Carol of the Bells. The pretty ladies. The guy with the six bottles who looks like the uncle you only see once a year at Christmas. The Farmstead in the snow. Classic Christmas in the '70s. Remember those glorious days?
I Always looked forward to this commercial back then, the farm houses reminded me of my family's past and adults celebrations in the then present. The comment about the guy with the 6 bottles being the uncle you only see once a year cracked me up! Good one!
It was not the holiday season until I saw this on tv back in the day. I still watch it several times during the holidays, only now I see it here on RU-vid.
+PlasmaCoolantLeak This was one of several liquor-based Christmas commercials that became something of a tradition to look forward to. There was also the Miller Beer commercial, with the sleigh ride at dusk, with "I'll Be Home For Christmas" playing, and Gene Barry wishing all a Merry Christmas. There's also the Budweiser Clydesdales pulling a decorated beer wagon through a snowy scene, with Ed McMahon wishing everyone Happy Holidays from Budweiser.
+PlasmaCoolantLeak Definitely a reminder of my childhood and how holidays were something to look forward to rather than now, where it is almost a dread.
Like everyone here. That brings back great memories of being 11 in the 70's and Christmas time. Love this one.. the Coke commercial and the Norelco Razor commercial. What classics during the holidays.
Yes - and also the Miller Lite beer (the one horse open sleigh) and Budweiser (Clydesdale horse team pulling the big sled in the snowstorm) Christmas commercials were classics.
When I start hearing the Carol of the Bells it brings me back to when I was a kid and these ads for Andre were on tv. You knew Christmas was around the corner. I started playing some Christmas music today and was thinking of this but couldn't recall the name Andre. Thanks for the blast to the past.
Love this commercial , I found the same style of glasses , that are used in this commercial , with hollow stems at a second hand shop.Every Christmas Eve, I open a chilled bottle of sparkling wine , that I have stored in a cool dark place for a year and I enjoy it . I wish everybody a MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!!!
I have loved this commercial since I first saw it back in the 70's. Captured it a few times while recording various Christmas shows and have kept it in tact since. Nice memories.
This is one of the only commercials that I remember that used a lot of still photographs instead of video clips. Very well done and effective. I mean, I still think of this old ad when the holidays approach, so it did its job !
It was the glasses toasting that drew me in as a kid. Love the little(ting) as the glasses toast with the music. This is one of my favorite with the Toys-R-Us Christmas and norelco Santa.
As well , when I was young ,I worked shifts on Christmas ,not anymore .I recorded my favourite X Mas commercials , this one turned me onto the Carol of Bells .
So much packed into 30 seconds, a tribute to the power of music and imagery to evoke a longing for the warmth of Christmases past, or for a Christmas that was never quite this perfect. What we want Christmas to be, comfort, plenty, and love, it is all here--the music, melancholy and festive at the same time; the images, of dreams come true. Whoever put this together was an artist.
I still love this commercial. The minimalist "Carol of the Bells", the simple verses that begin the ad, the attractive still photos (especially the happy chap with his Andre supply), and, of course, "ping!", bring to mind a calm, comfortable, intimate, warm holiday season, the kind that seems to escape me lately. However, those wine glasses are spills waiting to happen. Good thing we use sensible flutes now, rather than wide-mouthed ones that require the balance of a Wallenda.
I love this commercial growing up. I still remember all the words, I had to had been about 8 years old but I still remember it well. Those were the good old days.
Thanks so much for posting this! Love this commercial! (Although I hated cold duck, my parents always had it for Christmas dinner!) Every time I hear Carol of the Bells I want to reach for a wine glass! LOL!
I thought I was the only out there who loved this commercial as a kid. Brings back memories from Christmas 1972, 73. Seems like there was another commercial for a competing brand out at the same time. I just can't remember.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I've been in a nostalgia trip for the past 2 years since my wife passed away. We were teenage lovers in the late 70's and married in 1982. If memory serves me well, this commercial was always one of the first to appear for the Christmas season starting in the early mid 70's and it was always my favorite. When I met my future wife, Brenda, they had no TV, they grew up without it, so of course Brenda would want to come over and watch some TV. During our first Christmas together, 1978, this commercial came on and it became Brenda's favorite one as well. So as we grew up together and married we would love to hear this commercial letting us know that Christmas was around the corner. I don't remember the exact year, it might have been the following Christmas after our wedding, but all of a sudden the commercial stopped, and for the next couple of years we waited to see the commercial, but nada, it was gone. Of course it wasn't the end of the world, there were other nice Christmas commercials, our children to be born and life went on. But nothing ever came close to that distinctive sound of the toasting glasses and lovely music playing in the background. Harping on some great memories of Christmas past when life seemed easier, less complicated than in this toxic and overly politically correct times in which we dare not say Merry Christmas in order to not offend someones safe space. For Brenda and I, this commercial will always be our Christmas memory. From my beloved wife, Brenda, and I, we wish you a Merry Christmas though out the year :-)
I’m a widow too and that was a sweet tribute until you had to bring politics in it. Nobody is stopping anyone from saying Merry Christmas and people don’t have safe spaces. Please read other news sources 🙄 by the way - not once did this commercial mention “ Merry Christmas.”
I loved this commercial in the early to mid-1970's.....as a kid, I didn't know what Cold Duck was but I new Christmas was coming when I saw this commercial.
oh my goodness thank you for the detailed answer/ reasearch...that was my recollection as well !!! We were just talking tonight about the commerical and my husband found this...yay!! Bring on the holidays....Shawn 11/12/2022
A real "blast from the past". Dang, but I think they used this same commercial for like 20 years! "Andre Cold duck to keep things bubbling along..." -- I especially remember that line. Haven't had cold duck in many years. At holidays, my family preferred cold duck to champagne cause it was sweeter. We either got Andre, or another brand (can't remember the name) that featured a flying duck in a block of ice on the label!
This is my favorite Christmas commercial ever. There was a newer version where some of the guests were younger. The only problem with the holidays is after they are over the next three months suck. Too cold and too much snow. Blah...
So true I always thought Christmas should be in February. That is when people need a pick me up and in many parts of the world , it would be a white Christmas .
Turned me on to The Carole of Bells , I visited a second hand store and found similar crystal glasses and every Christmas I try and replicate the commercial.
i alway loved seeing "uncle glenn" at the door, the life of the party with 6 bottles of andre in toe ...he just closed up the used car lot and is ready to party !
0:10 - MEMORABLE! 0:12 - BEHOLD THE HUMAN OCTOPUS! There were actually two versions of this commercial, though both looked alike with just a few exceptions. The second one from the 1980s had champagne glasses which were vertical in shape, and The Human Octopus was replaced by Alligator Arms. I much prefer this one from the 1970s. Heck, I remember this from watching NFL telecasts on CBS. A million thanks, AmberVon!
Someone asked me one time if they still made Andre Cold Duck. So one day I was at a liquor store and went to the wine section and I saw on the shelves Andre Cold Duck. I remember having it when my sister was married.
Me too, it so engraved in my head that whenever I hear any version of Carol of the Bells I immediately visualize the two clinking glasses and get a craving for champagne
Wow. Even Orson Wells knew what sort of glass to drink sparkling wine from. Still, a nice look back at wine consumption a generation ago. Thanks, AmberVon, for another fascinating look back.
They got this stuff at 7-11 now for cheap, it's pretty good stuff when you need something to battle with winding down after a long week. Tastes a shit load better than Steel Reserve, that's for sure.
+Shortythepresident HA!-HA! Man, thanks so much for the hearty laugh. I needed THAT! I love this commercial. It brings back warm memories of my golden childhood. I, too, used to look forward to it, because for me, it was as much a part of Christmas as our family Christmas tree was. But your comment was hysterically funny and has added a new (and welcome) element to the commercial. Very glad you survived the fall and found your shoes (or acquired some new ones). ~ D-FensDogG 'Loyal American Underground'
When I was a kid in the 70s, I remember Mom loved to serve Cold Duck to her friends. I was occasionally allowed to have a sip (remember when parents could make that decision w/out Big Brother dragging them out of the house by the nape of their necks?) It wasn't bad. I've used a bottle to add effervesence to a sangria pitcher before. But I'm a grownup now...Moet, please.
Hah! I had a cousin named "Andre" and (he was quite a bit younger than I) once he got a toy peg set with this hammer-like thing, and he whacked my dad ib the face with it. (This was in about 1975.) After that, we used to say "you'd better NOT bring home Andre for the holidays."
@petals49 You're right about both the ad and the January to April. But the ones I remember were newer, with kids in the ad. I remember them when I used to watch Superstars and Wide World of Sports when I was a kid.
I'm drinking Andre Spumante as I'm watching this video. It's an easy-drinking, sweet sparkling wine. Who knew you could get tasty wine for under $6 a bottle?
I watched this commercial as a boy, and at the time I assumed the music was a made-up jingle for it. Years later I realized that the music was a holiday song in its own right.
Cold Duck was sort of like a fruity champagne. It was good is you weren't an expert on wines. I had it a few times -- sort of a cheap, fun drink to get silly people drunk. I don't even know if they still make it, but the champagne is still around.
I’ve always liked that mandolin (or is it a balalaika?) version of “Carol of the Bells”. I assume it was just recorded for the ad and not something that’s available on an actual album somewhere?
The only reason why people are posting on this commercial after 30 years in circulation is because it is irritating. The music and toasting glasses - over and over and over again. This particular rendition of Ring Christmas Bells is horrible. It is like the music in The Exorcist or something. Beyond that Andre Cold Duck and Andre "Champagne" is mildly carbonated piss water. I would be insulted to be invited to anyone serving this stuff at a party
LOL. What you don't realize is that many people have fond memories associating it with Christmas coming. At least it's only 30 seconds. And yes, some of us even have memories of drinking that stuff at Christmas back in our innocent days when we were not wine experts and anything from California constituted "the good stuff."
