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SNT & Christmas McNuggets!

I grew up thinking that people were supposed to eat McDonald's Chicken McNuggets at Christmas parties, partly because that's a really fun thing to believe, but mostly because the chain churned out several television commercials promoting their nugs as a holiday hallmark. The general theme in these ads, mostly from the mid 80's, was that the special box of 20 Chicken McNuggets made for breezy pass-aroundage at crowded parties. I loved that "special box." You know the one. Looked like something you'd carry a pet hamster home from the pet store in.


Today's featured ad doesn't say it outright, but it's skipping the party push more for an insinuation that YOU, busy as heck from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, require good food and fast. This is illustrated by a man holding a stack of Christmas presents, being handed McNuggets from some off-camera ghoul. Admittedly, it's something that works a bit better visually than on paper, because man that sounds spooky when I describe it.

I prefer to think of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets as being made from some totally alien meat that's grown in tubes, was never alive and came into this world in a perfectly nuggetable shape. Within that, this commercial's penchant for showing a fully cooked whole chicken being sliced up is a bit disconcerting. I don't want to think about chicken when I'm eating Chicken McNuggets.

McDonald's had a real knack for holiday-themed advertisements, and though this one falls on the lower end, it still makes me want to stand up and yell for Father Christmas to bring me hamburgers. Click here to watch the commercial!

This is your SNT. Take advantage of the fact that people you know in real life don't read X-Entertainment by discussing some of the best/worst gifts you've bought for your friends and relatives this holiday season.

Posted by Matt on 12/02/2006. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 74 comments

I love how the commerical shows a chicken and cuts parts off to make you think that it will be turned into a mcnugget! Personally I don’t care what it’s made out of, I am a mcnugget fan.

Chestnuts roasted by IHAQ @ 12/02/2006 7:05 PM

“I don’t want to think about chicken when I’m eating Chicken McNuggets.”

Hehe…..that was a fun day. Thanks for reminding me!

Chestnuts roasted by Loneman1 @ 12/02/2006 7:10 PM

I’m probably going to knit a Jayne hat (from Firefly) for my husband for Christmas. That’s a pretty good present, right? He asked for it. Haven’t bought anything else yet. My brother-in-law brought us a kitten, so he should get something good.

Chestnuts roasted by Jessica Marie @ 12/02/2006 7:11 PM

Best: I got XII for a friend of mine. And I got the original Tenacious D album for The Colonel since he STILL didn’t have it.

Worst: Anything I buy from here on out since I blew my present budget at the MCR concert :(

Chestnuts roasted by K- @ 12/02/2006 7:21 PM

Jessica, I really wish that I was your husband right now. If I had one of those hats I think my life would be a little bit happier.

As for presents, I haven’t bought anyone anything yet. And what’s more, with the exception of my mom, I don’t even know what I’m getting anyone. I should probably get on that, hu?

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff @ 12/02/2006 7:31 PM

I haven’t bought anything for anyone yet. I have a feeling that budget constraints will have me shopping with my Dec. 22 paycheck. I despise shopping that late, but at least it’ll give me time to decide exactly what to get everyone.

Chestnuts roasted by MissJess @ 12/02/2006 7:32 PM

Best: Tickets for Dancing with the Stars tour for my Mom\Gramma. Worst: Haven’t decided yet, but it will be for my works white elephant exchange. We’re supposed to give away tacky\weird stuff, but anything I own that fits that criteria I WANT to own. If only I could find the elusive Green Bamboo Mystery Peanut ™

Chestnuts roasted by 9Line @ 12/02/2006 7:37 PM

My hamster came home from the pet store in a brown paper bag. A McNugget box would have been so much cooler. I’m getting my uber-Conservative, fundamentalist Catholic sister a book about why the Church thinks she should be a dirty hippie. It’ll piss her off and I think that’s what Christmas is all about.

Chestnuts roasted by Karen @ 12/02/2006 7:38 PM

I actually believe that chicken Mcnuggets were indeed hamsters. Ronald would say otherwise but I have never had chicken meat that had a consistency like that. At least it is 2 parts hamster 1 part chicken.

Chestnuts roasted by Bill @ 12/02/2006 7:46 PM

Matt,

As for you promise of posting every day, so far fantastic!!

Chestnuts roasted by Cotter @ 12/02/2006 7:54 PM

It’s good to be back.
I do not remember that particular commerical but I do remember that genre. McDonald’s truly caught lightning in a bottle in the early 80′s. The McDonaldland gang was in full effect AND the other ads (like that one) pleased the adults. No disrepect to the younger X-Ers, but I pity those who missed out on the McNugget roll-out.

Worst present? Haven’t gone shopping yet. :(

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 12/02/2006 8:02 PM

Since I haven’t done any shopping myself(I’m waiting for after my exams), I’m going to say what the best/worst gifts that have been gotten by OTHER family members for various people are.
Best: A fridge magnet that says “Jesus is coming. Look busy.”
Worst: Haven’t decided yet.

Chestnuts roasted by DocDragon @ 12/02/2006 8:11 PM

McNuggets are real life Popplers.

Chestnuts roasted by Ragnarok @ 12/02/2006 8:12 PM

McNuggets are made of rainbows, unicorns and chicken lips.

Chestnuts roasted by ColonelCatsup @ 12/02/2006 8:26 PM

Manimal

Man, I’ve been saying that about McDonalds for years. They used to project an image for everyone, adults and kids. Then a couple years ago they went all ghetto, and I just feel uncomfortable going in. Like Wal-Mart caters to a lower class, and it feels weird changing social strata. I feel Wendy’s has taken McDonalds place as McDonalds slides into cheap mass popularity among the dull and ignorant (according to the commercials anyhow).

Chestnuts roasted by Terror Claws Cole @ 12/02/2006 8:37 PM

Chicken McNuggets are little pieces of heaven. :D

As far as presents go, I’ve made a habit of not buying anyone anything for Christmas. Because I’m that boring.

Chestnuts roasted by Retro Playback @ 12/02/2006 8:38 PM

I’ve got my mom something awesome for Christmas. See, my mom is an Elvis Fan. Not a fan, a Fan. And ever since I can remember, she has owned every Elvis movie ever made… except one. So, this year, I found a DVD box set including that movie and five others (the ones she has already are on VHS). I also got her a DVD player.

She is going to FREAK.

So far, I haven’t bought any bad presents, but then I haven’t shopped for the people I don’t really feel like shopping for yet :p

Chestnuts roasted by jazzy @ 12/02/2006 8:52 PM

On the whole I think the gifts I bought this year are pretty solid; I tend to bust my butt trying to find the best gift for people. I got my dad a copy of American Gods, but he probably won’t read it, so I guess that. It’s not my fault he’s a talking mokey.

Chestnuts roasted by lemonWitch @ 12/02/2006 9:11 PM

When I started to play the commercial, I initially thought the music was going to be “Oh Susanna”– well, it starts out sounding that way!

When my sister was about 4, my mom took her and a friend to McDonalds. Her friend ordered Mcnuggets, and my sister looked her in the eye and said “You know you’re eating DEAD CHICKEN?” Overnight, she’d become a vegetarian. It must have been her preschool.

I’m making a sweater from my mom, still waiting on my sister, and not saying what my Dad’s gift is because he sometimes reads X-E.

Chestnuts roasted by Jemmy @ 12/02/2006 9:28 PM

Man I totally suck….I have not been paying attention to this site at all…I have been dealing with a lot of personal issues and getting my life on track but i hope all the x-e faithful are doing well….Peace out peeps

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 12/02/2006 9:51 PM

Jeez I’ve forgotten all about the old McNuggets Boxes, I oddly for some reason felt comfort by the box as a child…ether it was from the color of it or just the warm McNugget artificial goodness inside it(which I’m completely grossed out by now, I’ll probly never touch another Mcnugget again) I kind of miss the things like that back then but now I never eat at McDonalds their food just seems to unnaturally perfect all the time which is…well unnaturally.

Quoting Jemmy
I’m making a sweater from my mom

I’m I reading that write? it’s cute if I am.

Chestnuts roasted by Sallee @ 12/02/2006 9:59 PM

I hadn’t eaten McDonalds for the longest time, but I decided to give them another chance last summer. Yep, those McNuggets still taste like styrofoam. So did the fries and maybe even the drink. My boycott of McDonalds will continue.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 12/02/2006 10:03 PM

For my mom. Oh, god. Can I blame the codeine? I’m on codeine. Can it be codeine’s fault? Thanks, Sallee.

Chestnuts roasted by Jemmy @ 12/02/2006 10:04 PM

Hey, hey Freudian slips. Good times. Looks like you need an avatar to sublimate your desires, just like Matt :D

Chestnuts roasted by K- @ 12/02/2006 10:10 PM

Oh I miss those wholesome McDonald’s ads from the 80s!!!

Surely there must be a website out there, where one could purchase a Hero of Canton hat?

Chestnuts roasted by Heather @ 12/02/2006 10:12 PM

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This entry was posted on Saturday, December 2nd, 2006 at 7:00 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.