Christmas, along with the rest of the holiday season, is
full of emotions. There's the joy of children thinking about
Santa, the happiness of being together with family and
friends, and the excitement of Christmas morning that
doesn't diminish too much with age. But that's not all
Christmas and the holidays bring. There's also, especially
in recent Christmases amid the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic,
greater feelings of loss and loneliness. And that latter part of the
emotional rollercoaster is exactly what Chevrolet dove into
head-first with its "Holiday Ride" promotional video and shortened
version that's been airing on TV.
Opening on a man at a mountain-surrounded home, we are
introduced to a classic convertible that's collecting dust in a shed.
This old car in disrepair, despite being little more than a place to
sit, brings back memories of the man's late wife as he wipes
cobwebs from the steering wheel and dust off the visor.
Like many of the trappings around Christmas have a way of doing,
the car brings thoughts of their time together rushing back as a
remembering smile turns to a wave of sorrow. Remembering his
wife when he surprised her with the car and remembering the joy
his gift brought them both brings tears to his rugged face.
Cut to the daughter seeing her dad leaving the shed and the car,
after which she goes into town to a local garage. "Well, it's been hard
with dad these days, and so, I was thinking, maybe..." she trails off
without needing to say she wants to restore her mom's car. The same
one in which the daughter was taught to drive by her mother.
After surreptitiously removing the run-down convertible from her dad's
shed, the daughter and community come together to get the old
convertible back in shape. The dusting, sanding, body work, engine
rebuilding, and painting commence before the like-new car is snuck
back into the shed from which it came.
Upon discovering the restored convertible, our rugged widower runs
his hands over the formerly dented and dusty hood that's now shiny and
freshly pained. A photo of his wife that was once framed by cobwebs is
now properly framed and hanging from the rear-view mirror. Then, the
moment of truth, he turns the key and his wife's car roars to life and rolls
again in front of his house.
If the video hadn't gotten to viewers yet, the daughter hopping in the
front seat beside her father and saying "It's what mom would have
wanted," as the wind whips their hair, to which he replies "It's the best
Christmas gift I could ever have," definitely will.
Chevrolet's video has everything. Rugged Americans. A dog. A classic
car. Loss. Joy. Togetherness. Hard work. Put that all together and you
get an emotional rollercoaster much like the holidays can be.
Chevy's commercial is also an important reminder to spend time and
make memories with loved ones while you can, and to remember and
come alongside those who are feeling more sadness than joy over the
holidays. And in a time where distance and wanting are more common
than most Christmases, memories are something that cost nothing, can't
get held up be delays, and don't require a COVID test to access.
Watch the full commercial below:
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