The one we'd all been waiting for arrived on 9 Nov. as the John Lewis Christmas advert follows that aesthetically-pleasing narrative we've come to know and love. The plot sees a young boy buy a seed to grow a Christmas tree, but it actually grows to be a Venus flytrap, called Snapper. The little boy comes to nurture and love the plant, and wants it to replace the traditional tree, but it gets too bug and has to be taken outside. He runs out to give his plant a present and remind the family that new traditions can spring up every year. The advert is set to tenor Andrea Bocelli singing a new rock opera track, "Festa".
While we look forward to the John Lewis Christmas avert each year, we have to admit we're a little disappointed with this one. It's sweet, but feels a little "meh". It lacks the emotional depth of last year and part of the excitement is the choice of cover song to accompany the advert. The original song by Bocelli doesn't have the heart-wrenching pull of years gone by. It's shot beautifully, and the little boy is oh-co-cute, but we're not so on board with the likes of new Christmases which seems to be a theme this year (M&S's clothing ad also shuns tradition). There's not the nostalgia we've been craving so it's good, but not wow-worthy.
Rating: 7/10