McHenry father brings Clark Griswold's Christmas to life: 'I love making people happy'

MCHENRY, Ill. (WLS) -- It is a Christmas classic, and now, one McHenry man is trying to bring it to life.

ABC7 caught up with the man aiming to get people into the holiday spirit with his interpretation of Chevy Chase's "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."

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You can barely see through windshield of the Ford Taurus wagon with the 20-foot Christmas tree strapped to the top. And of course, the tree lights up and partially obscures the license plate that reads "Griswold."

Ted Ray found the car for sale in Wisconsin a couple years ago for $300 and had to have it. He gets a new tree for the top every year.

"You can imagine what happens when you put a 50 lbs. tree on a roof rack. It doesn't end well," Ray said.

Ray painted it and actually cut and screwed the wood panels into the side of the car until he had an exact replica of the car character Clark Griswold drove.

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But that's just the start. He has also put lights up all over his house. It has become a bit of a tourist attraction.

"I love Christmas. I love making people happy, love the smiles we're putting on people's faces," Ray said.

Ray was not even born when the movie was released 35 years ago. But he has seen it several hundreds of times. He even has kids named Russell and Audrey, the same as Griswold's kids in the movie.

Ray's wife, Lindsay, says she did not grow up a fan of the movie, but she is supportive.

"It's a lot, but I know how happy he is, how happy it makes him. He likes to make people's Christmases," she said.

"I love her so much for letting me do this stuff. It does put a strain with people driving by," Ray said.

Ray wants to make the Christmas spirit last. He leaves the lights and the car in place for a few more weeks, until mid-January.

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