Every December, our family kicks off the holiday season the same way: we settle in, grab some snacks, and watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. There’s something timeless about watching Clark Griswold wrestle with a mountain of tangled lights, staple his sleeve to the house, and then proudly reveal a display so bright it temporarily knocks out the power grid. Even though we’ve watched it dozens of time never fail to make us laugh. It never gets old.
And of course, things never goes smoothly for poor Clark. One moment the lights are on, the next they’re off. Half the bulbs work, half don’t. It’s a masterpiece of festive frustration.
This Cox-Box cartoon was inspired by that very Griswold spirit. In the cartoon, a father and son admire their decorated home—except for the sections of lights that refuse to participate. Dad simply says, “Son, some of the lights aren’t working.” (a line similar to Clark’s Father-in-law) And the son, clearly someone who’s been through CI training, calmly replies:
“I know, Dad, it’s due to random variation.”
That line cracked me up as I drew it—because isn’t that exactly what we wish Clark Griswold knew? Not everything is a catastrophe. Sometimes, a few lights just want to take the night off. That’s normal variation doing what it does.
In Continuous Improvement, understanding variation helps us stay grounded. Not every flicker is a fire drill. Not every hiccup demands a full root cause analysis. Whether it’s a production line, a customer process, or a string of Christmas lights that worked perfectly yesterday, some things naturally drift.
But here’s the magic: once we understand that, we stop overreacting. We stay patient. We find the humour in the chaos—just like my family does each year watching Clark Griswold try to blind his neighbours.
So as you put up your own holiday lights this season, remember: if a few bulbs refuse to shine, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It might just mean you’re having a classic Christmas moment.
And if anyone asks what went wrong?
With your best Clark Griswold smile, just say:
“It’s random variation.”