Christmas commercials in the form of short films have become a tradition in Norway, and this year one, in which Santa Claus kisses a man waiting for him at home on Christmas Eve, became a real hit, writes the BBC.
In a four-minute film by the Norwegian State Post, a man writes a letter to Santa Claus with the message: "All I want for Christmas is you." And his wish was fulfilled.
The ad ends with the words: "In 2020, Norway celebrates 50 years where we can love whoever we want."
"We wanted to celebrate 50 years since the repeal of the law that prohibited same-sex relationships," said Post Marketing Director Monika Solberg.
The advertisement has been viewed more than two million times on the Internet.
"We were surprised by the scale of the reactions. We expected a reaction, but not so much".
The commercial also caused some eyebrows to be raised in Norway and neighboring countries, reports Hina. Along with the praise, there was criticism mainly because Santa Claus was turned into a sexual object and because he "fooled" Santa Claus.
In many parts of the world, the idea of a gay romance on Christmas would be controversial, but in the Nordic part of the world, the ad was mostly experienced as a warm Christmas story, reflecting Norway's positive approach to LGBT rights, writes the BBC.
Until 1972, homosexuality was a criminal offense in Norway, but the attitude has changed over time. It took another 21 years to legalize same-sex marriage.
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