YESTERDAY was the 25th October, which inevitably led to people everywhere pointing out that it was exactly two months to Christmas Day.
This also means that it's about the time of year when our television screens are overwhelmed with Christmas ad after Christmas ad after Christmas ad, as advertising companies get their festive thinking caps on and provide us with heartwarming and tinsel-tinged storylines to ultimately entice us to buy their product for our loved one this Christmas. Sure what harm?
There have been many memorable ads over the years, some funny, some tear-jerking, and some just downright over the top. Here's a list of some of our personal favorites.
The Coca-Cola Christmas Trucks
There's only one place we could start, and of course it's with the iconic chants of "holidays are coming, holidays are coming" coupled with the unforgettable image of the Coca-Cola truck covered in fairy lights. We all dreamed of seeing that truck pull up outside our house one day!
Guinness - They Dream Of A White One
We all know Guinness make a good ad, but this one stands out above the rest. The sound of the church bells ringing out as the clock strikes twelve, the shot of a snow-covered Molly Malone statue, and the closing image of St James Gate with the famous line "even at the home of the black stuff, they dream of a white one". Class.
John Lewis - The Bear and the Hare
John Lewis has turned their Christmas adverts into a fine art, consistently trying to outdo themselves year after year. There's many to choose from, but I think we can all agree 2013's story of the bear and the hare really tugged at the heartstrings. The soundtrack of Lily Allen covering Keane's hit 'Somewhere Only We Know' was the perfect match for the narrative too.
Kellog's Corn Flakes - Waiting For Santa
"Sssssshhh": An Irish childhood favorite. First aired in 1990, it remains a classic to this day.
How cute was that little girl though? Well, this is her now.
Via Imgur.I bet you feel really old right now, don't you?
An Post - Walking In The Air (The Snowman)
All together now, "We're walking in the air!".
Budweiser - Holiday Greetings
We're throwing it way back to 1987 with this one. You gotta give it to Budweiser, they were the originals when it comes to capturing the feeling of Christmas in an advert. How smooth is the narrator's voice? And those horses? Can't it be Christmas already?
Denny - He's A Very Good Santa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdA8CRQuqw4
From 1987 to 2014, here is a recent classic from an Irish company. Denny did a great job of capturing the atmosphere of Christmas morning with this one. Look at the amount of stuff she got. He really is a very good Santa! Those sausages too. Mmmmmmm.
ESB - Going Home
We're bringing it back to the 80's again. Can you recognize the song in the background? Good old Dusty Springfield on a Christmas ad. What more could you want?
The Late Late Toy Show
What says Christmas is coming in Ireland better than the Late Late Toy Show? Well, it's on the horizon, and we're looking forward to the ad in the lead up to the event almost as much as the show itself. With over 80,000 applicants in two days for this year's show, it's only getting bigger and better.
Barry's Tea - There's Something About Christmas
Now, we're aware this isn't a television ad, but this radio advert for Barry's Tea, voiced by the late actor Peter Caffrey, is too good not to include here. Just close your eyes, and listen to Peter describe the wonder of Christmas, as a child and as a grown man with children of his own. Bravo Barry's Tea, you make Christmas ads as good as you make tea.
