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:
RedState's Joe Cunningham wrote about the Chevy Christmas ad last week.