Where Did They Film the Christmas Tree Scene in Christmas Vacation?

By Robert Palmer

If you’re a fan of the Christmas classic movie “Christmas Vacation,” you may be wondering where they filmed the iconic scene where Clark Griswold finally lights up his family’s Christmas tree. Well, wonder no more! In this article, we’ll take a closer look at where this scene was filmed and some interesting facts about it.

The Filming Location

The Christmas tree scene in “Christmas Vacation” was filmed on the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California. This location has been used for filming many famous movies and TV shows over the years, including “Gilmore Girls,” “The West Wing,” and “Friends.”

The Tree Lot

In the movie, Clark Griswold goes to a tree lot to pick out his family’s Christmas tree. This scene was actually filmed on the Warner Bros. Ranch as well. The set designers created a fake tree lot with rows of trees and fake snow on the ground.

The Tree Lighting

After bringing the tree home, Clark struggles to get it to stand up straight and then spends hours decorating it with thousands of lights. When he finally plugs in the lights, nothing happens at first but then they all come on at once, causing a power outage in the neighborhood.

This iconic scene was also filmed on the Warner Bros. Ranch. The set designers built a replica of the Griswold family home and front yard for this scene. They used real trees that were decorated with thousands of lights for authenticity.

Fun Facts

– The Christmas tree used in the movie was a massive 30-foot tall Douglas Fir. – The set designers had to use over 2,500 individual strings of lights to decorate the tree.

– During filming, Chevy Chase (who played Clark Griswold) actually fell off a ladder while trying to hang decorations on the tree. Fortunately, he wasn’t seriously injured. – The movie was released in 1989 and has since become a beloved holiday classic.

Conclusion

The Christmas tree scene in “Christmas Vacation” is one of the most memorable moments in the movie. Now that you know where it was filmed, you can visit the Warner Bros. Ranch and see the location for yourself. And next time you watch the movie, you’ll have a new appreciation for all the hard work that went into creating this iconic scene.