Now that we’re through with the holiday season preliminaries of Halloween and Thanksgiving, the Christmas advertising season is running full tilt. From now until after New Years Day, you’ll be hard-pressed to see a television advertisement that doesn’t feature jingling bells, huge red bows, and snippets of seasonally appropriate songs. Some are new, but some return like old friends, long lost relatives that pop in for the holidays.
Since 1989, the Hershey company has been running an adorable holiday commercial featuring the iconic Hershey kisses arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree and performing a hand bell arrangement of We Wish You A Merry Christmas. I remember the first time I saw it. I was enthralled. What a cute and clever way to advertise the wee bits of foil-wrapped mass produced what-passes-in-these-parts-for-chocolate treats. It’s one of those commercials you look forward to seeing every Christmas season, where conversation stops while everyone in the room listens, faces shining with nostalgic smiles.
But then…(you knew there was a but then, didn’t you?) last year K-Mart rolled out a new holiday commercial which, at least in my personal Top Ten List of Holiday Commercials, has completely eclipsed anything Hershey, or anyone else for that matter, ever considered putting out on the airwaves.
Ladies, I imagine you know what I’m talking about (gentlemen, just chat amongst yourselves). Perhaps they were simply attempting to shake the negative image earned in part by a sentiment oft-repeated in the movie Rainman, namely that “K-Mart sucks.” I don’t know, I don’t care. Just know that I am ever thankful to the marketing geniuses at K-Mart for this little gem of advertising. Here, take my money.
Merry Christmas, girls.
Adventures in Date Night 
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