The Home Alone Mystery Everyone Desperately Wanted to Know Is Finally Out

For decades, fans of Home Alone have been haunted by one burning question: how on earth did the McCallisters afford that jaw-dropping Chicago mansion? The sprawling home, filled with Christmas magic, has long been a source of envy and mystery. Finally, director Chris Columbus has spilled the beans.

Chris Columbus revealed the truth during an interview, clearing up years of speculation. “Back then, John [Hughes] and I talked about it,” he explained, “and we decided on what the jobs were.”

So, what were the McCallisters’ secret jobs? If you’ve got an eye for detail, you might have picked up on a subtle clue hidden in the movie. Remember the mannequins Kevin used to scare off the bumbling burglars, Harry and Marv? According to Columbus, those mannequins were no coincidence. Catherine O’Hara’s character, Kate McCallister, was actually “was a very successful fashion designer”. That explains her keen eye for style — and the fancy house.

But what about Peter McCallister, played by John Heard? Well, here’s where things get a little murky. Columbus admitted that Peter’s job wasn’t as clearly defined. “The father could have, based on John Hughes own experience, worked in advertising,” he noted, “but I don’t remember what the father did.” But one thing’s for sure: he wasn’t involved in organized crime. “Not organized crime,” Columbus added, “even though there was, at the time, a lot of organized crime in Chicago.”

With this long-standing mystery solved, fans can finally rest easy. And if you’re feeling nostalgic, now’s the perfect time to take a look how our favourite actors look like today.

What the actors look like now.

• Marvin Merchants played by Daniel Stern

• Kevin McCallister played by Macaulay Culkin

• Kate McCallister played by Catherine O’Hara

• Buzz McCallister played by Devin Ratray

• Mr. Hector, the Plaza concierge, played by Tim Curry

• Harry Lime, the burglar, played by Joe Pesci

• Fuller, played by Kieran Culkin

When we think of Christmas, Home Alone often takes center stage—but this year, Ryan Reynolds has turned the holiday buzz in a new direction. He made holiday headlines with his iconic ugly Christmas sweater. But this year, the sweater isn’t the only surprise — Reynolds just dropped a video featuring a totally unexpected guest.