I hate the holidays. To me, the Christmas season seems mostly like a capitalist ploy to sell us the idea that buying this or that gift will somehow get us closer to the kind of wholesome family cheer that advertising promises is possible. That isn’t the reality that most people live in, of course, but for queer people, it feels even more complex. For the most part, we aren’t even included in the fantasies of holiday family fun. This Norwegian Santa ad is the only Christmas content I care about because it’s not just selling an LGBTQ+ fantasy — it’s also a glimpse into an optimistic future.
The 4-minute ad for Posten Norway, the Norwegian postal service, called “When Harry Met Santa,” started airing two weeks ago. Since then, it has been viewed millions of times in several languages. Why, you might be wondering, would millions of people around the globe want to see a foreign ad for mail? Well, don’t take my word for it, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s the most wholesome, heartwarming gay anything on the internet.
