Over the last few years it has become a staple of Christmas TV – the John Lewis advert.
A young child, a moving story, a positive message and a calming soundtrack have proved a winning combination for the retailer’s festive showing and this year is no different.
The adverts are enough to bring a tear to your eye, as Liz Nice found when she watched it for the first time this morning.
“Last year, they made me cry with the penguin, in the moment at the end when you realised that all along his little penguin friend was just a toy.
“All I could think about was my own little boy and his magical, imaginary world and suddenly I was sobbing all over my desk, all pretence of being a serious, professional woman gone.
“This year, the John Lewis advert is even worse, with the little girl gazing up into the sky through her telescope and watching an old man living alone on the moon.
“She tries to get his attention but he can’t see her, until she sends him a telescope for Christmas, by balloon.
“I hesitated at that point.
“Helium balloons, John Lewis? They are BAD. Not terribly good for penguins, or dolphins, or any of the other marine life that ends up choking on them when they land in the sea.
“But clearly this is a fantasy world where balloons can reach the moon so perhaps they are not meant to be taken literally.
“Anyway, we move on quickly to the old man’s delighted face as he opens a gift of a telescope of his own, trains it onto Earth and waves to the little girl who just so happens to be watching him at that moment.
“The tear in his eye is unnecessary as I am already crying at the thought of all the lonely elderly people who this Christmas will be hoping for one tiny bit of engagement from another human being.
“Lonely people who would give anything for a wave and a smile, even from as far away as the moon.
“And I thought also of my granddad up in heaven, even though I don’t even believe there is one.
“And of what I wouldn’t give on Christmas Day to look up into the sky and see him smile at me one last time.”
Expecting a tear-jerker, Lauren Hockney geared herself up for her maiden viewing of an advert that is likely to become a staple of prime time viewing in coming weeks.
“Oh god it’s lovely! – That was my reaction to this year’s John Lewis Christmas ad,” she said.
“You can’t fail to be touched by the sentiments of it, The festive season is a stark reminder of the fact there are some people with no one to share happy times and laughter with, who won’t be sitting down at the table for dinner with their family round them and don’t have a friendly face nearby to pull a cracker and clink a glass of bubbles with.
“Of course loneliness isn’t just a seasonal issue, and you might say why should Christmas make a difference? But the connection made between young and old in the advert is magical and may even encourage adults, as well as youngsters, to think of others over the festive season or to make sure they go and visit Granny, or Uncle Arthur before the big man comes down the chimney. The concept may be a little far fetched (balloons on the moon?!?), but the message still hits home loud and clear and strikes a beautiful balance between the sadness and joy Christmas can bring.”
The advert, which ends with the message “Show someone they’re loved this Christmas” was created in partnership with Age UK in an effort to raise awareness of the million older people who go for a month, not just at Christmas, without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.
Jo Reeder, business development officer for Age UK Suffolk said: “We are delighted that John Lewis Partnership are supporting Age UK nationally over the festive period and as a respected national brand, have recognised the need to raise awareness of loneliness, particularly in older people.
“We are looking forward to working with our local John Lewis store to support vulnerable older people in the Ipswich area, which links in really well to our Shine A Light On Loneliness campaign which has been running all year, raising awareness of loneliness and social isolation in older people in Suffolk.
“This Christmas 10,000 people aged 65 and over in Suffolk will be facing Christmas alone, that’s one in 10 which is a shocking figure and something that we can all do something about.
“Spreading the word and making people aware of this on both a national and local level is so important, and our core services go directly towards tacking this.”
Have you seen the advert? How does it compare to some of John Lewis’ previous Christmas adverts?
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