Annual Christmas Vacation Party

Well it is almost time for our annual Christmas Vacation party.  We love the movie soooo much that we began watching it with friends and family.  Then one year everything changed.  Some of the guests arrived late.  We couldn't imagine what was keeping them until they arrived!

Ruby Sue in her jammies and slippers trying to get a glimpse of Santa

The boss' wife in her satin and fur!

Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis

Uncle Lewis and the burn he received from the tree fire he caused!  lol

Finally, Cousin Eddie and Mr. Shirley arrive!

So that was the first BIG year.  Costumes!  After that year the event has taken on a life of it's own.  I will try to highlight some of the games and activities that we include to make it new and fun each year.  For now, here are a few more costumes to enjoy!

SWAT Team

Mr. and Mrs. Shirley

Eddie always makes an appearance of some kind every year.

Hawks jersey!

SQUIRRELLL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clark getting ready to put up the lights

Just a little sap...

Clark in the attic

Margo and Todd in their workout wear.  If you notice the little curly green ribbon in my hair.  Every woman gets one to put in their hair as soon as they arrive.  Just like the one Catherine wears on Christmas eve to dinner.  The moose cups are a tradition too!

PROPS:  We began to have people bring props from the movie.  At first they just had to guess the scene the prop came from etc.  To make it more difficult to win the 'prizes' (more about that later) our guests had to put them in order that they appeared in the movie.  As the movie played each person had their list ready and the props owner would call out when their prop was featured.  It was super fun and made watching the movie even better.  As the years went on some of the props got very difficult to even remember them being in the movie!  Below are some props from the first few years of bringing props.

Table of props for viewing

I purchased this to mimic the one Clark has in his living room that falls apart when he and Eddie are talking.

Clark's sled PRE sledding!

Clark's Sled AFTER sledding!

Aunt Bethany's gift for the Griswold's

Cat chewing on the lights

Just a little knot!

This one speaks for itself!

The film projector to remind us of when Clark is trapped in the attic

Diehards know when Monopoly makes an appearance

Eddie's sewer hose!

Sparky's hat

Trivia:  Trivia has always been a big part of the party too.  Here are a few samples!  I have included the answers too!

In the opening sequence, what falls on Santa’s head when he’s at the bottom of the chimney?  A brick.

What is the name of one song that the Griswold’s sing on the way to get a tree?  Deck the Halls; O Come All Ye Faithful

What team is on Clark’s ball cap when looking for their tree?  Chicago Bears

What does Ellen ask Clark if there will be enough room for on the tree?  The angel

What kind of coffee cup does Clark drink out of at work?  Tasmanian Devil

What award does Clark’s co-worker say he’s up for?  Food Additive Designer of the Year

What does Mr. Shirley call Clark?  Mark

What color sweater does ‘Lingerie Mary’ wear?  Red

What movie is playing when the grandparents are approaching?  It’s a Wonderful Life

What does Margo hope will happen to Clark when he’s putting up his lights?  I hope he falls and breaks his neck

What does Clark find in the attic and what year is it dated?  Mother’s Day Gift, 1983

What does Grandma get from the fridge when she turns on ‘the lights’?  A cake

What is the first thing that Cousin Eddie says to Clark?  ‘House sure does look swell Clark’

What partial type of breed is Snots the dog?  Mississippi Leg Hound

What does Mr. Shirley have an unusual amount of on his desk?  Hourglasses

What store does Clark run into on his sled?  Wal-Mart

What pattern is on Cousin Eddie’s Speedo in the pool dream scene?  Leopard Skin

What team and number is on Clark’s hockey jersey? Chicago Black Hawks, 00

What business does Clark ask Cousin Eddie about when they’re shopping?  Live bait

What type of wrapping paper did Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis wrap their gifts in?  Happy Birthday

How many Christmases has Aunt Bethany celebrated?  80

What color is the cat that gets fried?  White

What does Clark use to put out the fire on Uncle Lewis?  Drapes

What does the Delivery Boy call Clark when delivering the Christmas Bonus?  Clark W Grismond

What does Clark fix while he has the chainsaw out from cutting down a replacement Christmas tree?  Newel post

Why did Cousin Eddie stop eating squirrels?  He read they were high in cholesterol

Who did Clark’s dad get a lot of help from to get through most holidays?  Jack Daniels

What does Cousin Eddie wrap up Mr. Shirley in when bringing him to the Griswold’s house?  A red bow

Trivia 2:  This one is a little more difficult!

1.     What make and model of car does Clark drive? Ford Taurus

2.    What kind of briefcases do Margo and Todd have? Aluminum

3.    What kind of table does Clark have in his garage? Ping Pong

4.    What did Clark develop at Food and Drug? Crunch enhancer
How does Clark describe it? A non-nutritive cereal varnish.  It’s semi-permeable, not osmotic, coats and seals the flake so milk can’t penetrate.

5.    What company does Clark plan to hire to build his pool?  Marsh Pools

6.    How big of a deposit did Clark put on the pool? $7500

7.    What brand of lingerie has the price tag snipped off in the mall scene? Vanity Fair

8.    What does Clark use to wipe his forehead when talking to Lingerie Mary? White underwear

9.    What channel is on the TV when ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is playing? 06

10. What is Ellen doing when the parents ring the doorbell?  Writing Christmas cards

11.  What does Clark say when he opens the door to the parents?  Folks, folks, folks - Merry Christmas!

12. What does Grandma Griswold have on her heel? A painful burr

13. What is Margo and Todd’s house number? 1328

14. What does Clark use to attach the lights to the house? Staples

15. What type of float is on TV during Macy’s Parade? Nutcracker

16. What does Audrey use to peel carrots? A knife

17. What can’t Russ find when he and Clark are decorating the house, and where is it?  Santa, in the basement

18. What is Ellen’s father freezing off while waiting for Clark to turn on the lights? His baguettes

19. Name two things Russ says he has to do instead of check the lights? Get to bed, brush teeth, feed the hog, homework, laundry, wash the car, pay the bills

20.What is the first year shown in Clark’s childhood Christmas films in the attic? 1959

21. What kind of water is Margo drinking after their big workout? Evian

22.What are Eddy and Catherine’s children’s names? Rocky and Ruby Sue

23.After arriving at the Griswold’s, what does Eddy ask Catherine to run and get? The kid’s things, a rubber sheet and a gerbil.

24.What does Clark call Eddy’s RV when they’re drinking eggnog? Tenement on wheels

25.How many times more slippery than cooking oil is Clark’s company’s lubricant? 500 times

26.What does Clark have in a large bowl in his office? Pears

27.How does Clark get everyone’s attention at Christmas dinner? He taps his wine glass

Our guests got so good at trivia that I though I could challenge them even further. I put up pictures everywhere of a variety of scenes from the movie and had them try to put them in chronological order.  They still got most correct!  Here are some examples of ideas for this.  (THESE ARE NOT IN ORDER!)As the movie plays everyone corrects their own as the scene appears.  Super fun!

1 Clark in the attic  

2 Bethany and Lewis arrive at the Griswold’s

3 Todd and Margo workout scene

4 Eddie and Clark shopping

5 Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas Clark

6 Lewis on fire

7 Eddie in Clark’s pool

8 Sliding down the hill!

9 Fried pussy cat!

10 Eggnog in living room (Clark & Eddie)

11 Clark putting up the lights

12 SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

13 Little knot…

14 He was a beastly, bulging man…

15 Chain saw scene

Decorations:  To decorate for the event we hang as many lights as we can of course!  We put out photos and props from past parties and we made a few of these....

Prizes:  After all of this hard work and creativity you have got to have some good prizes right????  We have had a lot of them.  Here are a few with links.

Cousin Eddie's black dickie   Black Dickie

Jelly of the Month Club  The gift that keeps on giving!

Jelly of the Month Club gag  Certificate

Tasmanian Devil Cup-no link I had to get this one on e-bay!

Black Fur hat with flaps Warm and Cozy

Copies of the movie of course!  Best Movie Ever!

Moose Mugs  A different link than above 

I know there were others that I just cannot think of!  

Our family enjoys this event year after year!  We have even made a movie with a new beginning with our own cast and crew!  We are obsessed but it is all in good fun.  We enjoy trying to outdo each other.  I hope you get some ideas from my post!   I am willing to e-mail you the proper forms of some of the trivia etc. Just ask!