I like Raspberry Spread

Frank Mariani

Frank Mariani is seasoned (but young-at-heart) artist with over 40 years of experience in the visual arts. Like many of his colleagues, his roots go wayyyy back to childhood where his creativity revealed itself not just in art class, but in the margins and odd free spaces of notebooks, much to the chagrin (and sometimes scolding) of his teachers. When the muse strikes, the hand draws!

Frank Mariani

December 18, 2020

National Lampoon’s Vacation film series do a pretty good job of capturing the lunacy of National Lampoon magazine, which for me became the grownup replacement of MAD Magazine in the 1970s. There are advantages to being a gray-haired geezer who treasured those publications. Wish I still had the big box I kept them in, but that’s another story.

Christmas Vacation was a perfect fit for Chevy Chase. Good intentions with bumbling execution is something he excelled at. The giddy anticipation of Clark Griswold receiving a huge bonus from his employer is my favorite part of the movie.

When the balloon burst and all he gets is a Jelly of the Month Club subscription, I still crack up as if I’d never seen it before.

Here’s another benefit of being a 60-something guy: I actually like those gifts, especially if they include raspberry spread. Seeds don’t bother me.