Happy Holidays

I worked on a television spot for K's - a leading box store around the country. The director was quite adamant that the spot not look too christmasy. The client's had sent us boxes and boxes of xmas decorations - xmas balls, garlands, wreaths, reindeer - the most over the top selection of holiday decorations that one could imagine...And the director wanted none of it - "No wreaths, no garlands..."oh I hate all that stuff" he told us.

So we were in a quandary. How to decorate this commercial in a holiday fashion without over-doing all the christmas decorations - And of course this was, essentially the "Product".

So me, the designer, one of the best around - and a crew of prop man began decorating the tree, the mantle and the location - the living room in a house in Montclair in which all of the homeowners furniture had been removed and replaced by couch, chairs ,lamps and accent tables from Crate & Barrel -

So we delicately placed live garland around the mantle - We hung a very small wreath above the fireplace - we decorated the tree with a minimun of balls and lights. We wrapped gifts in a very austere and simple fashion... We placed a beautiful orchid on one of the tables...

We were worried, we were nervous. This particular director was of the old school - always quick to insult or criticize. We waited until he arrived.

When he walked into the room which really looked very pretty and not to over the top at all he stared intently and then whispered to the designer..." This looks like xmas at Sing Sing..."

So out came the reindeer, the decorative garlands, the wreaths, the candlesticks the tstokies galore. Oh and the matching red stockings, perfectly spaced and in a perfect row.

And so it goes.

Happy Holidays to all.