2007 Holiday Cheer Brought To You By Toyota

In one of the largest marketing coups in recent years, holiday cheer—the intangible spirit of goodwill towards man, peace on Earth, and warmth in the hearts of all—will now be sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, sources reported Tuesday.

The exclusive $30 million deal, which includes promotional tie-ins with the season's first snowfall and the smell of roasted turkey wafting gently through a warm and cozy home, was signed earlier this week by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. executive vice president James Lentz.

"We are very excited to be working with holiday cheer," said Lentz, who called the look of wonder on a young child's face and the company's new line of durable trucks a "natural pairing." "From now on, whenever anyone curls up in front of a crackling fireplace, or takes a moment to reflect on the importance of family, Toyota will be there."

Added Lentz: "This truly is the most wonderful time of the year."

While many details of the deal are still unclear, Lentz said that the automotive company has been awarded endorsement rights to all affection and joy experienced during the month of December. Toyota will also be the chief sponsor of numerous holiday-related events, such as the untangling of Christmas lights while listening to Bing Crosby sing old seasonal classics, and the making or consuming of eggnog.

Additionally, as is specified in the terms of the agreement, all sugar plum fairies will now be preceded by a 15-second Toyota ad before dancing inside consumers' heads.

"Landing holiday cheer was huge for us," said Toyota marketing executive Rebecca Greer, moments after announcing that the 2008 Corolla would be the official car of sitting down with loved ones and reminiscing about years past. "We got trapped in a bidding war with General Motors over the sound of carolers beneath an open window, but it was worth it in the end."

"After all, yuletide spirit is everywhere you look," Greer added. "Or, I should say, 'Toyota Presents: Yuletide Spirit' is everywhere you look."

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http://www.theonion.com/content/news/2007_holiday_cheer_brought_to_you

And I didn't think there was anything all that weird about it.

The Onion is getting too damn good at this sort of thing. It's scary.

not to celbrate with anything.. I might do it a whole month early or in July..

I've seen several variations on this theme...the husband prepares the xmas surprise, the wife opens the door and there's a brand new Lexxus or Toyota or Nissan or Yugo with a nice bow on top...she's gets all moist and our hero has given "the perfect xmas gift". Maybe I'm missing a new trend, but I didn't know to be the "good husband" I should be doing the same for my wife. Hell, it's only $5Gs down with $500 a month payments...who said love is grand...it's only $500 a month.

In my area, most people I know purchase new cars in the spring or at the end of the model year in the summer. What good is a new car tht no sooner you get home then it gets splashed with road aalt and looks like an old car in a few weeks.

C'mon people...let's get with it...obviously, unless you give a new car for the holidays, you obviously don't care. :sarcasm:

We used to hang out with this couple when we were younger. Although yuppies weren't quite "in", they could definitely be considered as such.
This was back in the 80's. The wife did everything to make Christmas perfect. She baked, she cooked, she decorated, took time out buying the perfect gifts for everyone.
She found some antique cherrywood desk that was quite pricey for her husband because he had received a new promotion that was quite beneficial monetarily to them. The desk cost several thousand dollars and was truly a thing of beauty.
So Christmas morning came, and her husband (who was a perpetual teenage prankster)gave her an electric skillet. As she recalled the story she said she was clenching her teeth because her in-laws were there, contemplating how she was going to beat him over the head with it after the in-laws were gone. She said he kept asking her how she liked her skillet and she found it harder and harder to be civil. He asked her to come stand by the tree...and I KNOW he could see her tight jaw...but was telling her what a lovely Christmas she made it for everyone...complimenting the cooking, complimenting the decorating, etc...and then he started asking her about the different ornaments on the tree and where she got him (all the while telling her how nice of a job she did and all the while her waiting to kill him). She said he pointed to an ornament that she didn't put on the tree and when she went to look at it, the keys to a new Buick Riviera were behind it.
He was rolling because he knew how PISSED she was because in reality, she hated to cook so he bought something he KNEW would rile her up, fully knowing that she wouldn't be able to express herself because of the in-laws.
I always loved this story, and it certainly reflected a different time and a different economy.
I love to say, if I knew then what I know now...sigh.

All I can say is that Toyota will really have to pull all the stops if they want to compete with 'Happy Honda Days.' Then again, how much can Chinese-made Christmas decorations cost?