Continuity mistake: When Clark's uncle drops the match that sets the sewer on fire, his toupee falls off and at the end of the scene you can see him trying to put it back on, although it's burnt pretty badly. In the final scene where everyone is dancing around, his toupee is back on and in perfect condition. (01:32:35)
Continuity mistake: At the end of the movie, when Clark is outside of the house with Eddie's dog, all the police cars have disappeared. (01:34:10 - 01:35:00)
Suggested correction: It's the end of the movie with credits rolling, I would think the people behind the movie wanted it that way with Clark looking proudly of his Christmas night. his last line in the movie, he said "I did it" and the lights went off on the "THE END" sign. So, that's what I think about the ending. It's not a mistake. It would be if the sign wasn't shut off and started rolling credits after he said his line and nothing's there.
Continuity mistake: After the tree burns up from Uncle Lewis' stogie, he turns around revealing fire on his back. Right as he is turning, the shot cuts to Clark and back to Lewis. In this new shot, Lewis' hair is different (compare the wigs), indicating the person getting the fire on his back put out is a stunt person.
Continuity mistake: In the opening scene, when the family is on their way to get a Christmas tree, they get into a road rage battle. If you look closely at the shape of the headlights, the car the family is in and the stunt car are noticeably different.
Continuity mistake: When the SWAT team charges into the Griswold's house and orders everyone to freeze, Ellen's head is behind Clark's right arm in the shots from the rear, while the shots from the front show Ellen's head in front of Clark's right arm.
Continuity mistake: In the department store as Clark is talking with Mary, the lingerie sales lady, his left arm is supporting him on the glass counter as he is standing. The next shot when Rusty approaches, Clark is now bent down with his left arm resting on the counter.
Suggested correction: You actually see Clark go from sitting on the counter to bending down as the saleslady is modelling the undergarment.
That's not the part the mistake is talking about. The mistake is valid. Clark is sitting in the counter but is off screen when he changes position (so you don't actually see it). When Rusty enters the shot, Clark's hand is in the counter. In the next shot, his elbow is on the counter, with no time elapsing.
Continuity mistake: After the SWAT team busts into the Griswold's home and an officer yells "Freeze!", Clark's right arm changes position from either being raised or lowered as the scene quick cuts.
Continuity mistake: After Clark receives what he thinks is his bonus check, he says if there is enough money left over he will fly all of the relatives out to see the new pool. Everyone reacts with excitement, particularly Ellen, who is standing right next to Clark. She lets out a cry of excitement and raises her arms. The next shot is taken from the opposite point of view (from over Clark's shoulder). In this next shot, you can see everyone else still excited with the sudden exception of Ellen. She went from shrieking in excitement to having her mouth closed and her arms back down at her sides.
Continuity mistake: When Clark is going into the attic to hide presents, the ladder that smacks him in the face is a sliding ladder, but later when he is shut in the attic and uses the ladder to attract attention it is a folding ladder.
Continuity mistake: The christmas tree is visible from the dining room, but when Lewis goes beside it to smoke a cigar, you can't see him. When the tree is on fire, you don't see Lewis again and you can only see a branch of the tree.
Continuity mistake: When the squirrel jumps out of the tree and the whole family is hiding around the corner in the front entry, the camera alternates shots frequently from the front of the family to the back of the family. Each time the angle changes, Catherine's stance changes from her arm being around Russ to her arm at her side.
Continuity mistake: Less than a day after the ice breaks the neighbors' window, it has fixed itself in the outside shots as Clark is stuck in the attic.
Continuity mistake: As the shots quickly change from the front of Catherine and Rusty to their backs, Catherine is either holding Rusty tightly to her, loosely, or not at all.
Continuity mistake: When Clark falls off the roof, the staple gun goes down before him. In the next shot, it's not heading down from his point of view.
Continuity mistake: As Clark is stapling the Christmas lights to the house, there are bits of snow and ice on his left-hand glove in the close-ups. But in the longer shots of Clark, the glove has no snow and ice present.
Continuity mistake: After Clark dedicates the Griswold Family Christmas tree and it expands, Ellen's hands are on her hips, but the next quick shot of her shows her hands clasped behind her back.
Continuity mistake: After Clark cuts the rope restraining the tree branches, Rusty is very close to the tree, but the final shot when Clark gives the "OK" sign shows Rusty about two feet from the branches.
Continuity mistake: When they first step up to the tree in the forest, Audrey is still moving. In the overhead shot, she stops, and we can see tracks in the snow where all four have been standing. The problem is, there are a lot of tracks. We're lead to believe they just walked up to the tree.
Continuity mistake: In the scene of Clark standing in the snow trying to figure out why his Christmas lights did not work, the paper he is holding in his right hand is mid torso to him, but in the next shot when Rusty leaves him, his right hand has instantly dropped to his side and he raises his paper-holding hand again.
Continuity mistake: When Clark, Eddie, and Catherine are admiring the Christmas lights of the Griswold house, Clark is very close to Eddie with his left arm draped over Eddie's shoulder, but the next quick cut to Clark when he says, "Eddie?", shows Clark further away and his left arm at his side, and not stretched out.
