This was a formula Chevy Chase slapstick film that we watched with a young adult. It is a pantomime of holiday events, and like a pantomime it exaggerates actions into their worst possible scenario. We found it a welcome respite from the serious business of Christmas: shopping, wrapping, traveling, organizing meals and entertaining guests. Although watching this, I also recognized some of the extremes in my own past and I took a little teasing. You know, fifteen-foot tree, Las Vegas light displays, etc.

The film is silly and gets sillier when Randy Quaid arrives as the uninvited relative, but maybe it was too true to life?

The movie industry classifies this as a "PG-13", so be aware that there is language some would find unacceptable for young children and like cartoons, the subliminal message is that you can fall off a roof, drive like a maniac or be hit in the head with a board and there is no serious consequence.