"It's that time
Christmas time is here
"Everybody knows
There's not a better time of year
"Hear that sleigh."
"Gonna make this holiday
As perfect as can be
"Just wait and see
This Christmas vacation.
"This old house
Sure is looking good
"Got ourselves the finest snowman
In the neighborhood.
"Ain't it fun?
"Always on the run
That's how it's done
"On Christmas vacation.
"Let's all deck the halls
"And light the lights
"Get a toasty fire
"Burning bright.
"Give Saint Nick
"The warmest welcome
That he's ever had
"We're so glad it's Christmas vacation.
"And when the nights
"Are peaceful and serene
"We can cuddle up
And do our Christmas dreamin'.
"Peace and joy and love
"Are everywhere
"You can feel the magic in the air.
"Let the spirit of the season
Carry us away
"Hip, hip, hooray
For Christmas vacation."
That was beautiful, honey.
Take it, Russ.
Dad, can you explain again
what we're doing?
We're kicking off our fun,
old-fashioned family Christmas...
...by heading out to the country
in the front-wheel drive sleigh...
...to embrace the frosty majesty
of the winter landscape...
...and select that most important
of Christmas symbols.
We're not driving way out here
so you can get one of those stupid ties...
...with the Santa Clauses on it,
are we, Dad?
No, I have one of those at home.
What we're looking for today
is the Griswold family Christmas tree.
- What's the matter?
- Some jackass is riding my tail.
Slow down and let him pass.
Don't provoke them.
Hey, kids. Look, a deer!
Clark! Slow down!
You want to ride behind
somebody like that?
I'm going to pull around them...
burn some dust, here.
Eat my rubber.
Dad, I think what you mean is,
"Burn rubber" and "Eat my dust."
Whatever, Russ.
Eat my road grit, liver lips!
That's enough of that.
Speaking of Christmas trees,
can one of you tell me...
...what the first kind of tree
displayed at the White House was?
They're back.
Stop it! I don't want to spend
the holidays dead.
Honey, please. I'll do the driving, okay?
Will you just take it easy?
I'm in complete control.
I'll get around this egg timer.
Uh... Dad?!
We're all right! Thank God!
Clark, we're stuck under a truck!
Do you honestly think I don't know that?!
Come on, you guys. Don't fight.
For Christ's sake,
I didn't do this on purpose.
Our Father, who art in heaven...
...hallowed be Thy name.
And forgive my husband.
- He knows not what he does.
- Amen!
We made pretty good time.
Dad, didn't they invent
Christmas tree lots...
...so people don't have to drive way out
to nowhere and waste a Saturday?
They invented 'em...
...because people forgot how to have
a fun, old-fashioned family Christmas.
They're satisfied with scrawny, dead,
overpriced trees with no special meaning.
My toes are numb.
This is what our forefathers did.
I can't feel my leg.
They walked out into the woods,
picked out that special tree...
...and they cut it down
with their bare hands.
Mom, I can't feel my hips.
- Clark?
- Yes, honey?
Audrey's frozen from the waist down.
That's all part of the experience, honey.
There it is.
The Griswold family Christmas tree.
Isn't it a little big?
It's not big, it's just full.
That thing wouldn't fit in our yard.
It's not going in our yard, Russ.
It's going in our living room.
- Look at it.
- It really is beautiful, Clark.
- It's something else, huh, Russ?
- Yeah, Dad.
Isn't it a beaut, Audrey?
She'll see it later, honey.
Her eyes are frozen.
The most enduring traditions
of the season are best enjoyed in...
...the warm embrace of kith and kin.
This tree is a symbol of the spirit
of the Griswold family Christmas.
Did you bring a saw?
Looks like the toad overestimated
the height of his ceiling.
Hey, Griswold!
Where will you put a tree that big?
Bend over and I'll show you.
You got a lot of nerve
talking to me like that.
I wasn't talking to you.
Do you think there's
enough room for the angel?
Sure,