank, CA, as is Todd and Margo’s house (the neighbors next door). Including everything from the Griswold house (fully decorated and lit), to the family car — with the Christmas tree in tow — to cousin Eddie’s RV, the collection makes for a great Christmas gift for National Lampoon Christmas Vacation fans. Unfortunately, the memorable movie house isn’t included in the Warner Brothers Studio tour, but you can check out other real sets, backlots, and sound stages (including the set of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls). This house, in particular, has been used in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Small Soldiers, American Beauty, Hocus Pocus, and many more. Other houses on ‘Blondie Street’ have been used in movies such as Lethal Weapon (Danny Glover’s houses), Bewitched, Pushing Daisies, and many others.

christmas vacation house

So what does it cost to light up the Wadsworth Griswold House?

The fourth film in the series, Vegas Vacation, would follow in 1997, without the involvement of either Hughes or National Lampoon. The entire family, along with the Shirleys and the SWAT team, go inside to celebrate while Clark and Ellen share a Christmas kiss. Clark is satisfied that he has provided a great Christmas for his family, while Snots stands in front of him.

Top Vacation Ideas in Los Angeles

If Clark’s childhood home featured in those old movies looks familiar, that’s because it’s the same house featured on Bewitched, as well as The New Gidget. Except it’s not a house at all; it’s part of the Warner Bros. back lot, located on what is known as Blondie Street. The rest of the Griswolds’ neighborhood is on a studio back lot as well. And if the home of their snooty neighbors, Todd and Margo, looks familiar, that’s because it’s where Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and his family lived in Lethal Weapon.

Norton, who works in classic car sales, has painted his home the same shade of yellow as the Griswold home and installed green shutters. And the scene where his boss is wrapped up in a bow in a holiday gesture gone wrong. Embracing the magic of movies, the set of the Griswold family house is located on the backlot of the Warner Brothers Ranch facility in Burbank. When he decided to do it big this holiday season, Hillman thought to channel a Chicago-centric Christmas classic. The house in the 2200 block of West Estes Avenue is decked out in honor of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” the beloved 1989 movie set in the Chicago area. The movie includes a famous scene where Clark Griswold encounters struggles in his effort to put lights on his house, resulting in a truly over-the-top Christmas lights display that briefly browns out the neighborhood until backup power is added.

Wadsworth, Ohio’s Griswold House embodies spirit of ‘Christmas Vacation’ for a good cause - NBC4 WCMH-TV

Wadsworth, Ohio’s Griswold House embodies spirit of ‘Christmas Vacation’ for a good cause.

Posted: Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

And of course, the 25,000 Christmas lights on the exterior of the house made the family home that much more memorable. Continue reading all about the Griswold family home (and we’ve thrown in a few details about cousin Eddie’s beloved RV too). The same street as seen in Lethal Weapon, with Danny Glover’s house on the left, and the house used in Bewitched on the right.

You'll be greeted with a diverse itinerary when you travel to California for the holidays. Look forward to amusement parks, scavenger hunts, and visits with Santa. Whereas California doesn't usually see snow at Christmas, it makes up for this absence with its festive displays. Those references include (but are not limited to) the house covered in lights, Clark Griswold hanging from the roof, the Christmas tree bursting through the ceiling and of course the fan-favorite character Cousin Eddie, bathrobe and all. Several of Norton’s neighbors, who did not want to be identified, said they enjoy the Griswold spectacle right outside their front door. One woman said she doesn’t mind the lights, but the crowds can get a bit annoying.

With much of the movie taking place in the property, we got to see many of the rooms throughout the house. Thankfully some of these rooms still exist in some form or other today. Others having been changed many times over the years and are unrecognizable. In the movie, the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation house is located in a snowy Chicago suburb, however, the true location of the property is on the backlot of the Warner Bros. Nothing captured the heart of South Jersey residents over the last few Christmastimes quite like the "Christmas Vacation House" in Gloucester County.

christmas vacation house

In the movie, Clark (Chevy Chase) has big plans for a “good, old-fashioned family Christmas.” Both sets of grandparents are coming for Christmas. The Griswolds also get a surprise visit from Cousin Catherine (Miriam Flynn) and her moocher husband, Eddie, played by Randy Quaid. Now, it's expanded to a whole village where people who also love the movie can come and celebrate and even dress up as the characters. The event at Harbaugh Village started with a screening of the iconic holiday film.

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