Revisiting a 90s Christmas Classic That Unites a Famous Ukrainian Song, a Trump Cameo, and Kevin McAllister's Ingenuity

The Christmas season of "eating junk and watching rubbish"—in the words of legendary Kevin McAllister himself—is officially upon us. As we get ready to dig into the Christmas Turkey and put on our comfortable trousers, we can’t help but remember what is perhaps the most iconic Christmas movie franchise of all time: the Home Alone series. While serving as a poignant reminder for parents to not leave their kids behind during the festive season, it also provides millions of viewers with 90s nostalgia that few other Christmas movies can provide. And it gives us an excellent opportunity to talk about a famous Ukrainian song, a Donald Trump cameo, and Kevin McAllister’s skills in making booby traps—all at once. All three have a shared role in creating some of the most iconic scenes in this Christmas classic: Home Alone 2.

"Down the hall and to the left"

Long before the days of The Apprentice, Donald Trump owned a hotel on 768 5th Avenue, New York, NY, USA, known as The Plaza. This hotel appeared in Home Alone 2, starring Macaulay Culkin as 8-year-old Kevin McCallister. In the film, Kevin McCallister embarks on a new journey, accidentally boarding the wrong plane and ending up in New York City while his family flies to Florida for Christmas. Armed with his father's credit card, Kevin navigates the city, outwits the same bumbling burglars, Harry and Marv, and helps stop them from robbing a toy store. While on his escapades, Kevin stays at New York’s most iconic hotel, The Plaza. 

And who makes an appearance in the movie? The owner, who would later become America’s 45th and 47th President, himself. As Kevin McCallister enters the hotel, there’s a brief scene where he encounters Donald Trump. Kevin asks Trump for directions to the lobby, and Trump responds by pointing him in the right direction, saying, "Down the hall and to the left." This scene has become a major pop-culture moment, remembered by millions across the internet each Christmas season.

Run, Kevin, run

As the film progresses, things start to go wrong for Kevin, who wanders through the city streets, feeling lost and missing his family on Christmas. Suddenly, he stops midstep and remembers Mr. Duncan, the toy store clerk, who is donating all of the Christmas proceeds to the Children’s Hospital. He then remembers overhearing the voices of the two bandits plotting to rob the store that night. Struck by the Christmas Spirit, the slow crescendo of Shchedryk by Mykola Leontovych, otherwise known as Carol of the Bells, begins to play. “You can mess with many things,” he says, “but you can’t mess with kids on Christmas.” The melody follows him as he runs down New York’s streets to the decrepit home of the burglars to begin laying a series of booby traps—another iconic scene.

But now that we have your attention, we’d love to tell you a bit more about the song itself. The classic Christmas song was originally composed in 1914 by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. It was titled Shchedryk and was based on a folk song celebrating the New Year. The lyrics of the original song are actually not about Christmas at all but rather a swallow, bringing a message of prosperity and the end of winter. Leontovych composed the song in his hometown of Pokrovsk, Ukraine, which today serves as a strategic hub in Ukraine's defense against Russian advances in the Donetsk region. In 1914, however, Pokrovsk was a quiet rail town, where Leontovych worked as a local choirmaster. At the time, the Russian Empire was big on suppressing Ukrainian language and identity, while Europe was engulfed in the turmoil of World War I. By 1919, Shchedryk had gained fame far beyond Pokrovsk, reaching international stages like Carnegie Hall in New York City—which was a big moment for Ukrainian culture at a time wen it was supressed.

The song gained international fame when Peter J. Wilhousky adapted it with English lyrics in 1936, turning it into a Christmas classic. The song’s urgent, repetitive rhythms and dramatic crescendos evoke a sense of both wonder and suspense, making it a staple in holiday soundtracks, films, and performances worldwide. Some would say that the song itself embodies the spirit of the Christmas holidays all across the world. 

Okay, it’s also in Home Alone

As it turns out, the Home Alone series is actually a HUGE fan of Shchedryk. Not only does the song play in the sequel, but it also plays in the original film as well. The two movies share a similar plot—Kevin McAllister is left behind by his family over Christmas and is forced to fend for himself at his family home in Winnetka, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. This time, Kevin must protect his home against the same two burglars, Harry and Marv. 

Enter, once again, Carol of the Bells. As Kevin runs home from church to prepare his house against the burglars, the urgent rhythm of the song matches montages of Kevin laying an elaborate series of booby traps throughout the home, from rigging trip wires to heating doorknobs. Leontovych’s composition, while probably not what the composer originally imagined it being used for, helps build suspense as viewers watch 8-year-old Kevin McAllister transform from a scared child to a confident defender of his home. 

A few more movies

Carol of the Bells has been featured across Hollywood in some of its biggest Christmas-related blockbusters. It featured in The Santa Clause (1994), starring Tim Allen as a man who unexpectedly becomes Santa, as well as the animated classic Claymation Christmas (1987). Other notable appearances include The Muppets (2009) and the romantic comedy-drama The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), starring Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges. More modern uses of the song include the supernatural thriller Whisper (2007), starring Josh Holloway, Doctor Who (2023), and The Umbrella Academy (2024). An entire Ukrainian film, Shchedryk (2022), centers around the song in a moving World War II-era story.

While everyone has their own favorite feel-good Christmas movie, the Home Alone franchise undoubtedly has secured its place at the top of most lists. From iconic music, to timeless cameo’s and slapstick humor, its a film certainly worth revisiting this Christmas.