I might say to you, “If you want to watch a holiday classic, pick “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I would tell you that if I didn’t like you. For my friends, however, I point to “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” for a great holiday movie.

When Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) decides to have the traditional family Christmas celebration at his house, hilarity ensues. Hilarity! Truly, “Christmas Vacation” is the funniest holiday movie I have ever seen, and it tends to get funnier with each viewing. Watching Clark’s attempts at stringing Christmas lights, dealing with his old and infirm relatives and coping with Uncle Eddie’s redneck exploits may give the viewer a sense of low-brow humor (which it is), but upon further viewing the movie is high-falutin’ comedy.

Chevy Chase is known for starring in some pretty awful comedies, but “Christmas Vacation” is not one of them. This movie is filled with slapstick humor, and some raunchy humor, compliments of Uncle Eddie. I’m not one to belly-laugh at movies, but “Christmas Vacation” delivers some downright funny scenes. Especially notable are the “lubricated hubcap” scene, Aunt Bethany (Mae Questel) blessing the Christmas dinner and the squirrel scene. Again, hilarity!

So, forget the “standard” classics, thumb your nose at Jimmy Stewart and Bing Crosby and pick a holiday movie you’ll want to watch – “Christmas Vacation.”