Even before cameras could roll, original director Chris Columbus came to the realization that he just could not work with the notoriously difficult Chevy Chase after meeting him. So even though he desperately needed the job at that point in his career, Columbus decided to quit the project. He was worried it would end his career, but then John Hughes brought him in to direct Home Alone (1990) which became a massive hit a year later, earning over six times the amount of money National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) did with a budget of almost $10 million less.
Despite Christmas Vacation being set in the Chicago area, the movie was filmed in Burbank, California at Warner Bros. studios. Some outdoor scenes were shot in Breckenridge, Colorado, chosen for its usual heavy snowfall during that season. However, upon arrival, the production team faced a snowless situation and had to bring in a convoy of trucks to transport snow to specific locations. Ironically, after the snow delivery, Breckenridge experienced a massive snowfall of ten feet in just three days, causing challenges for filming as the crew had to use snowcats to reach their shooting locations.
The dog playing Snots is Beverly D'Angelo's real life dog.
A minor earthquake occurred when they were filming the scene where Uncle Lewis and Aunt Bethany arrive at the Griswold house.