I could write a fifty-page essay on this topic, but I truly believe "Christmas Vacation" is the BEST holiday movie ever made.

We don't have a ton of holiday traditions in my house but watching Sparky, Ellen & Cousin Eddie is an annual thing in our world.

Okay, so you can't make a bold statement like that without explaining why, so here goes.  Ten reasons why "Christmas Vacation" is better than "Elf", "A Christmas Story", "It's a Wonderful Life" and all the rest.

10. It is an actual Christmas film

Unlike "Die Hard", "Gremlins" and all the rest.

9. It’s relatable

Poverty, neighbor disputes, the in-laws, it's got them all.

8. Chevy Chase

Enough said.  He's brilliant in this film and might even be his best performance in this very successful line of the National Lampoon movie series.

7. It shows the true meaning of Christmas

Even after everything has gone so terribly wrong, the Griswolds pull it together and find the true meaning of Christmas.

6. It has an unusual villain

Clark's cheapskate boss only to do a "Grinch" and help save Christmas.

5. It was written by John Hughes

One of the greatest writers of the 80's.

4. It’s incredibly quotable

"The $hitters full", "The Blessing", "Bend Over I'll Show You"...Christmas Vacation really is the gift that keeps giving the whole year.

3. Star-studded cast

Every one of them absolutely shines in this movie.

2. The film coined a popular phrase

The term ‘Griswold house’ is today a phrase used by people across the nation to describe a house that is decorated in a gaudy or tacky manner. Let’s face it, everyone has a Griswold house on their street (and if you don’t, then it’s probably you).

1. It puts us all in the Christmas spirit

Sure, it might not have the sickly sweet fairy tale ending that we see in many holiday classics, but the Griswolds do eventually learn the true meaning of Christmas in Christmas Vacation.

The Christmas decorations might not have made it past Christmas day, but the family did, and surely that’s all that matters. Santa may not have landed in his magical sleigh, and the Christmas star did in fact turn out to be a sewage plant, but Clark’s dedication to his family is undying.

LOOK: Holiday gift crazes and fads of the past century

Stacker compiled a list of toy crazes from the past 100 years. 

Gallery Credit: Jennnifer Billock

 

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