If you’re a fan of classic Christmas movies, then you’ve probably seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. This beloved holiday film follows the misadventures of the Griswold family as they prepare for and celebrate Christmas. One question that many fans have is – what town is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation set in?
Well, the answer isn’t entirely straightforward. While the film doesn’t explicitly state where it takes place, there are several clues that give us a pretty good idea.
Firstly, we know that the Griswold family lives in Chicago. In one scene, Clark (played by Chevy Chase) is seen wearing a Chicago Bears sweater while watching TV. Additionally, the license plates on their cars read “ILL,” which is short for Illinois.
So, we can assume that the movie takes place somewhere in Illinois. But where exactly? Here are a few more clues:
The Griswold Family Home
The exterior shots of the Griswold family home were filmed in a suburb of Los Angeles called Burbank. However, the interior shots were filmed on a set built inside a warehouse in Colorado.
The Department Store
In one scene, Clark takes his son Rusty to a department store to see Santa Claus. The store is called “Gimbels,” which was a real department store chain that operated primarily in the northeastern United States. However, there was also a Gimbels location in Chicago.
The Mall
Later in the movie, Clark goes shopping at a mall with his cousin Eddie (played by Randy Quaid). The mall is called “Lakeside Mall,” but this is actually just a fictional name created for the movie.
The Sleigh Ride
Towards the end of the movie, Clark takes his family on a sleigh ride through the snow. The location where this scene was filmed is a ski resort called Breckenridge, which is located in Colorado – not Illinois.
Conclusion
So, while National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation doesn’t explicitly state where it takes place, we can infer that it is set somewhere in Illinois – likely near Chicago. However, some of the locations in the movie were actually filmed in California and Colorado. Regardless of its precise location, the movie has become a beloved holiday classic that continues to entertain audiences year after year.