2025: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Clueless

As if! Can you believe it’s been 30 years since Clueless hit theaters and made plaid skirts, knee-high socks, and cell phones the ultimate accessories? To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this totally iconic ‘90s classic, we decided to go full-on throwback and channel our inner Cher, Dionne, and Tai for Halloween this year.

From the Beverly Hills hallways to the Halloween party scene, these three besties gave us friendship goals, unforgettable fashion, and phrases that defined a decade. (“Whatever.” “Ugh, I’m totally buggin’!”) So grab your fuzzy pens and crank up some TLC, because we’re about to show you how to recreate these way popular looks that are equal parts nostalgic and fabulous.

Cher Horowitz

The queen bee of Beverly Hills High, Cher is all about confidence, coordination, and couture. With her perfectly matched plaid sets, knee-high socks, and that enviable rotating closet, she defined ‘90s fashion goals before social media was even a thing. Channeling Cher means embracing her big heart, her bossy-but-sweet energy, and her belief that a little kindness (and a lot of style) can fix almost anything. Totally fabulous, right?

Dionne Davenport

Dionne is the ultimate trendsetter and Cher’s equally stylish bestie. With her bold prints,  dramatic hats, and unapologetic attitude, Dionne proves that confidence is the best accessory. She’s smart, sassy, and never afraid to speak her mind because being fashionable doesn’t mean you can’t also be fierce. Dressing as Dionne is all about daring to stand out and owning every inch of your look. Whatever!

Tai Frasier

Sweet, spunky Tai may have started as the new girl, but she quickly became one of the crew and one of the most memorable characters of the ‘90s. With her playful personality and carefree vibe, Tai reminds us that true confidence comes from being yourself (even if you’re a little “clueless” at first). Whether you go full makeover mode in plaid or keep her early skater-girl style, Tai’s charm never goes out of fashion. She’s totally adorable, don’t you think?

Clueless Group Costume

When it comes to best friends, Cher, Dionne, and Tai are the ultimate trio. They taught us about friendship, makeovers, and the power of good advice (even when it’s not asked for). Together, they’re a perfect Halloween costume idea for sisters or besties who want to turn heads, have fun, and relive all the plaid-clad, ‘90s nostalgia. Because 30 years later, one thing’s still true: these girls are way popular.

Happy Halloween from the Harris Sisters!

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How to Make Ol' Roy Puppy Chow for a Christmas Vacation Party

Our family recently hosted a Christmas Vacation-themed party, and one menu item that we knew we had to include was Puppy Chow. You may also know these as Muddy Buddies. But of course, when it hit our party table, we labeled it Ol' Roy Puppy Chow. 

This was to pay homage to the scene in the movie where Cousin Eddie fills his entire shopping cart with nothing but dog food and then when Clark casually adds a package of lightbulbs, they get obliterated with a GIANT bag of . . . . you guessed it . . . Ol' Roy!

Harris Sister Misty brought this no-bake sweet treat to our party, and it was a hit. And, of course, she served it in a big stainless steel dog bowl to add to the effect. So, we recommend that too!

Cousin Eddie's Ol' Roy Puppy Chow

9 cups crispy rice cereal (Chex or Crispix)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate. Add peanut butter and mix until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Place the cereal in a large bowl and pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the cereal. Stir GENTLY with a spatula until coated. Make sure you don’t break up the cereal, you want it to stay in whole pieces.
3. Pour powdered sugar into a large Ziploc bag, add coated cereal, seal the bag, and shake until well coated. 
4. Spread the puppy chow in a single layer so it can cool and not stick together. Let sit until the chocolate is hard.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

After the puppy chow is dry, you can put it in a large airtight container and store on the counter for up to 2 weeks. 

If your kitchen is warm, you can store the puppy chow in the refrigerator to make sure the chocolate doesn’t melt.

You can also put puppy chow into decorative Christmas tins or bags to give to friends, family, and neighbors for the holidays. It makes an easy homemade holiday gift, and it's one that the kiddos can help you make!

How to Make Aunt Bethany's Jello Mold from Christmas Vacation

Long-time readers of the blog know that we are BIG FANS of the movie Christmas Vacation. So, what better way to celebrate our all-time favorite Christmas movie than to make Aunt Bethany's jello mold for our Christmas Vacation-themed party this year.

For those of you who may not be as familiar with the movie, Aunt Bethany is the lovable older aunt in the movie. She enters with Uncle Lewis bearing wrapped Christmas presents, which are later revealed to be 1) her cat and 2) a lime jello mold.

When they serve the jello mold at Christmas Eve dinner, they reveal that it is topped with dry cat food!

Aunt Bethany's Jello Mold

Non-stick cooking spray
1 standard sized Bundt pan
1/2 cup Cheerios
3 packs lime Jello (3 oz. size)
amount of water needed to prepare 3 packs of Jello, according to package directions

1. Spray the Bundt pan generously with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 
2. Cut about 1/4 cup of your Cheerios in half. Mix with the remaining Cheerios.
3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the whole and halved Cheerios into your sprayed Bundt pan. Keep the rest for later.
4. Prepare Jello according to package directions and pour into the prepared Bundt pan. If your Cheerios have moved around during the pouring process, you can use a spoon to redistribute them now. Refrigerate Bundt pan uncovered and allow Jello to set overnight.
5. The next day, remove the Bundt pan from the refrigerator and allow it to sit in a large bowl of warm water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This will loosen up the Jello from the pan.
6. Remove from the bowl of water. Place a large plate on top of the pan and flip over.
7. Top off the Jello with remaining Cheerios. Refrigerate plated Jello mold until time for your party.

Notes:

If you have never made Jello before, it is most important to use boiling water and ice-cold water to ensure that it sets. (Make sure to actually boil a pot of water and then ladle it into a measuring cup to measure out the amount needed for the recipe.)

Make sure to set your Bundt pan on a level surface in the refrigerator or your Jello mold will set unevenly.

When dipping your Bundt pan into warm water to loosen, pay special attention to what the edges of the Jello look like. You will notice when it starts to come away from the sides of the Bundt pan and it should be ready to unmold then. The amount of time needed for this step will also depend on the temperature of water you use. So, the best indicator for this step is when the edges of Jello pull away from the Bundt pan.

Use a large plate for unmolding. If you've never unmolded a Jello mold before, this part may be tricky. We've had success by having one person hold the two handles on the Bundt pan and the plate together and the other person hold the bottom of the Bundt pan and flipping the whole thing simultaneously. (1, 2, 3, flip!) We also flipped the whole thing while standing over the sink "just in case."

If you have any melted Jello that makes its way onto your plate, you can easily clean that up with a wet paper towel for presentation purposes. (But remember, Aunt Bethany's jello mold was dripping out of her wrapped package when she arrived, so you don't need to clean it up too much!)

How to Plan a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Themed Party

The Harris Sisters are getting ready for the holidays, and we wanted to bring you an idea for a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Themed Party. We figured if you're going to host a party anyway, why not GO BIG and host a party based on a famous Christmas movie? We have all the details to make your movie-themed Christmas party a success!

Hip, Hip Hooray for Christmas Vacation

Start with an invitation that matches your Christmas Vacation theme. Because people's calendars tend to fill up around the holidays, make sure to send your invitations well in advance of your party date. If you'd like for guests to come dressed as one of the characters from the movie, add "dress in your Griswold best" to the invitations. (That will add to the fun of the party!) Where can you find Griswold-themed Christmas Vacation invitations? Check out Etsy for your best customizable options.

What to Wear to a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Party

Your outfit will most likely be dependent on the character you choose to emulate. And remember that each of the main characters wore several different recognizable outfits throughout the movie, so you'll have your pick of what to wear.

Some costume pieces will be easy to find on Amazon or at Walmart. And other pieces and accessories will need to be hunted down at thrift stores, eBay, or Etsy to keep with the 1980s vintage look of the movie costumes.

Whatever costumes you or your guests choose, make sure to get lots of photos (big group photos, small group photos, individual shots, etc.) Get shots of groups that would have likely gone together in the movie. (Clark and Ellen, Clark and Bethany, Todd and Margo, Rusty and Audrey, as well as groups of Clarks and groups of Eddies - you will likely have more than one of each!)

Audrey and Rusty

Todd and Margo

Aunt Bethany and Clark

Cousin Eddie and Ruby Sue

Here's a list of characters in the movie broken down into a few categories:

Women:

• Ellen
• Nora (Clark's mom)
• Francis (Ellen's mom)
• Cousin Catherine
• Aunt Bethany
• Margo (neighbor)

Men:

• Clark
• Clark, Sr. (Clark's dad)
• Art (Ellen's dad)
• Cousin Eddie
• Uncle Lewis
• Todd (neighbor)

Cousin Eddie X2

Clark X3

Girls:

• Audrey
• Ruby Sue

Boys:

• Rusty
• Rocky

More unique choices (that are less likely to have duplicates):

• Mary (lingerie salesperson)
• Bonus Delivery Guy
• Frank Shirley (boss)
• Mrs. Shirley (boss's wife)
• Police Officers
• Griswold Family Christmas Tree
• Squirrel
• Snots the dog
• Aunt Bethany's Cat

The Squirrel

Frank Shirley and Cousin Eddie

What Music to Play at My Christmas Vacation Themed Party

Before your Griswold party, make a playlist with some of the classic Christmas songs from the movie. Here's a list to get you started:

1. Christmas Vacation - Mavis Staples (opening title sequence and end credits)
2. Hey, Santa Claus - The Moonglows (shopping sequence before Clark meets Mary, the salesgirl)
3. That Spirit of Christmas - Ray Charles (Clark watches old footage of past Christmases while trapped in the attic)
4. Mele Kalikimaka - Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters (Clark daydreams about his pool)
5. Here Comes Santa Claus - Gene Autry (SWAT Team invades the Griswold's house to rescue Mr. Shirley)

Other songs featured in the movie:

1. O Come All Ye Faithful (excerpt) - Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (car ride to tree lot)
2. Deck the Halls (excerpt) - Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (car ride to tree lot)
3. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (excerpt) - Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (car ride to tree lot)
4. Joy to the World (excerpt) - Chevy Chase (Clark plugs in the lights and they don't work)
5. Hallelujah Chorus (excerpt) - (Clark plugs in lights and they DO work)
6. The Star-Spangled Banner - Christmas Vacation cast (Griswolds see the lights of the sewage treatment plant)

The song you'd think would be featured in the movie because it's featured in other Vacation movies (but it's not):

1. Holiday Road - Lindsay Buckingham

Since the movie was based in the 1980's, here's a list of 20 popular Christmas songs of that decade to round out your playlist:

1. Last Christmas - Wham!
2. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Cougar Mellencamp
3. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Johnny Mathis
4. Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC
5. Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton
6. Winter Wonderland - Eurythmics
7. Put a Little Love in Your Heart - Al Green and Annie Lennox
8. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Whitney Houston
9. Thank God It's Christmas - Queen
10. Merry Christmas, Baby - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
11. Christmas in Dixie - Alabama
12. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
13. Santa Baby - Madonna
14. Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby & David Bowie
15. Run Rudolph Run - Bryan Adams
16. Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - U2
17. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer - Elmo and Patsy
18. Silent Night - Stevie Nicks
19. Little Drummer Boy - Bob Seger
20. Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Party Menu

Since this is a themed party, you'll have the most fun planning your party menu with foods that correspond to the movie. We also labeled each item with a scene from the movie and creative titles that sometimes included lines from the movie. (Note: two of our party foods were actually from the original Vacation movie, but we figured since these folks are all related via Cousin Eddie, it all works out in the end.) 

Here's the menu we used for our Christmas Vacation Themed Party:

• Fried Pussycat Salami Sampler
• “Looks Great, Little Full, Lot of Sap” Griswold Family Tree Cheese and Fruit Sampler
• Aunt Edna’s “I’m sorry, we thought you enjoyed” Fruitcake
• Aunt Bethany's Jello Mold
• Cousin Eddie's Ol' Roy Puppy Chow
• Pepper Jelly of the Month Club
• "Late Bonus Delivery Guy" Veggie Wreath
• Sausage and Ham Biscuits Served on a Sled (with Non-Caloric Silicone-Based Kitchen Lubricant)
• Mele Kalikimaka Pineapple Baked Brie
• “Vicky, can I help with that Kool-Aid, please?” Punch
• “Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead” Eggnog

What Party Favors, Costume Prizes, and Gifts Can I Give at My Christmas Vacation Themed Party?

If you'd like to make your own DIY Christmas Vacation gifts to give out as party favors and/or to the guest with the best costume, here are a few ideas for you:

Mr. Shirley L-Shaped Gifts

We do this every year for Daddy and he gets a big kick out of it. For a few bucks and a couple of minutes of your time to wrap it "just so," you can have a gift that matches the gift that Clark gave his boss, Mr. Shirley, in the movie. What the heck do we make these gifts out of and how do we wrap them? We've got a full tutorial here.

How to Wrap Christmas Vacation Themed Presents

Here's another idea for how to wrap Christmas Vacation themed presents. If you're exchanging gifts with everyone at your party, why not label the gifts with photos of the recipient in their costume? If this is an annual party, you can use photos from previous years. Or when you buy your costume pieces, simply try on everything (to make sure it fits) and snap a photo at that time!

Jelly of the Month Club - Jars of Homemade Jelly

If you're the crafty type, in the months leading up to the party you can devote some time to making homemade jellies and jams and labeling them with creative labels. BONUS! If you make pepper jellies, you can also use them as part of your menu for the day of the party. We used the Habanero Pepper Jelly, Pineapple Pepper Jelly, and Ghost Pepper Jelly as a party appetizer with cream cheese and crackers, and gifted the Spiced Christmas Jam to party guests. 

Habanero Pepper Jelly

Here are the recipes:

• Habanero Pepper Jelly - Hotter Than Uncle Lewis' Stogie
• Pineapple Habanero Jelly - Mele Kalikimaka
• Ghost Pepper Jelly - Hotter Than Aunt Bethany's Cat
• Spiced Christmas Jam - Jelly of the Month Club

Spiced Christmas Jam

Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly

Ghost Pepper Jelly

I hope we've inspired you to plan your own Christmas Vacation themed party. For ideas on hosting a vintage-themed Christmas party, make sure to check out How to Plan a Retro 1950s Christmas Party.

The Harris Sisters send you warmest holiday wishes and hopes for a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

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Clue Characters Group Halloween Costume

This year for Halloween, The Harris Sisters are paying homage to one of our favorite board games growing up: Clue. The characters from this game present the perfect opportunity for a group Halloween costume. With six different characters from the board game, we each decided to dress up as two characters to represent the full set. But if you have a larger group, you can divvy up the characters among yourselves.

Can you spot who's who in our sneaky group?

Clue Character Group Halloween Costumes

First off, we have Harris Sister Deanna as Colonel Mustard in the Lounge with the rope. This costume was easy to create with pieces from your closet or Goodwill. It includes a yellow top and pants, a military-style jacket, and tall boots. Top it off with a costume pith helmet and you're all set!

"While rope might not be most people's first choice for defense, with my military and tactical training, I know at least 12 different ways to turn this everyday item into a highly effective weapon."

Next up we have Harris Sister Misty as Mr. Green in the Hall with the lead pipe. The main pieces of this costume are a green vest, cape, and a cravat or an ascot (scarf). Pair those pieces with a pair of black pants and a white button down shirt and you have the main pieces of your costume.

"If need be, I can conceal this pipe in my cape . . . "

Of course, Harris Sister Donna is Professor Plum in the Library with the knife. The main parts of this costume were a 1940's style purple dress and matching purple heels. 

"Choosing a book, or choosing a weapon? Hmmmm . . . . decisions, decisions . . . "

Then there's Harris Sister Deanna as Miss Scarlett in the Ballroom with the candlestick. Of course, no Miss Scarlett costume would be complete without a red evening gown, red gloves, and fascinator. Top off the look with a red wig, and your character is complete. 

"Don't you think the gold candlestick matches my outfit perfectly? Shhh . . . I'll never tell!"

And there's Harris Sister Donna as Mrs. White in the Kitchen with the wrench. Mrs. White's costume is a black vintage style dress with a white maid's apron over top. Complete the look with a black wig and a maid's hairband. 

"Seems like someone already made off with the knife, so this wrench will do nicely!"

And finally, Harris Sister Misty was Mrs. Peacock in the Conservatory with the revolver. Transform yourself into Mrs. Peacock with a bright blue 1940's style dress, a jeweled belt, black gloves, a peacock scarf, and costume jewelry.

"A gal's gotta protect herself."

Clue Themed Halloween Party Decor and Props

If you're throwing a Halloween party and asking guests to dress as the Clue board game characters, make sure to have props for guests to take photos with. Some good options for photo props include vintage Clue board game pieces, "weapons" from the game, martini glasses filled with dice, or life-sized dice. Harris Sister Misty had her husband construct two large cubes from plywood and then painted them white. We then added black felt dots to make them look like a giant pair of dice.

Make sure to check out our costume section of the blog for more tips, tricks, and ideas for this Halloween!

Happy Halloween from The Harris Sisters!