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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 video was uploaded from an Android phone.

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

Jimmy Fallon is nominated for a 2014 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series! Subscribe to SaturdayNightLive: http://j.mp/1bjU39d Cold Openings: http://j.mp/1abJXTq SEASON 39: http://j.mp/1jwGwz6 Holiday Sketches: http://j.mp/1jwGt6v Dueling gift wrapping companies take their marketing to the streets (ft. Jimmy Fallon). Aired 12/21/13

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

There's another Christmas savior besides Jesus Christ. Get more SNL: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live Full Episodes: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-liv... Like SNL: https://www.facebook.com/snl Follow SNL: https://twitter.com/nbcsnl SNL Tumblr: http://nbcsnl.tumblr.com/ SNL Instagram: http://instagram.com/nbcsnl SNL Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nbcsnl/ Get more SNL on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/saturday-night-live

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

Check out Seth Meyers on Late Night: http://bit.ly/LateNightSeth Subscribe to SaturdayNightLive: http://j.mp/1bjU39d Classic Clips: http://j.mp/18Yh8Ya SEASON 31: http://j.mp/17XRUYN Movie Parodies: http://j.mp/14QthNU Holiday Sketches: http://j.mp/14Kxsjm It takes brass balls to be one of Santa's elves. Aired 12/10/05

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

(Do It On My) Twin Bed is nominated for a 2014 Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Directed by Matt & Oz. Get more SNL on Hulu Plus: http://www.hulu.com/saturday-night-live Get more SNL: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live Full Episodes: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-liv...

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

Subscribe to SaturdayNightLive: http://j.mp/1bjU39d SEASON 24: http://j.mp/1b7QvGo Holiday Sketches: http://j.mp/14Kxsjm Talk Shows: http://j.mp/18UKNmm Popular Clips: http://j.mp/1ep0JV7 These gals can't wait for some Schweddy Balls. Aired 12/12/98

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. 

Hershey's Kisses Christmas Commercial

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!

Note: Not all of these are Christmas Commercials, rather these are all commercials from the holiday season in 1986 on the Columbia/Jefferson City, MO channel KRCG. 1. The Infamous McDonalds Ice Skating Commercial 2. Extra Sugar Free Gum 3. CBS Saturday & Sunday Night Movies 4. Charlie Brown Christmas Sponsored By...
There's approximately 109 Christmas Commercials from the 1980's in this video. Mostly from the mid-80's. There are definitely a few duplicates. There is also a few that have nothing to do with Christmas but they did air during the Christmas season. Thanks to 80's Commercial Vault for uploading all those great compilations.

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.

Written by and starring John Roberts. Directed by Clay Weiner. Edited by Jesse Reisner. DP Drew Denicola. A mom and her christmas tree

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.