winning the gift war by a Hair

Dad’s freebies give visitors an unexpected edge

During the holiday season of 1970, S.C. Johnson & Son took on Gillette Co.’s Foamy shaving cream with Edge, a green gel that turned into a cream when spread on the face. Johnson Wax poured about $4 million—$30 million in today’s dollars—into marketing this new product. My brother Rick and I ended up playing a small part in that marketing campaign.

That year my parents decided to spend Christmas in Hastings, Michigan, with Dad’s sister’s family. Aunt Donna’s and Uncle A.J.’s eldest boys, Tom and Tracy, were close in age to Rick and me.

We looked forward to seeing our cousins and the possibility of a white Christmas in Michigan. But packing our family into the car meant leaving most of our presents at home, except for a few small things.

My aunt and uncle were hardworking, blue-collar people who went a bit overboard with their children’s gifts, which included a bicycle, a record player and other nice items. Their presents were in no danger of being upstaged by our small assortment of gifts. Or so we all thought.

My father, William Sr., worked at a local university in Illinois and was good friends with the manager of the bookstore, which also had a small toiletries section. That

fall, Johnson Wax sent the store sample shaving kits with its new Edge gel, and the manager gave a few of the kits to Dad. The boxes were eye-catching in orange and black, with “Super Box” emblazoned across the top in bold, stylized lettering.

Almost as an afterthought, my parents wrapped up two of the kits for Rick and me—and those were among the presents we took to Hastings.

At 11 and 14, Rick and I weren’t old enough to shave, but I think it was the convenient size of the boxes rather than the contents that mattered to our parents.

On Christmas morning, my cousins opened their gifts first and were delighted with their bounty. But things turned awkward quickly when Rick and I opened our sample shaving kits. Tom and Tracy eyed them jealously, clearly disappointed that they didn’t get shaving kits too.

Eventually, my exasperated uncle told them they could have a couple of his old razors and some of his shaving cream. His suggestion helped to keep the peace, and eventually everyone was satisfied with their gifts.

I still use Edge today. Sometimes its scent takes me back to those awkward moments long ago when two little freebies almost cost Uncle A.J. a merry Christmas.