If you’re a fan of the classic Christmas movie, ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’, you might be wondering where the iconic scene with the Griswold family’s Christmas tree was filmed. The scene is one of the most memorable parts of the movie, featuring a massive tree that is too big for the living room and ultimately causes chaos and destruction.
The Location
The scene was actually filmed at a home in Burbank, California. The address is 1555 Rancho Ave, and if you happen to be in the area, you can drive by and see where this classic moment was captured.
How They Made It Happen
The filmmakers used a technique called forced perspective to film the scene. They created a set that had a false floor, which made it appear as though the ceiling was higher than it actually was. This allowed them to use an enormous tree without it being too tall for the space.
The Tree Itself
The tree used in the scene was an enormous 30-foot-tall Douglas fir. It weighed over 3000 pounds and had to be brought in using a crane. The production team had to cut off some of the branches to make it fit into the house.
Other Locations Used in ‘Christmas Vacation’
While this particular scene was filmed in Burbank, many other locations were used throughout filming. The Griswold family home is actually located on Blondie Street on the Warner Bros. Ranch lot in Burbank. The shopping mall where Clark gets trapped under Santa’s boot is located at 1000 Universal Studios Blvd in Universal City.
- Another memorable location from ‘Christmas Vacation’ is Marty Moose’s restaurant. This restaurant is actually a set located on Warner Bros.’s Ranch lot.
- The sledding hill where Clark and his cousin Eddie go sledding is located in Big Bear Lake, California.
Conclusion
So there you have it – the Christmas tree scene in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ was filmed at a home in Burbank, California using forced perspective to make the tree appear larger. If you’re a fan of the movie, be sure to check out some of the other locations used in filming.