gonna
have to break down the goddamn door!
Merry Christmas to all
and to all a good night!
Freeze!
Not you, them!
Them!
This way, please.
- I think you've made a terrible mistake.
- I told you to freeze, mister.
May we blink?
Frank.
- Helen!
- Thank God, you're all right.
Oh, I'm fine.
I'm just fine.
It was a big misunderstanding tonight.
Excuse me. Would you and
Mrs. Shirley like to step outside...
.. so we can take care
of business here?
There's no business.
I'm not pressing any charges.
- What?
- It was a mistake.
Mistake? Frank, honey,
you were kidnapped.
I did something I shouldn't have,
and these people called me on it.
This is Clark Griswold
and his family.
Welcome to our home.
What's left of it.
- Release B Squad.
- What's going on here?
Remember I was toying with the notion
of suspending the Christmas bonuses?
You didn't. Well, of all the cheap,
lousy ways to save a buck!
That's pretty low, mister. If I had
a rubber hose, I would beat you to...
I changed my mind.
I'm reinstating the bonuses.
Look!
Look, look!
Look!
Ruby Sue, sweetheart.
- It's Santa Claus.
- What? What's wrong?
- What?
- She thinks she sees Santa.
No, it's the Christmas star.
And that's all that matters tonight.
Not bonuses or gifts
or turkeys or trees.
See, kids...
.. it means something different
to everybody.
Now I know what it means to me.
That ain't the frigging Christmas star. It's
a light on the sewage treatment plant.
Sewer gas.
Don't drop that!
Play ball!
Merry Christmas, Sparky.
Merry Christmas, honey.
Come here.
I did it."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