Who Is the Girl at the Counter in Christmas Vacation?

By Anna Duncan

If you’re a fan of the classic Christmas movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” you might have wondered who that girl is at the department store counter when Clark Griswold is trying to buy lingerie for his wife. Well, wonder no more! We’ve got all the details on who plays that memorable character.

First things first, let’s refresh our memories on the scene. Clark (played by Chevy Chase) has just received his Christmas bonus and is determined to use it to give his family the best holiday ever.

One of his plans involves buying a special present for his wife, Ellen (played by Beverly D’Angelo). He heads to a department store and asks for assistance in selecting some lingerie. That’s when we meet the girl at the counter.

So, who plays this memorable character? Her name is Nicolette Scorsese.

She was born on January 6th, 1954 in Glen Cove, New York. Scorsese began her career as a model before transitioning into acting. In addition to her role in “Christmas Vacation,” she has also appeared in films like “The Guardian” and “Boxing Helena.”

While Scorsese’s role in “Christmas Vacation” may be brief, she certainly made an impression on audiences with her flirty banter with Clark and her memorable line: “Do you like it? You know what I mean? Or do you need me to draw you a picture?”

Aside from her acting career, Scorsese has also worked as an executive assistant in Hollywood. She even worked for film director Martin Scorsese (who happens to be her cousin) for several years.

Now that we know who plays the girl at the counter in “Christmas Vacation,” let’s take a moment to appreciate some of the elements that make this scene so memorable. First off, there’s Clark’s awkwardness as he tries to navigate buying lingerie for his wife.

This is emphasized by the use of bold text when he says, “I’m just looking for something for my wife.” It’s clear that Clark is out of his comfort zone and the bold text helps convey this.

Then there’s the girl at the counter herself. Her flirtatious demeanor is highlighted with underlined text in her memorable line, “Do you like it?

You know what I mean? Or do you need me to draw you a picture?” The underline draws attention to the suggestive nature of her words and adds to the humor of the scene.

Finally, we have Clark’s reaction when he sees a family member walking towards him. This is emphasized with a subheader: “The Awkward Moment.” The use of a subheader helps break up the text and draws attention to this specific moment in the scene.

All in all, while Nicolette Scorsese’s role in “Christmas Vacation” may be small, it certainly left an impression on audiences. And now that we know who plays that memorable character, we can appreciate her performance even more.