History Film / NationalLampoonsChristmasVacation

* ChekhovsGun: Cousin Eddie's act of emptying out his RV's toilet into the Griswolds' sewer is foreshadowed to have disastrous results... and that's exactly what happens in the last act of the film.

* IgnorantAboutFire: Uncle Lewis causes the Christmas tree to combust by lighting a cigar too close to it. Not only does he not notice the now ashen tree behind him, but he also doesn't notice that his own back is on fire.

* ChristmasLightChaos: Clark is out on the roof all day and night trying to put up the lights on his own, only for none of his decorations to work, humiliating him in front of the family. Then Ellen realizes that the switch in the garage turns it on... after it gets turned on and off multiple times, making her husband angry enough to start kicking and destroying the lawn decorations.

* AssholeVictim: Todd and Margo. They may be innocent victims of the wild swinging misfortunes of Clark Griswald, but so are they so materialistic, superficial, and insufferably self-absorbed to be unsympathetic victims of the Griswald's fortunes in turn.

* BaitAndSwitch: The opening minutes make it seem like the Griswalds are going on yet another road trip (this time to find a Christmas tree) like the first two movies. However, that plot thread gets resolved quickly and the film switches gears to a CrappyHolidays story instead.

* ShamedByAMob: Clark's boss is treated to a collective DeathGlare from the Griswalds and their extended relatives, all of them disgusted by how he [[spoiler:suspended the usual Christmas bonuses and gave none of his employees advanced notice. Not just in Clark's case, but because a lot of people usually need them. Seeing the actual end result of his attempt to save money makes Mr. Shirley realize it was a shitty thing to do, and he decides to reinstate them with a small increase.]]

* OverTheTopChristmasDecorations: Clark covers the entire house in lights. Literally, ''the entire house''. They're evenly spread across the exterior walls. When he turns them on, the power plant has to activate an emergency power supply to keep things going.

* ThemeMusicAbandonment: The only film in the series not to feature "Holiday Road" by Lindsey Buckingham. It instead features the equally-memorable "Christmas Vacation" by Mavis Staples.

* {{Yuppie}}: Todd and Margo, being childless newlywed professionals with a lot of money to spend on themselves and on various toys and trends of TheEighties.

* {{Yuppie}}: Todd and Margo, being newly wed socialites with a lot of money to spend and throw on new toys and trends of the 1980s.

* OddballInTheSeries: The only ''Vacation'' movie not to include the Griswold family going on Vacation.

* WomenAreWiser: Ellen is about the only normal and consistently level-headed person in the family.

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: Unless Todd reported Margo punching him in the face to the police in person while they were arriving, the SWAT team had absolutely no reason to bust down their door without a warrant. Fortunately, RuleOfFunny is above the law.

%% * AtomicFBomb: Clark's rant against his boss after his BerserkButton is pushed. "Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol?" Especially notable since said rant doesn't contain one actual F-bomb.

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: Unless Todd reported Margo punching him in the face to the police in person while they were arriving, the SWAT team had absolutely no reason to bust down their door without a warrant. Fortnately, RuleOfFunny is above the law.

* TheGrinch:The snooty {{Yuppie}} neighbors, Todd and Margo, eschew a Christmas tree -- and, apparently, the holiday itself -- on the grounds that it's "dirty and messy and corny and clichéd".

* HateSink: Despite not being particularly bad or antagonistic, Todd and Margo are a couple of condescending, materialistic [[{{Yuppie}} yuppies]] that are [[{{Jerkass}} rude to everyone]], ([[AwfulWeddedLife even with each other]]), and lack any sympathetic traits. [[ButtMonkey They basically exist so bad things can happen to them.]]

** Margo orders Todd to go over to the Griswolds and punch Clark in the face for accidentally breaking their window, but Todd refuses by pointing out that doing so will provoke the other Griswolds and their relatives. However, Margo doesn't care and decides to do it herself, though this result Eddie's dog to brutally maul Margo while catching a squirrel with his jaws.

'''Todd''': (angrily) I can't just attack someone!\\
'''Margo''': (angrily) All right, then, if you're not man enough to put an end to this shit, then I AM!!

'''Mrs. Shirley''': You ''didn't.'' Of all the cheap, lousy ways to save a buck!\\
'''SWAT commander''': ''(angrily)'' That's pretty low, mister! If I had a rubber hose, I would beat you...

--->'''Todd''': (angrily) I can't just attack someone!\\
--->'''Margo''': (angrily) All right, then, if you're not man enough to put an end to this shit, then I AM!!

** Margo orders Todd to go over to the Griswolds and attack Clark for his antics. Todd refuses by saying he can't just attack Clark in front of his family, but Margo doesn't care and decides to do it herself, though this result Eddie's dog to brutally maul Margo while catching a squirrel with his jaws.

* HateSink: Despite not being particularly bad or antagonistic, Todd and Margo are a couple of condescending, materialistic [[{{Yuppie}} yuppies]] that are [[{{Jerkass}} rude to everyone]] ([[AwfulWeddedLife even each other]]) and lack any sympathetic traits. [[ButtMonkey They basically exist so bad things can happen to them.]]

'''SWAT commander''': That's pretty low, mister. If I had a rubber hose...
** Margo orders Todd to go over to the Griswolds and slug Clark for his antics. Todd refuses, saying he "can't just attack someone".

->''"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving! Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas! No, no! We're all in this together! This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here! We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tapdanced with Danny [[PrecisionFStrike Fucking]] Kaye! And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse!"''

* HeroicBSOD:

* HeroicBSOD: Clark goes through a very memorable one after all the maladies of his HumiliationConga pile up.

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: Unless Todd reported Margo punching him in the face to the police in person while they were arriving, the SWAT team had absolutely no reason to bust down their door without a warrant. Of course, RuleOfFunny is in effect.

* MsFanservice: Mary, the buxom brunette sales clerk at the lingerie counter ([[spoiler:who shows up again in Clark's FantasySequence]]), is played by model and former ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' Playmate Nicolette Scorsese (who, in case you're wondering, is ''not'' related to Creator/MartinScorsese).

* CoversAlwaysLie: At best, the cover is symbolic of what Clark goes through. He doesn't end up actually shocked while on the roof.

Clark has decided to host nearly his entire extended family at his house for the holiday season, including his parents (Creator/JohnRandolph and Creator/DianeLadd), his in-laws (Creator/EGMarshall and Creator/DorisRoberts), his crotchety Uncle Lewis (Creator/WilliamHickey) and senile Aunt Bethany (Creator/MaeQuestel, in her final role), and his possibly-inbred cousin-in-law Eddie (Creator/RandyQuaid). Meanwhile, he's counting on a large Christmas bonus from his boss (Creator/BrianDoyleMurray) to help pay for his surprise present for the family: a backyard swimming pool. As can be expected, everything [[GoneHorriblyWrong goes horribly wrong]] in the most [[HilarityEnsues hilarious manner possible]].

The film is notable for being the only entry in the ''Vacation'' series to take place at the Griswold home. Many families consider it a classic holiday movie, especially for its chaotic [[TruthInTelevision yet not-too-far-off]] portrayal of family Christmas gatherings.

* EekAMouse: After Uncle Lewis accidentally burns down Clark Griswold's Christmas tree from chain-smoking cigars, Clark desperately wants to continue to have a perfect family Christmas by chopping down a pine tree in his own front yard, smashing his neighbor's window in the process. Unfortunately... things turn out worse with a squirrel (not a mouse) popping out of the new tree, scaring everyone throughout the house. Clark Griswold tries to catch it in his Santa coat and smack it with a hammer. But in the end, Cousin Eddie's Rottweiler Snots eats the squirrel, right on the angry neighbor Margo's collar, as soon as she enters the front door. "Gone", calmly says Clark right afterwards.

-->'''Clark:''' ''[[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} She wrapped up her damned cat!]]''