Recently a friend asked me “what’s the best Christmas special?” And without hesitation, I answered, “the Santa-Trucks Coke commercial that aired in Germany in the late 1990s.” (It’s hard to find, but you can watch it in this compilation, at 3 minutes and 50 seconds.)
Now, of course, “BEST” is a highly subjective term here, and there are lots of BESTS to enjoy — the melancholy Charlie Brown special, the Canadian Christmas Martian, and of course The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special, about which I recently published an entire behind-the-scenes video.
So what makes this one obscure Coke commercial special?
Well, I’ve always loved the 90s Coke Christmas ads for their sheer craft. The cinematography is beautiful, the chorus is joyous, and the imagery of a ribbon of light winding its way through the dark cold night to illuminate your life is as close as I get to being moved by a religious feeling.
And the version that aired in the late 90s in Germany might, at first glance, look identical to the ones that you’ve surely seen many times. But if you watch closely, you’ll see a few additional shots: The trucks chug by the Brandenburg Gate, past a cathedral in Cologne, and around a middle-ages castle near Eisenach. And while it’s not so unusual that an international Christmas commercial might have a few tweaks for localization … in context, I find it quite moving, because this aired just a few years after reunification.
It was still quite recent that the Berlin Wall had fallen — a barricade dividing East from West, and for decades a symbol of humanity cut off from each other. The Berlin Wall separated entire families, whole generations growing up unable to make contact across this barrier. That included my family — my Grandfather’s side from Vechta, my grandmother’s from what was then Prussia. And for my entire childhood it seemed like the wall was permanent proof that some divisions simply cannot be overcome.
And then it was gone! And we have the Coke trucks to thank. Just kidding, of course I know the Coca-Cola corporation isn’t responsible for the end of the Cold War (it was thanks to Rocky IV). But in this 30-second ad for sugar water, I see a convoy of bright light stitching its way through a country that once seemed impossibly split, now one family against all the odds.
Of course it’s very silly that this ad makes me so emotional. But I’m glad that it does.
Stuff that’s new!
A new YouTube video about why you should watch The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special!
On the most recent Sewers of Paris, I’m chatting with BenDeLaCreme about the art of creating Christmas specials.
A new Patreon bonus video about the making of The Judy Garland Christmas Show (and the movie Zardoz)
Stuff that’s coming soon!
I’m lining up some events in 2026 — if you want me to come to your convention, school, bookstore, etc to give one of my talks, get in touch!
Comic book conversations coming soon on The Sewers of Paris!
New video coming soon about a crossover of Hollywood stars and queer liberation in a project everyone was CONVINCED would fail. Vague, I know!
Stuff I recommend
The live Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show has one more show, tonight! (December 30!) I love this year’s show — a fascinating/hilarious story about exploring and overcoming the stress of holidays through confronting terror. If you’re in Vancouver, you can see it live tonight; and if not, you can watch a recording of their recent show in Seattle; both at JinkxAndDeLa.com.
Thank you to newsletter reader Chris for sending in this video of marmosets enjoying grapes, with sound effects.