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Friday Find: SNL Holiday Sketches

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SNL's seasonal sketches are some of my favorites and there's no shortage of them to choose from. During this crazy time of year, let's take a minute to enjoy some of my favorites. What are yours?

[Obligatory warning that these sketches air on late night TV, so proceed with caution re: subject matter and/or possible language.]

The quality of this video is terrible, but Mark Jensen Family Christmas has forever ruined/bettered It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year for me. My husband and I crack up every time we hear it because, well, watch. 

This holiday twist on a repeat Justin Timberlake sketch is a fun one:

Peach candle? We've all been the peach candle.

Glengarry Glen Christmas: what's better, the sketch itself or the actors breaking? Doesn't matter. (You call yourself an elf, you sonofabitch?)

There is the Emmy nominated (Do It On My) Twin Bed:

And of course, perhaps the best holiday sketch of all: Pete Schweddy and his delicious balls.

Merry everything!

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Marketing Monday: Merry Kissmas

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In the most recent Friday Find I shared one of my favorite holiday treats. (The non-edible kind. For the edible kind I might need to start a whole new year-round blog. Have you heard of these things called pigs-in-a-blanket?) (Pigs-in-blankets?) Today I'm talking about another favorite holiday treat that also happens to be a marketing spot. And it's food!

Surely most of us are familiar with it: The simplicity that is the genius of turning a classic thing into something it's not, and setting it to music. 

I remember when this ad first came out in 1989, and how fun and different I thought it was, even as a kid. I was captivated. I've enjoyed seeing it every year since, but I otherwise knew nothing about it until I stumbled across this case study that gives a bit of the background and nails what the ad means for me:

"With each passing year, the ad triggers feelings of nostalgia—you can remember when you first saw it, and associate memories of holidays past, making it a tradition in itself.

What may be most impressive, though, is how in just 16 seconds' time, Hershey's somehow gets you into the holiday spirit—and makes you think about grabbing a bag of chocolate Kisses—without saying a single word out loud."

I'm clearly not alone in my nostalgia: 

That's some truly timeless marketing. What's more impressive, possibly, is that the ad only came to be because a marketing exec took a risk and did something he wasn't supposed to do. Check out the Hershey's Archives' story on how the ad came to be. That gamble paid off, and it's now Hershey's longest running commercial to date. It's even inspired tributes (some might say knock-offs).

Bonus #1: It also led me down a rabbit hole of 80s TV commercial nostalgia. Do you remember any of these? I do!

Bonus #2: It also reminded me of these 'give a kiss' ornaments that were all the rage in the 80s. Squeeze their cheeks and Hershey's kiss was waiting for you inside. We had one on our tree growing up, and I want to say it was green. Maybe it was a frog? I don't remember. But man, nostalgia sure will do it every time.

Picture from Pinterest.

Picture from Pinterest.

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Friday Find: Yeah, Come Ovah

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I often take a bit of a break after my big gift guide goes live in early November. And I did! Then I wrote another gift guide, for rowers! In between, I was busy working, living, and training for my very first real regatta. I could not have asked for a better first regatta, and not just because I brought home silver and gold. The weather was perfect, spirits were high, everything ran smoothly, WE HIT NO TRAFFIC DRIVING TO OR FROM L.A.

Needless to say, I'm still riding that high. 

Let's keep it going by dipping our toes back in with the Friday Find! Specifically, a holiday Friday Find. Please enjoy one of my favorite videos. There is one small moment of language so maybe don't watch it at work, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It is now ten years old, and every year I watch it a line hits me a different way. It reminds me of Boston and so many wonderful things I love about it.

If it says tree on it, that means it's decorations. It needs to come down.

Make it nice around the tree! 

Awwiiiight! Lookit the tree!

Go turn on the tree!

Who wants Bailey's?

Bye tree! It's cold.