‘National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation’ Inspires Sarasota Family’s Holiday Lights Display

SARASOTA, FL — When Isabella Shaffer, 12, first saw “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation” when she was just 5 years old, it quickly became her favorite holiday movie.

The 1989 John Hughes movie centers on the Griswold family, as its patriarch, Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase), strives to have the perfect family Christmas. Despite his intentions, things go awry pretty quickly, including a disastrous holiday light display at their home.

Isabella’s mother, Melissa Shaffer, and her stepfather Marcel Gillett also knew the movie well, as they both grew up watching it. So, they were happy to turn it into a family tradition.

“It’s a very funny movie. I love it and we watch it every single year,” Isabella said.

Gillett added, “Ever since she was little, we would watch it together every season.”

Having been in Isabella’s life since she was 3 years old, it’s been a great way for the family to bond during the holidays, he added.

Then, three years ago the 12-year-old asked if they could take their love of the movie a step further.

“She asked, ‘Can we get our house to look like that?’” Gillett said.

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During their first year decorating their house for Christmas, Gillett and Shaffer kept it simple, hanging lights on the roof similar to those on the Griswold family home.

Each year, the display gets more elaborate. This year, they used more than 17,000 lights and it took them more than 17 hours to decorate their home in mid-November.

The display includes a 6-foot-tall mannequin dressed as Griswold and posed as those he’s hanging lights on the home. There’s also an inflatable replica of the family’s station wagon with a Christmas tree on top, homemade arches over the driveway made from PVC pipes and about “20 extension cords to keep the lights working,” Shaffer said.

Gillett is quick to credit Shaffer with being “the brains” behind the display, having mapped out every inch of the lights and other decorations.

“We literally put it together just like the movie,” she said.

Their replica of the Griswold home has become a holiday tradition for many in the Sarasota area in recent years. Many residents drive through their neighborhood just to see it and the SRQ Trolley has even included it on its Holiday Tour of Lights.

And the family said visitors can expect the display to get better every year with new additions. On Shaffer’s wish list is an inflatable replica of Cousin Eddie’s RV.

“But it’s sold out everywhere,” she said.

Lights are on at the home, which is located at 4217 Iola Drive in Sarasota, nightly from 6:30 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1. The display switches from colored to all-white lights every other night.