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You love Christmas adverts really

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Holiday season inevitably means holiday adverts. Some are inappropriate, some are stupid, or just not funny. Some manage to match all of these criteria - watch our carrousel from Poland, France and the Netherlands

Dutch Canvas TV: Anti-Christmas

Choir singing, bells ringing, with the family you haven't seen for a year and on Christmas Eve you realise WHY you haven't seen them for a year, says the cynical star of a Dutch commercial set in a Dutch Christmas market:

'And you'll never have time for the presents, no, because the thing you found in an advertisement brochure, the thing that was cheap, the thing you really wanted, that one is sold out already!'

(maghetietsmeerzijn/ Youtube)

Polish TV: Christmas tree in my behind

Christmas commercials use, abuse, reuse and use again the image of Santa Claus. You see him in supermarkets, diamonds, clothes, cosmetics commercials in December. And not quite so jolly always, either - see this Polish animated advert for consumer electrics store MediaMarkt, where Santa the sadistic boss punishes his little elf helper for not finding lower prices:

Santa Claus angry. Christmas tree in my behind, explains the shivering, gulping scared elf

(mtxunw/ Youtube)

It is possible to make a funny yet tasteful commercial. Like Santa the working man with acting aspirations, here signing a job contract for Plus GM. The telephone company advert is, acted out by members of one of Poland’s most popular cabaret acts Mumio:

Boss: You can say we have best phones at good prices as presents for those close to you

Working Santa objects, wanting a bigger role describing the phone models

Boss: Fine, you can say they’re stylish

Working Santa: 'Stylish? That’s not enough!

(QBAZPHUKANU/ Youtube)

Sounds good: Polish reindeer in the house

Why do the authors of a variety of ads choose to portray tone-deaf reindeer, like in this second Polish Plus GSM commercial?

(keszcz/ Youtube)

Add drunk to tone deaf reindeer, and sleep in heavenly peace after watching this this commercial, shown after the New Year break:

(V70R/ Youtube)

French: Pub-licly offensive

Votes for most offensive and controversial commercial could go to the French who advertise getting not a puppy, but a 'Homeless Friend' for Christmas:

(darkyo91/ Youtube)

Just the present every six year old hopes for...

The Belgians win the 'Educational Christmas advert'

eBay present three lessons where two actors teach you how to react to unwanted gifts without hurting the givers feelings. Choose to pretend you are surprised, moved or e-lectr-cstatic:

(saffy21/ Youtube)

Not sure sticking your finger into an electric outlet is really the example the advert makers should give to the young ones though...