5 great ways to celebrate ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ style in the middle of Michigan

Perhaps one of the most exciting holiday-themed gatherings planned for mid-Michigan is the 35th anniversary showing of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” scheduled for 6 p.m. 6:00 p.m., Monday, December 9, at the Dow Event Center in downtown Saginaw.

This is no typical viewing of the comedy classic. Chevy Chase, star of the 1989 film (and plenty of other Reagan-era blockbusters), will be on hand to provide behind-the-scenes anecdotes and answer questions after the film.

In the spirit of celebrating the family-friendly(ish) holiday classic, let’s explore 5 ways to celebrate “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” right here in mid-Michigan.

Visit Bronner’s – duh

How perfect. This region happens to be home to a retail store billed as “The World’s Largest Christmas Store”, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.

The original “National Lampoon’s Vacation” ended with Chase’s Clark Griswold character landing his family at the fictional theme park, Walley World. If you consider the name of the founder of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland was Wally Bronner, and then consider the Griswold family’s love of the Christmas season, it’s not hard to imagine that they would enjoy a visit to this beloved Frankenmuth tourist attraction located on 25 Christmas Lane.

There, patrons—as the Griswolds no doubt would—indulge in shopping from the vast array of holiday-themed merchandise and gifts.

Light them up

One of the memorable scenes from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is the blindingly bright holiday light setup Clark installs on the outside of his home.

In the film, Clark claims the house has more than 25,000 holiday lights.

It’s unclear if any families in mid-Michigan have been able to repeat that feat, but if they wanted to try, one of the best places to buy such a large number of candles might be one of the many Meijer stores in the region.

According to Meijer’s websitea 100-count, multi-colored holiday candle purchase that costs $4.99. This means that to secure 25,000 lights, a patron would need to purchase 250 of these 100-light units, which would add up to $1,247.50 (not including VAT).

Of course, anything less than 25,000 lights will probably express a family’s holiday spirit just fine.

Fun days

While the Griswold family chose to shop for their giant Christmas tree in the wild — apparently by stealing one from what was either private property or public land — let’s recommend a more legal approach.

Mid-Michigan serves as home to numerous businesses that sell real trees capable of inspiring holiday cheer in anyone’s home.

One of the most popular of these places in this region opens for the season on Friday, November 29: Kluck Kindergarten1020 VanWormer in Thomas Township.

The full experience

Mid-Michigan residents planning to visit family members outside the region may consider the Cousin Eddie route: Traveling via RV.

Probably it would be a challenge to track down the same vehicle that Cousin Eddie’s family drives on “Christmas vacation”. After all, there isn’t much demand for a 1973 Chevy Condor II in the year 2024.

But if you’re looking for a modern equivalent, General RV Center12410 Dixie Highway in Birch Run, offers plenty of options.

Before leaving for the family reunion, however, be sure to consult with a salesperson about proper methods of draining the vehicle’s sewage.

Just watch the movie

The simplest way to celebrate the 35th anniversary of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is to watch it.

Tickets are still available online for the December 9 screening with Chase at the Dow Event Center. Costs range from $39 to $250.

Several local theaters are also showing the film next week. Quality 10 powered by Emagine theater in Saginaw Township and Imagine Birch Run will show multiple showings of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on Sunday, Dec. 1 and Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Or the movie can be streamed on both Max and TBS streaming services.

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