Look Inside New York’s Wild ‘Christmas Vacation’ House

Here’s one house in New York that would make Clark Griswold proud.

The Orsini family on Long Island has turned their home into a full-on “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” experience, and honestly, it might be the closest anyone has ever come to recreating the movie in real life. According to New York 4, they’ve covered their colonial-style home in 25,000 white lights, parked a beat-up station wagon in the driveway with an oversized Christmas tree strapped to the roof, and even added a rusty RV that would make Cousin Eddie feel right at home.

What You’ll See at the Orsini Home

But the lights and the cars are only the beginning. The yard is filled with more than 20 mannequins dressed as characters from the movie, including Clark hanging off the roof, Cousin Eddie in his bathrobe, Ellen, Russ, Audrey, Uncle Lewis, Aunt Bethany, Mary in her swimsuit and even Clark’s boss with the big red ribbon on his head. Homeowner Jason Orsini says he’s been obsessed with the movie since the early 90s when he watched it over and over on VHS, and now he’s basically living out his childhood dream.

Setup starts on October first every year, and we’re not talking about tossing a few lights on a shrub. Orsini stores everything off-site and spends months gathering outfits, wigs and props to get every character right. He even tried ordering two custom 40-foot inflatables from China of Clark and one of Cousin Eddie.

The big debut happens at a community block party they call "The Griswold Family Experience," where hundreds of people show up for music, Santa, snacks, a petting zoo, and guided tours through the display. To keep things organized this year, Orsini built a walking path through the yard so visitors can safely take photos without crowding the property.

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Giving Back Through the Display

Visitors are asked to bring a toy that will be donated to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Last year they collected 300 toys, and Orsini says that was the best part of the entire project. For him, the display isn’t just about lights and laughs, it’s about showing his kids and the community what Christmas spirit actually looks like. Orsini’s display is located at 41 Sheryl Crescent in Smithtown.