The holiday retail season is in full swing, with

The holiday retail season is in full swing, with bows and baubles adorning every possible product—from high-end luxury autos on prime time to "mistletoe" belt buckles on late-night cable. I wish I could say the quality, even for a handful, matched the quantity of holiday-themed spots. But, as expected, most are either overwrought, saccharine sells to profess undying love with diamonds or extravagant driveway trophies, or prosaic pitches for more practical presents like lottery tickets and washing machines. It's enough to make you want to turn Scrooge. That said, there were a few holiday spots that cut through the November nuisances. Coca-Cola revisited its 12-year-old polar bear series—which replaced Santa Claus drinking a Coke in its Christmas advertising—with a new execution of animal altruism. In this year's spot, the polar bears, seen more than a decade ago enjoying the Aurora Borealis, crash a penguin party. A slumbering polar bear family is awakened by the sounds of the Beach Boys' "Little Saint Nick" playing in the distance. As they get closer to investigate, baby bear accidentally slides down a snowy slope to land smack in the middle of a party. A baby penguin breaks the ice by offering his new pal a bottle of Coca-Cola. The dancing continues. It's a sweet spot that, despite the familiarity of its snowy scenery and predictable polar bears, still feels festive. We've seen many ads that have played off the yearly parental trauma of trying to put together a complicated child's toy with inscrutable directions. This time, eBay tackles the topic. The Christmas cartoons are on TV, but the kid's impatient eye is on Dad, who stalls with a flimsy, "It's coming together." When he finally presents the gift—a large lowercase "it" representing the every-gift found on eBay—his relief is instantly deflated by his son, who brings over a leftover chunk and asks, "Where does this piece go?" A bubbly 1950s-sounding sing-along punctuates the moment's absurdity. Yes, it's "the best time of the year." MasterCard touts its "A Home for the Holidays" sweepstakes with an animated spot that has a homespun feel. Guests arrive to a party with pets in tow and treats in hand, Dean Martin sings "Winter Wonderland," and although we never see the inside, we get the feeling it's nice and cozy. The house, which is the draw (use your card to get a chance to win one), steadily spouts smoke as if it were breathing, while windows become expressive eyes and the reflection from the open door, a smile. It's a charming addition to the "Priceless" campaign.Target celebrates the season with classic tracks that may have nothing to do with the season but certainly feel celebratory. In one, Earth Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland" plays as triplets enjoy identical presents. RadioShack swaps Santa's lap for a red lounge chair, as people line up to sit in it and make their wish lists known. Virgin Mobile continues its amusing "Chrismahanukwanzakah" ads. Overall, this year's holiday spots are a mixed bag. Just like the presents. You're lucky if you find a keeper.

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