Sprint…. don’t walk, to the front line in the War on Christmas

There is a radio ad running for Sprint Wireless in the Southern California market which totally stumbles out of the starting block. The ad starts with a comforting man’s voice, bringing us back to our childhood, asking us to remember waking up on a magical WINTER morning. The voice then goes on to talk about those cherished memories of gift giving and other holiday treats, before starting the pitch for a sleek new handset (with a two year contract, and fee for early termination)

The commercial took me back to my childhood….Every family had Winter Trees, sang Winter Carols, and even watched “A Charlie Brown Winter”. We celebrated Winter’s Eve (as opposed to the summer version, which is something completely different). As children we waited all year for Winter Morning.

NO WE DIDN’T.

We woke up on CHRISTMAS morning!! That’s right, CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The ad is actually quite good, except for the glaring omission of the word Christmas. I guess they don’t have a whole network of Christmas standing behind them. It’s obvious that the holiday being celebrated is Christmas, as the gifts are opened in the morning. Chanukkah gifts are not traditional, but while having been adapted in recent years, they are not normally given first thing in the morning. They are usually part of the evening celebration, when attended by the lighting of the menorah and other commemorations of the festival of lights (or rededication).

Sprint has chosen to water down the holiday, which to us, strikes us like a dropped call.