Do You Remember These ’60s Christmas Commercials with ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ & Andy Williams?

Gabrielle Moss December 19, 4:11 pm

Romeo Muller, Jr. with two Animagic figures Arthur gave him. One of the many reindeer and a tree elf from the feature film — Miser Bros Press/Rick Goldschmidt Archives

Christmas always stirs up memories of the past — and for some of us, those memories include the Christmas commercials that aired when we were kids. If you grew up on the ’60s, you might recall these classic Christmas TV ads, which include everything from Santa riding a Norelco electric razor, to Rankin/ Bass animated elves singing to viewers about the gift of General Electric hair dryers.

So if you could use a break from planning this year’s Christmas festivities, take a step back in time, and remember an era when Christmas records cost a dollar and maybe, just maybe … there was a carton of cigarettes under the tree.

Norelco

Beginning in 1961, razor maker Norelco aired their signature Christmas commercials, which featured Santa merrily sledding through the snow atop a Norelco electic razor. Why? Why not! At the commerical’s end, the brand’s name is spelled “Noëlco,” because “Even our name says, ‘Merry Christmas.'”

The Norelco Santa ads ran through the mid-80s, but have been periodically revived ever since, most recently in 2011.

Avon Christmas Toys

Avon wasn’t just a way to buy lipstick without leaving your house — as this ad shows, Avon also sold children’s toys designed to get children interested in grooming, including bath tub toys that dispensed shampoo, and a “Bubble Bunny” stuffed toy that doubled as a washcloth.

Goodyear’s “Great Sounds of Christmas” Album

$1 could buy you a lot more in 1965 — for instance, it could buy you the entire Goodyear “Great Sounds of Christmas” album, which featured 21 classic Christmas tunes sung by Andy Williams, Danny Kaye, Doris Day, Sammy Davis Jr., Maurice Chevalier, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, and many others. The album was only sold at Goodyear stores, presumably making it convenient for people who were getting their tires changed and realized they had forgotten to buy Christmas presents.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

This ad promotes the Christmas classic, which debuted in 1964, as “a holly jolly Christmas special for the entire family.”

Rankin/Bass for General Electric

The Rankin/ Bass Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first aired in 1964 as part of the General Electric Fantasy Hour … so naturally, the famed producers were also called upon to promote some General Electric goods in that same year. In these ads, a group of animated elves inform viewers about why hair dryers, irons, portable mixers and other electronics from GE make excellent Christmas presents.

Viceroy Cigarettes

In this whimsical 1964 ad, a husband is exhausted from Christmas shopping and wants only one thing — a nice smoke. But dang it, he left his cigs in the car! When his wife offers him a Viceroy, hubby changes brands, and receives a box of Viceroys under the tree on Christmas morning. This was just one of a number of ads the cigarette brand put out that year, all of which involve rhyming narration and the motto “Viceroy’s got the taste that’s right.”

Chemical New York Bank

Finding good parking during the holidays is tough for everyone — even Santa, in this ad for Chemical New York Bank. Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick has double-parked his sled, and a traffic cop is ready to write him a ticket for it. But hark! Santa is here to sell you on giving your loved ones checking accounts for Christmas this year. The police officer, fully persuaded, lets Santa off with a warning, and Christmas is saved.

Coca-Cola

Would it really even be Christmas without a Coke holiday commercial? The soda company began running special Christmas ads in the 1920s; in this 1961 commercial, Coca-Cola urges viewers to recycle the lemons used to decorate their Christmas trees — by squeezing them into their Cokes. Thrifty and delicious!