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In the movie Home Alone (1990), the McCallister family is followed on their planned trip to Paris and subsequent mistake of leaving one child behind.

The McCallister home and surrounding neighborhood are also the target of career burglars who have marked the home as the best one. This suggests that the McCallister family is very wealthy, but there other things that suggest this as well including:

  • A large home in one of Chicago's most expensive suburbs (the real home is valued around $2.4 million in today's money).
  • A vacation including extended family (15 people IIRC) to Paris, France.
  • Chauffeur service (vans) to and from the airport.
  • Fine clothes and jewelry (remember the scene of Kate offering cash, checks, and jewels for a plane ticket home).

However, it is never mentioned, even slightly in passing, what Peter and Kate McCallister's professions are. The only hint we get is that maybe Kate is a fashion designer due to the mannequins in the home.

Is there any official evidence of what their line of work was, perhaps in a companion novel, interviews with the cast, writers, or director?

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    It is simply immaterial to the story, so not mentioned.
    – Greendrake
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 20:41
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    The vacation was a gift from Kate's brother in law as I recall.
    – Paulie_D
    Commented Dec 21, 2023 at 20:50
  • He’s a mobster. There are a lot of pages in the internet explaining the signs…
    – Holger
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 9:02
  • @Holger - fanfic is fun but I've seen nothing definitive.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 10:53
  • Chauffeured vans really aren't all that expensive (at least in the States). One company I worked for would send a limo to the airport to pick people up & bring them to our office because it was actually cheaper than having them take a taxi...
    – FreeMan
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 18:49

1 Answer 1

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The mom is a fashion designer

Back in the McCallister house, Kevin's mother Kate was in her bedroom, talking on the phone to her office while she packed a suitcase. With her dark wavy hair, black business suit, and glittering jewelry, she looked like a character from Dynasty. But then, she was a clothes designer and worked in the fashion business.

Home Alone - Official Novelisation

The dad works in "an office". No further info is provided.

In the middle of this, Kevin's father Peter stepped out of the bathroom. He was a handsome man. with short black hair. He'd just come home from the office, and was still wearing his business shirt and tie.

For the record, Kevin's parents didn't pay for the trip to Paris.

"So as a Christmas present," Kate continued, "my husband's brother gave us a trip to Paris so we can all be together for the holidays. Anyway we're leaving for Paris in the morning..."

It's certainly plausible that the taxis and other travel expenses were also included.

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    @AJ - Yeah, that comment (and one about him being a stock trader) are examples of citogenesis. Endlessly repeated, but without substance.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 7:45
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    Taxes alone make it expensive
    – Jason P Sallinger
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 15:33
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    @Valorum Incorrect. You pay property tax and homeowners insurance in perpetuity, regardless of whether the house is paid for.
    – Jason P Sallinger
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 15:55
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    @JasonPSallinger - I was referring to the airplane tickets. That being said, you're not wrong. The simple upkeep of a house that large would run to tens of thousands of dollars a year or more, but if the house was owned outright, that wouldn't typically be more than the same cost as paying rent on a smaller property.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 16:00
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    @FreeMan - That seems to be a constant theme. They're comfortable, but not well off. Small financial shocks like the $122 pizza or Kevin's $1000 hotel room-service bill tend to throw them for a loop
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 22, 2023 at 19:07

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