Home Alone is usually the first Christmas movie I watch each year. My family used to have the tradition of watching the film on Thanksgiving night.

It's a fun movie filled with some crazy antics, but is it legal?

Now I know the McCallisters didn't mean to leave Kevin home alone, but they did and I've often wondered if they could get into any legal trouble for their oversight.

Home Alone takes place in a suburb of Chicago, so let's start there.

Obviously, there is no federal legal minimum age for leaving kids home alone, the decision is made by each state.

Illinois does in fact have an age minimum, which is 14.

According to the Illinois Department of Child Services:

Illinois law defines a neglected minor, in part, as “any minor under the age of 14 years whose parent or other person responsible for the minor’s welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety or welfare of that minor.”

This is bad news for the McCallisters because Kevin is only 8 years old during the first movie.

By the looks of their house, they look like they could've afforded an excellent lawyer so who knows if they would've seen any jail time or other repercussions.

Now, but what about New Jersey?

What is the legal minimum age for a child to be left home alone in New Jersey?

I was shocked when I saw that New Jersey doesn't have a law specifying a minimum age.

New Jersey is not just the Garden State, but the Litigious State, we have laws and regulations for everything.

NJ Family cites the National SAFE Kids Campaign, "As a guideline, the National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends no child under age 12 be left home alone."

The overall suggestion is to use your best judgment. No one knows your kids like you do, so you know best.