Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone Turns 35: Revisit the Holiday Classic

Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone Turns 35

Home Alone celebrates its 35th anniversary, highlighting its enduring impact and box office success along with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights. The film transformed Macaulay Culkin, who was just 10 years old at the time, into a holiday icon on November 16, 1990.

A Holiday Classic

As Kevin McCallister, a boy accidentally left behind by his family during Christmas, Culkin brilliantly outsmarts two clumsy burglars known as the Wet Bandits. His creative traps, including one involving broken tree ornaments, showcased a cartoonish yet clever defense of his lavish suburban Chicago home.

Lasting Legacy

Directed by Chris Columbus, the “family comedy without the family” continues to air every winter, securing its place as a seasonal favorite. It draws comparisons to timeless holiday films like Miracle on 34th Street and March of the Wooden Soldiers.

“I think it helps fill that holiday movie hold that is calling back to Miracle on 34th Street or March of the Wooden Soldiers,” said Michael C., Kevin's older brother. “Maybe those things you watch as a family that helps parents, in that way, get their kids’ hopes up for some sort of excellent ninja, defend-my-house holiday [experience].”

Author's Summary

Home Alone endures as a beloved holiday classic, blending humor and heart through a clever young hero who defends his home, inspiring family traditions for over three decades.

Us Weekly — 2025-11-03