Christmas Vacation
or
A Christmas Story?
YOU MUST CHOOSE!
Suggested by Doug Zeigler, this last holiday-themed edition of YOU MUST CHOOSE! follows the same rules as last week’s. You’re given the choice between watching the Grizzwald family in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation or the Parker family in A Christmas Story at least once every holiday season for the rest of your life, with the catch being that the film you DON’T choose gets eradicated out of existence forever.
Unlike the Die Hard vs. It’s a Wonderful Life battle (which had passionate advocates on both sides of the fence), this matchup doesn’t pitch an established golden age classic against a popular 80s action film–but instead features two popular 80s comedies composed of equal amounts of slapstick and heart. Based on IMDb ratings, A Christmas Story seems to have the slight edge–it’s actually rated #242 on the site’s list of 250 Most Popular movies, while Christmas Vacation doesn’t rank at all (It’s a Wonderful Life comes in at #27, while Die Hard ranks in at #109).
And Bob Clark’s 1983 film also probably has the edge in terms of cultural impact–at least if merchandise is anything to go by. But then again, I personally hear people quoting the John Hughes scripted 1989 sequel much more often.
The question is, which one are you willing to lose? Because:
Christmas Story … definitely. From the damper on the furnace to over extended light sockets, it’s all there.
And people, be honest …… ya ever try a bar of soap in the mouth?
In the heat of this Xmas classic battle, I had to weave a tapestry of obscenities that as far as we know will remain hanging in space below this article, but I choose THE CHRISTMAS STORY.
I can now plunge into the cornucopia quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice.
Where have I been? I don’t think I’ve ever once watched Christmas Story in it’s entirety but I watch Christmas Vacation 2 or 3 times a year, even if it’s not Christmas, and laugh out loud every time! For me, it’s Vacation by a landslide! Oops, gotta run. Shitter’s full!
Christmas Vacation. It reminds me that no matter how hectic and emotional Christmas time can get its still a time of family and sharing and caring.
I mean if you can still have Christmas after a SWAT unit busts into your house (and destroying every window in the process) then that’s just awesome.
Christmas Vacation gets the nod from me.
Tough choice, I usually watch ‘Christmas Vacation’ when it’s on, but I got to admit, (even with a double dog dare) that ‘Christmas Story’ wins buy a ‘tongue!
Christmas Story!
Christmas Story … it reflects an innocents of Christmas past when things appeared to be less complicated.
I have a soft spot (in my fontanelles) for Chevy Chase. He’s actually one of my all-time favorite performers, and it was Chase – not Harmon – that made me interested in watching COMMUNITY. So although I agree that A CHRISTMAS STORY is the more important film, I don’t want anything done by Chase getting eradicated from our culture.
Not even NOTHING BUT TROUBLE?
Okay, you got me… Also, this last season of COMMUNITY could get erased as well (they underused Chase, IMO).
Only one thing could drag me away from the soft glow of electric sex that is a Christmas Story and that thing is Cousin Eddie.