How Clark Griswold Taught Me Everything I Know About Exterior Illumination

Earlier this week it was reported that there was a possible Clark Griswold sighting in Middletown, and by now, many of us have heard the story of the Texas man who thought a hanging Clark Griswold holiday decoration was someone stranded on the roof (and yes, he called 9-1-1).  I decided it was time to get in on the Christmas Vacation action myself.

I am 100% honest when I tell you that my ENTIRE family is obsessed with the Griswolds:

• My dad has a car named 'Sparky' - the nickname Ellen gave to Clark.
• At my sister's wedding, when I gave the maid of honor speech, there were at least 5 references to the movie, most were direct quotes, and the speech opened with this gem: you know, they say "the most enduring traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin..."
• We are typically wearing our "Griswold Family Christmas" matching t-shirts in our yearly Christmas morning photo.
• We all collect anything Griswold related - the moose mugs, talking ornaments, signs for around the house, jelly of the month club subscriptions (kidding about that last one).
• We can't get through a family function, gathering, and at times just a conversation without playing "finish that Griswold quote" at least once...("it's not going in the yard Russ, it's going in our living room" came out in a FaceTime conversation with my brother-in-law just this week).

Thanksgiving morning I was browsing Black Friday deals and found one for National Lampoons Christmas Vacation inflatables and knew I needed one (they had the hanging Clark one but it was a longer wait for delivery on that one).  I wasn't sure how it would fit into our current holiday decoration spread, with our inflatable Christmas Mickey and Minnie, a Disney holiday wreath on the door, and one of those projectors that shines Mickey Mouse heads all over the side of our house (I have a spoiled toddler, her choice, not ours), but, we made it work.

We are now the proud owners of a 5 foot inflatable with good ol' Sparky's face on it, and a flag below that says "Clark Approved." While we may not have 25,000 twinkling lights just like the Griswolds, it's a start!

So, that's a little inside look on my wild family, the ones I so affectionately refer to as the Griswolds, and one of our favorite things.  Does your family have any fun holiday traditions (or obsessions)?