30 Secret Details & Hidden Messages In 'Home Alone'

If you spend Christmas indoors or at home, there's a good chance you'll be watching some Christmas movies. If one of those movies is 'Home Alone,' then check out these hidden messages and secret details you probably missed the first, second, and hundredth time you watched it.

The thing is, 'Home Alone' is a staple... a classic. So if you're going to be home either 'alone' or with friends and family, there is no better film to watch to bring some Christmas spirit into your house and to introduce your children to the legend that is Kevin McCallister.

The thing about classic movies like 'Home Alone' is that back in the good old days, filmmakers loved to fill their films with secret messages and little Easter eggs for eagle-eyed viewers to discover.

Below are 30 of these hidden gems that, despite watching this movie every Christmas since you were a kid, you might have missed.

"In 'Home Alone,' Buzz's girlfriend is actually a boy in a wig. The director thought the joke would be too cruel for a real girl."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), Old Man Marley has a wound on his hand when he meets with Kevin in the church, revealing himself to be a sweet, gentle man. His wound only has a band-aid; when he reunites with his son, wife, and child, his wound is healed, symbolizing that old wounds can heal."

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"Donald Trump appeared in 'Home Alone 2' (1992) because he owned the Plaza where they wanted to film and only allowed them to shoot there if he could be in it."

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"Ever wonder what happened to Kevin's plane ticket in 'Home Alone'?"

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"The pizza place in 'Home Alone' is called Little Nero's Pizza, and their slogan is 'No Fiddlin' Around.' Since the legend is that Nero fiddled while Rome was burning, the slogan cleverly implies, 'We won't burn your pizza.'"

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"In 'Home Alone 2' (1992), Fuller is seen wearing the same coat that Kevin wore throughout the first 'Home Alone' (1990), implying that Kevin outgrew the coat and gave it to Fuller as a hand-me-down."

NotSoEvilCaviezel

"I’ve seen 'Home Alone' countless times, and only tonight did I notice that Joe Pesci’s character is wearing a gun-shaped tie clip at the beginning."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), Old Man Marley is scored using the ancient 'Dies Irae' melody, referencing a coming death. After Kevin talks to him, the choir begins singing the 'Carol of the Bells,' which uses the same melody notes, showing that we, the audience, have misjudged the old man in the same way Kevin has."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), when they counted the people for the trip, they said there were 17 people in total. An odd number between two vans means they will be split 8/9. Since Kevin was missing, both vans had 8 people instead, making each group assume they were on the 8-person van, not suspecting a thing."

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"In 'Home Alone,' the airport gate agent is specifically shown counting family members. Since Kevin is in the attic and his ticket is in the trash, the number of passengers indeed matches the number of plane tickets."

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"In 'Home Alone,' the gangster movie 'Angels with Filthy Souls,' featuring the infamous line 'Keep the change, ya filthy animal,' was created solely for 'Home Alone' and does not exist in reality. It was based on a gangster movie of a similar title, 'Angels with Dirty Faces.'"

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), Marv is wearing fake feet."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), not only did Kevin wake up to an empty house on Christmas Day, but he also probably realized that Santa isn't real. The milk and cookies he left out weren't consumed."

11 months ago

"In 'Home Alone' (1990), the McCallister family did indeed have a dog, explaining the doggie door in the kitchen used later in the movie. (Quote appears at approximately 2 minutes and 22 seconds)."

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"In 'Home Alone 2' (1992), when we first see Kevin at the Rockefeller Center tree, the camera pans up to show it in its entirety. Every light on the building behind the tree is off except for two. The lights that are on, combined with the star on top of the tree, mirror the Hughes Entertainment logo."

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"In 'The Christmas Chronicles 2' (2020), there's a lady who desperately needs a flight back to Chicago around Christmas 1990, which is a homage to 'Home Alone' (1990), featuring a scene where Kate McCallister is trying to do the exact same thing."

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"At the beginning of 'Home Alone' (1990), Kevin’s dad tells him to pick up his Micro Machines because 'Aunt Leslie almost broke her neck.' Kevin remembers this and includes it as a trap for the Wet Bandits."

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"You never learn the name of the pigeon lady in 'Home Alone 2.'"

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"In 'Home Alone 2,' Harry still has the burn mark on his hand from the first movie."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), the McCallister family watches a French version of 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946) while in Paris. In this film, George Bailey experiences an alternate reality when he wishes he was never born, similarly to Kevin when he wishes his family away."

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"In 'Home Alone,' Harry is married! When the tarantula lands on him towards the end of the movie, a wedding ring is clearly visible on his left hand."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), there is a running joke that everyone hits the statue in front of the house with their car. It's acknowledged three times: twice by the pizza boy and once by the airport shuttle. However, there is also a less obvious instance: the police officer that is sent to check on Kevin."

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"In every scene of 'Home Alone,' the colors red and green are prevalent."

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"In 'Home Alone' (1990), Marv has a collection of stolen snow globes from each house he robs. He can be seen adding to it in one scene."

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"In 'Home Alone,' Old Man Marley's injury resembles the kind of injury a crucified person would have, symbolizing (from a Christian perspective) false judgment and being misunderstood."

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"Kevin's Uncle Rob and Aunt Georgette, who own the New York townhouse in 'Home Alone 2,' only appear on screen for a couple of seconds in the first movie (and not at all in the second)... Also, they're wealthy."

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"In 'Home Alone 2,' Marv thinks he's caught Kevin because it's his hat from the first film!"

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"In this scene from 'Home Alone' (1990), both Macaulay Culkin and the van were going backward, and the scene was played back in reverse. This can be seen by the smoke on the right going towards the van rather than away from it."

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"'Home Alone' (1990) and 'Adventures in Babysitting' (1987) both feature a lawn jockey getting hit by a car/truck; both are directed by Chris Columbus."

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