Can we talk about the McAllister’s house for a second?
Photo of the actual 'Home Alone' house by Anarchosyn/Wikimedia Commons
When you saw “Home Alone” for the first time as a kid, you probably just loved it as a thrill ride. You got to watch some kid go full on John Rambo and protect his home against the narrator from “The Wonder Years” and the unhinged guy from nearly every Scorsese film.
To put it simply: the movie was two hours of pure kid power.
However, when you’re adult, the film raises a lot of questions.
What do the McAllisters for a living to afford that house with all those kids?
How come the McAllisters didn’t call a friend or relative take care of their child who was left alone for three days?
Why do Buzz and Kevin look nothing like each other? Was Mrs. McAllister getting some side action in the early ‘80s?
Claire Reilly, Senior Editor at CNET, dropped a bombshell Twitter thread that pointed out something you probably never consciously realized about the film, but once see it, you’ll never see it the same way again.
The McCallister residence has a perma-Christmas decor.
Almost every surface or object in the home is red, green or white. The kitchen is so Christmassy it looks like it was decorated by Buddy the Elf, right down to the green rolling pin.
\nCan we talk about the McAllister's house in Home Alone for a second? Like, of COURSE you're going to be a target for Christmas bandits if your house is ENTIRELY Christmas themed! Okay, yes, they have a lot of Christmas decorations up, but that is JUST THE START... pic.twitter.com/9EN0SNyGJ2
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\nLook at that wallpaper. What kind of monster has red wallpaper next to a green wall? Offset with contrasting green house plant and red candles? pic.twitter.com/9Lxm1ewfGv
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\nThrow up a festive green tapestry in the green corridor on the way to your attic, why not! pic.twitter.com/SuKru6caDw
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\nYes, it's the 90s, but who has a green LANDLINE PHONE? With red, white and green wallpaper? And red flowers hanging from the bed above red pillows? Did they cast Catherine O'Hara purely because of her red hair? This goes all the way to the top... pic.twitter.com/cYv7eTJMKK
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\n"Why is there so much Christmas theming, Harry?!" pic.twitter.com/i4xfSUJpKP
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\n"I have been here for three days by myself and I've finally worked out why you let them film a Christmas movie here..." pic.twitter.com/FvfPz3wLnT
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\n"Tell the truth. Did you just decorate this place as an elaborate con to leave me at Christmas time?" pic.twitter.com/7fF99qb5Kh
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
\nBut WORST of all is the kitchen. Red pots, green tiles, red teapot, crimson floors, even a green rolling pin. Guys. We all go to the themed sections of IKEA and get ideas, but you're not supposed to do it in real life.
— Claire Reilly (@reillystyley) December 4, 2018\n
Home Alone: Great movie. Decorator's nightmare.
Fin. pic.twitter.com/mRAk4SkTvu
Here’s some of the best reactions to Reilly’s “Home Alone” bombshell.
\nIt'd be insane enough for a regular family, but this is a family who isn't even going to be home for Christmas!
— Ben Pobjie (@benpobjie) December 4, 2018\n
\nI love that this was retweeted into my feed, because I have been obsessing on this fact since I was a kid! Did you notice the Xmas colours also extended to wardrobe? Kevin is alone for 3 days - day 1 he wears a white sweater, day 2 green sweater, day 3 red sweater. Diabolical.
— Erin(@pride_of_erin) December 4, 2018\n
\nYes! How many of them have cringed when the director says “more Christmas! I want it EVERYWHERE.”
— Mary Indiana (@AuntIndy) December 4, 2018\n
\nThere are poinsettia plants all over the place too. Was watching the movie with nephews like 2 years ago and saw them everywhere. Watering them all and keeping them alive would be more work than anything.
— Dan Hoyt (@KansasPirateDan) December 4, 2018\n
\nCannot unsee all the clutter and shiny brass fixtures
— A L Y (@alysonmary_) December 4, 2018\n
\nWondering how old you are. This is just how houses looked in the late 80’s early 90’s. A plethora of hunter/forest green paired with red, burgundy or dusty rose.
— Katherine DiPasquale (@KLDInteriors) December 4, 2018\n
\nHilarious. Interior decorator must have been Buddy the Elf.
— Jason Barron (@TriangleLandUse) December 4, 2018\n
\nI get your point but I still think we should spend more resources in trying to figure out the greatest McAllister mystery of all time... what did Mr McAllister do for a living?
— Scott [LTC] (@allstyles85) December 4, 2018\n
\nSo was this all a ruse to actually have him killed on Christmas for the insurance money because she obviously went over the limit on decorations but he outsmarted them and then his parents tried to have killed again in New York?
— aguide2gayting (@aguide2gayting) December 4, 2018\n