While we may hold our old-timey holiday traditions close to our hearts — singing vaguely-creepy carols, hiding a pickle ornament in our tree, and drinking a little too much eggnog at the function like our mom and grandmother before us — there are some celebrations we're glad stayed in the past. Enter the canned-meat-fueled, somewhat sexist holiday pastimes seen in old-school seasonal advertisements.
From glizzy-lined Christmas trees to Santa's cigarette of choice, here are 11 weird holiday ads that seem unbelievable now.
1
"Underwood Deviled Ham with recipe, 1960.”
Tis the season to be jolly ... and serve canned ham with whipped topping.
2
“Daisy Guns Christmas Ads 1960 and 1970”
“You’ll shoot your eye out!”
3
“‘Hot Idea! HOT Dr Pepper’, Dr Pepper Company, 1969
There’s a reason we’re still sipping hot cocoa and cider 55 years later
4
“Your Tree...A Symbol of Joy, or a BLAZING DEATH TORCH? National Board of Fire Underwriters, 1948.”
This ad — or should we say seasonal PSA — takes “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” to new, hazardous heights.
5
“Oscar Mayer Holiday Hostess Tree (1961)”
Deck the halls with boughs of glizzys?
6
The Puppets of Christmas Past
Though we may miss a lot of things from the ‘70s, we’re glad we don't have to find these under the tree come Christmas morning.
7
Virginia Slims
Nothing says “Happy Holidays” quite like making your family dog reek of cigarette smoke.
8
“Christmas Morning She'll be Happier With a Hoover”
… No, she won’t.
9
Camel/Prince Albert Cigarettes
Why leave cookies and milk out for Santa Claus when you could just throw him a whole carton of smokes?
10
Cossack Vodka Ad
We hope to never get that sloppy at our company holiday parties.
11
“’This Christmas give the gift of words’, Merriam-Webster, 1959”
We sure hope the “gift of words” comes with a receipt.
12
“Beer and lobster for Christmas -- Budweiser [1938]”
Make the yuletide gay with a bad DIY surf-and-turf.
![“Beer and lobster for Christmas -- Budweiser [1938]”](https://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/2024/12/18/030127/87649100/Screenshot 2024-12-18 at 2.59.03 PM.jpg)
