Ultra Swank - Retro Adventures

christmas

A Warmer, Friendlier Alternative to Christmas

A long time ago when I was a lot younger I used to feel sorry for people in the southern hemisphere who never saw snow, much less a white Christmas. I thought to myself, “how could they possibly get into the holiday spirit when it was still warm enough to wear shorts and t-shirts?” I truly felt bad for them not knowing what a “true”...

Merry Retro Christmas to You All

The Holiday season is upon us, so it is time to pull out all those swanky and kitschy retro christmas advertisements from the past! These hand drawn illustrations are so awesome. Produced in mid century America they perfectly depicts the happy-go-lucky mentality of those decades. Which one do you like the best? From all of us, to all of you – Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah...

Retro Christmas Advertisements from Mid-Century America

Christmas is around the corner and to celebrate this magical holiday we are featuring a few samples of holiday related advertisements and imagery from 1946 and 1964, courtesy of Roger Wilkerson’s collection. To me, the hand drawn illustrations and images in mid-century advertisements are the epitome of style and warmth. They really show-off how talented advertising America were some 50-60 years ago. That fine attention to design and pseudo-realism really grabs...

Retro Christmas Cards
Written by Chris Alm in Design

Retro Christmas Cards

From Retro Christmas Card Company, comes a handful of original, well designed retro Holiday Cards that trend with the popularity of 1950s and 1960s themes as seen in the television shows “Mad Men“, “Pan Am” and 2011 film “The Help“. Featuring fun, nostalgic images of 1950’s and ’60’s Retro American Christmas. Set up the aluminum tree, plug in the color wheel, and put Bing on...

Three Classic Movies to get you into the Holiday Spirit

Christmas is around the corner and to make the wait for Santa’s arrival less excruciating, here are three classic movies from bygone years that are sure to get you into that special holiday spirit and festive mood. Which are your favorite Christmas movies from the past? Holiday Affair (1949) This is a romantic comedy about Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum), a department store clerk in New...

Christmas gets endorsed by celebrities

When snow covers the ground and the days get shorter, you know it’s time to celebrate the winter holidays and spread cheer and good will. Even celebrities can’t resist the action, lending their talent and likeness to all manners of Christmas merriment. Popular personalities of stage, screen and song deliver messages of joy in the form of holiday specials (dramatic retellings of Dicken’s A Christmas...

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Written by Jesse Kowalski in Film

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) begins with a hastily prepared animation sequence set to the sonic stylings of children singing “Hooray for Santa Claus.” Once the songs ends, we are told by the newscaster for KID-TV that they have sent a news crew to the North Pole to interview Santa Claus. I got excited upon hearing this news, only to find out in the...

Get all the goods straight to your inbox