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Man's 'Christmas Vacation' Homage Has Neighbors Calling 911

“My dad was a big practical joker, so I grew up with that whole kind of sense of humor,” is how Chris Olson explained the dummy.
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By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

A Colorado man’s homage to his favorite Christmas movie gave him the gift of laughter this year.

Chris Olson of Boulder is such a big fan of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” that he thought it would be funny to make a dummy and hang it from his gutter so his wife would think he was falling off the roof a la Chevy Chase in the 1989 holiday classic.

“My dad was a big practical joker,” Olson told Denver station KUSA TV. “So I grew up with that whole kind of sense of humor.”

Olson’s wife figured out his joke way in advance, but he still got the last laugh.

It seems his neighbors thought the dummy was actually Olson clinging to the gutter two stories in the air, according to KTRK TV. And they called for help.

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KDVR TV

First responders quickly arrived to rescue the “man” hanging from the roof.

“I go, ‘Honey, the fire truck’s here! The fire department!’” Olson told KUSA TV. “I go, ‘Oh, and there’s a police officer and paramedics and everything!’ They all arrived. Boulder’s finest were here.”

At first, Olson feared he might be ticketed or ― worse ― told to take down the dummy. 

Luckily, the cops shared his sense of humor and nothing happened to him or his display.

Now Olson is so happy with the effect that he’s thinking of keeping the dummy up until Halloween, according to KTRK.

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Before You Go

Most Over-The-Top Christmas Trees Of 2017
Coronado, California(01 of22)
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An upside down Christmas tree is shown on display in the lobby of the Hotel Del in Coronado, California, U.S. (credit:Mike Blake / Reuters)
New York, New York(02 of22)
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People sing carols in the Macy's Singing Christmas Tree on Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan, New York, U.S. (credit:Andrew Kelly / Reuters)
Washington, D.C.(03 of22)
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U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are silhouetted against the tree as they depart after participating in the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony near the White House in Washington, D.C. (credit:Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)
Managua, Nicaragua(04 of22)
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A giant Christmas tree stands in Juan Pablo II square in Managua, Nicaragua. (credit:Oswaldo Rivas / Reuters)
Sao Paulo, Brazil(05 of22)
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A family takes a sefie during the launch of the Ibirapuera Park Christmas tree in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. (credit:Nacho Doce / Reuters)
Ardingly, England(06 of22)
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Britain's tallest living Christmas tree, a 110-foot giant redwood at Wakehurst in Ardingly, West Sussex. (credit:Steve Parsons - PA Images via Getty Images)
London, England(07 of22)
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The lights on the Christmas tree are turned on during the traditional ceremony in Trafalgar Square in London. The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is the city of Oslo's traditional Christmas gift to the City of Westminster as a token of thanks for British support during the years of occupation. (credit:Rick Findler - PA Images via Getty Images)
London, England(08 of22)
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Stage designer Es Devlin poses beside a Christmas Tree in the entrance to the Victoria and Albert museum in London, England. The tree consists of a "cloud of floating words" that have been contributed by visitors. (credit:Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)
Nice, France(09 of22)
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An illuminated Christmas tree and fountains are seen in Nice, France, on Dec. 3, 2017. (credit:Eric Gaillard / Reuters)
Paris, France(10 of22)
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A giant Christmas tree stands in the Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris, France. (credit:Gonzalo Fuentes / Reuters)
Rome, Italy(11 of22)
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A Christmas tree stands at the Spanish Steps in central Rome. (credit:FILIPPO MONTEFORTE via Getty Images)
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland(12 of22)
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Tourists pose with a Swiss flag next to a Christmas tree and with the Eiger North Face at the Jungfraujoch, a viewing point that sits at an altitude of 3454 meters. It is only accessible by taking a cogwheel train to the highest train station in Europe. (credit:Denis Balibouse / Reuters)
Dortmund, Germany(13 of22)
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A giant Christmas tree sits in the middle of a Christmas market in Dortmund, Germany. (credit:Leon Kuegeler / Reuters)
Madrid, Spain(14 of22)
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A huge Spanish flag flutters beside a Christopher Columbus statue and a giant Christmas tree in Madrid, Spain. (credit:Sergio Perez / Reuters)
Lisbon, Portugal(15 of22)
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A woman takes a picture inside a Christmas tree at Comercio square in Lisbon, Portugal. (credit:Rafael Marchante / Reuters)
Athens, Greece(16 of22)
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People attend a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at central Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece. (credit:Costas Baltas / Reuters)
Rakvere, Estonia(17 of22)
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This unusual Christmas tree was designed by local artist Teet Suur and made from wood. (credit:NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Vilnius, Lithuania(18 of22)
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A stunning Christmas tree in Vilnius, Lithuania. (credit:Ints Kalnins / Reuters)
Beirut, Lebanon(19 of22)
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Workers decorate a Christmas tree in front of the Al-Amin mosque in Beirut, Lebanon. (credit:Jamal Saidi / Reuters)
Zgharta, Lebanon(20 of22)
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People gather under a Christmas tree, marking the beginning of the Christmas season in Zgharta city, north Lebanon. (credit:Omar Ibrahim / Reuters)
Shanghai, China(21 of22)
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A 22-meter Christmas tree with golden LEDs sits in the Qibao Ancient Town in Shanghai, China. (credit:VCG via Getty Images)
Manila, Philippines(22 of22)
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Parkgoers walk past a 15-foot Christmas tree made of 15,000 recycled plastic bottles at the Manila Ocean Park in Manila, Philippines. (credit:Romeo Ranoco / Reuters)
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