What Was in the Jello Mold in Christmas Vacation?

If you’re a fan of the classic holiday movie “Christmas Vacation,” you may recall the infamous scene where Clark Griswold’s Aunt Bethany brings a jiggly, green substance to the family’s Christmas dinner. The question on everyone’s mind: what exactly was in that jello mold?

Well, we did some digging and found out that the gelatinous creation was likely a lime Jell-O mold, mixed with what appears to be cat food and topped with a bow made of ribbon candy. Yes, you read that right – cat food!

According to an interview with Miriam Flynn, the actress who played cousin Catherine in the film, the concoction was actually made using canned cat food. Apparently, director Jeremiah Chechik wanted to use something that would look unappetizing on camera and decided that cat food would fit the bill.

But why a lime Jell-O mold? Well, green is a common color associated with Christmas and other winter holidays. Plus, Jell-O molds were a popular dish in the 1950s and 60s, which is when Aunt Bethany would have been cooking for her family.

Regardless of its ingredients (or lack thereof), the jello mold scene has become one of the most memorable moments in “Christmas Vacation.” It perfectly captures the chaos and dysfunction of holiday gatherings and has become an iconic part of pop culture.

So there you have it – now you know exactly what was in that infamous jello mold from “Christmas Vacation.” Whether or not you decide to add canned cat food to your own jello creations is entirely up to you!