What Would Zak Do

It’s not everyone’s favorite Christmas Movie but it’s top of my list. 

It’s not just because of the dry slapstick humor, one-liner, improv humor but it’s really because of the Griswolds 

I aspire to be Clark Griswold, as insane as that sounds. 

While the movie is pure chaos and everything that can go wrong, does. That’s what it’s all about…

We all have crazy families, maybe not to quite the extent of cousin Eddie, but everyone has their own s**t.. but it doesn’t matter 

It’s about getting everyone together, these are the moments, as cliche as they are, that we remember and we laugh at. The kids remember cutting the tree and “wasting” a whole Saturday, they remember the house full of lights, the Santa and Frosty in the yard, and the insane effort we put in to getting everything up and working. 

Maybe an unpopular scene from the movie that always gets my emotions going is when Clark is stuck up on the attic. First, he goes up and hides the present he has in the depth of the attic wall, (like anyone else would ever go up there anyway) – then he feels around and finds an old present from years ago. It shows the extent he’s willing to go to keep the spirit alive. 

Then as he figures he’s gonna be up there a while, he pulls out the old chest and puts on the hat and full-sleeve gloves.. then he finds the projector with the old home movies.. 

It’s partly the song that plays “That Spirit of Christmas” by Ray Charles.. but seeing those films of the family together makes me think of my own family and that I’m living the dream, and I want to get the family together as often as possible, no conditions, because this life is too short not to get together and make memories, even if it comes with a little extra work, during the holidays or any other time. I know that’s what I’ll remember when I’m old and gray and what they’ll remember and pass down hopefully for generations to come