Christmas movie - "Kevin alone at home": This is how much money the McCallister family should have
Just in time for primetime on Christmas Eve, Kevin once again single-handedly stops the two crooks who try to break into his family home. Since it was first broadcast in 1990, "Kevin Alone at Home" has been one of Germany's most popular Christmas films. Every year, many fans ask themselves: how much money do the McCallisters have to live in a mansion like this with five children? TheNew York Times asked the US central bank, the Federal Reserve.
Kevin's family is among the richest one percent
The house provides information about the family's income. The villa that was used for the exterior shots in the movie actually exists. It is located in the upscale Chicago suburb of Winnetka at 671 Lincoln Avenue. According to the real estate website"Realtor.com", the residential area is one of the most expensive in the United States. The median price of a property there is 1.6 million US dollars.
According to economists from the US Federal Reserve, the McCallisters would have to be among the richest one percent for such a property - both in 1990 and today. In addition to the expensive neighborhood, the two-story villa offers plenty of space. At least five children, as well as numerous visitors, seem to fit in easily before the family's trip to Paris.
The economists based their calculations for the NYT on data such as household income, taxes, mortgages and insurance. They calculated that the family would have to have earned at least 305,000 US dollars (around 277,000 euros) a year to be able to afford such a house. With the data from 2022, the minimum income would have to be almost twice as high: 665,000 US dollars (around 603,000 euros).
How does the family in "Kevin Alone at Home" get so much money?
How the family of seven can afford this is not really explained in the movie. In the books by author Todd Strasser, on which the films are based, mom Kate is a fashion designer. This is where the mannequins that Kevin uses to make the two crooks believe they have a full house come from. Dad Peter is a businessman with no further definition. Asked by the "New York Times" for clarification, Strasser says the family was "upper middle class" for him: "I don't know how much the McCallisters made, but it was certainly a lot for my bank account".
Source:Realtor,"New York Times"
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- If you're planning a holiday movie marathon this Saint's Eve, consider watching "Kevin Alone at Home" again, as it's a beloved US Christmas movie.
- The Federal Reserve System estimated that the McCallister family, from the classic Christmas movie, would need around 665,000 US dollars a year to live in their luxurious Winnetka mansion, which is notably more expensive than the median property price there in 1990 (1.6 million US dollars).
- After watching "Kevin Alone at Home" on Saint's Eve, you might want to spend some of your US dollars on tickets to see the latest blockbuster movie or maybe even head to an upscale restaurant in Winnetka, Illinois, to celebrate the season in style like the McCallisters.
Source: www.stern.de
