Christmas on the Dark Side of the Moon?

[PurpleChez]

When I was maybe in the neighborhood of 8 years old (which would have been 1974), I swear there were commercials on TV that talked about "Christmas on the Dark Side of the Moon" while displaying images of decorated christmas trees. Don't think it advertised an entire store, but rather a portion of a department store given over to seasonal gear. And I don't think it was one of the local (Harrisburg) channels, but maybe Lancaster or Philadelphia. At the time, being a young boy fascinated with the space program, I figured that it meant the literal dark side of the literal moon. Much later I realized that it might have been a reference to the Pink Floyd album and an attempt to draw stoner kids who liked to get baked and look at Xmas lights (who doesn't?)--a Christmas version of Lazerium. Thing is...no one else remembers this. Even my friends who remember EVERYTHING from our common TV heritage (such as Jot cartoons and "Words from Unity") don't remember Christmas on the Dark Side of the Moon. If this rings a jingle bell in anybody else I'd be happy to know that I'm NOT INSANE!

BTW: Papoon for President! He's not insane neither!

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. Well, Apollo 8 was the first misson to orbit the moon

at Christmas 1968. The program might have been about that mission.

[PurpleChez]

2. I'm so sorry....

I left out a crucial detail...the ad included images of decorated Xmas trees...it was an ad for a store--or, actually, I think, a portion of a department store, given over to selling Christmas stuff. Back at that time Xmas specialty stores were much much less common and it may have been a big deal to have so much Xmas stuff available.

For as much as I'm not a fundie or a thumper I still get goose-bumps listening to the astronauts' reading of Genesis from lunar orbit on that Xmas Eve. Thanks for reminding me of that, and again my apologies for the omission.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. First manned mission

Unmanned spacecraft had already photographed the far side of the moon.

("Far side" is more accurate than "dark side" because all of the moon experiences two-week long days and nights.)

[PurpleChez]

4. I'd forgotten that "dark side" was erroneous

thanks!