culture
Vintage Toronto Ads: Christmas Shop Until You Drop
A holiday assortment of Christmas shopping ads.
-
- 225601
- <strong>Source: <em>Toronto Life</em>, December 1985</strong>.<br /> <br /> Holiday hints: It never hurts to match your clothing and your wrapping paper.
- 20121224bayviewvillage
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224bayviewvillage-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224bayviewvillage.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224bayviewvillage.jpg
- 640
- 1332
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224bayviewvillage/
- 20121224bayviewvillage
- 0
- 0
-
- 225596
- <strong>Source: The <em>Toronto Sun</em>, December 19, 1972</strong>.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.commerce-court.com/about/history">Commerce Court</a> was one of downtown's newest shopping options when this ad appeared.
- 20121224commercecourt
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224commercecourt-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224commercecourt.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224commercecourt.jpg
- 640
- 900
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224commercecourt/
- 20121224commercecourt
- 0
- 0
-
- 225600
- <strong>Source: The <em>Toronto Sun</em>, December 12, 1979</strong>.<br /> <br /> The merchants may have changed, but it still feels like 1979 when you walk through the architectural time capsule that is Cumberland Terrace.
- 20121224cubterrace79
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224cubterrace79-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224cubterrace79.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224cubterrace79.jpg
- 640
- 1030
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224cubterrace79/
- 20121224cubterrace79
- 0
- 0
-
- 225595
- <strong>Source: The <em>Globe and Mail</em>, November 29, 1969.</strong><br /> <br /> We suspect none of the monkeys in the window wore shearling coats like <a href="http://torontoist.com/2012/12/ikea-monkey-ikea-monkey/">this year's favourite holiday simian</a>. Given the era, maybe a fringed jacket or two made it into the downtown department store's display.
- 20121224simpsons1969
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224simpsons1969-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224simpsons1969.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224simpsons1969.jpg
- 1000
- 1260
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224simpsons1969/
- 20121224simpsons1969
- 0
- 0
-
- 225602
- <strong>Source: <em>Toronto Life</em>, December 1985</strong>.<br /> <br /> It's an open secret that, as long as the harbour isn't iced up, Santa enjoys a quick swim break while delivering gifts along Queens Quay.
- 20121224qqt85
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224qqt85-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224qqt85.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224qqt85.jpg
- 640
- 886
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224qqt85/
- 20121224qqt85
- 0
- 0
-
- 225603
- <strong>Source: <em>Toronto Life</em>, December 1985</strong>.<br /> <br /> A sampling of the finest gift ideas from southwest Yorkville.
- 20121224sor85
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224sor85-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224sor85.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224sor85.jpg
- 640
- 899
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224sor85/
- 20121224sor85
- 0
- 0
-
- 225604
- <strong>Source: <em>Toronto Life</em>, December 1985</strong>.<br /> <br /> North of Steeles, downtown Woodbridge used Charles Dickens to lure shoppers during the mid-1980s.
- 20121224woodbridge
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224woodbridge-100x100.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224woodbridge.jpg
- https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121224woodbridge.jpg
- 640
- 1325
- https://torontoist.com/2012/12/vintage-toronto-ads-christmas-shop-until-you-drop/slide/20121224woodbridge/
- 20121224woodbridge
- 0
- 0
If you’re procrastinating until zero hour to hit the stores, or if you enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes from a last-second blitz, perhaps our gallery of vintage holiday shopping ads will provide a final burst of inspiration. Or, if you think Christmas is an over-commercialized orgy of capitalism, enjoy the period ad design.
Click through the image gallery to read more about each ad.