John Lewis Christmas Advert

[BaconandEgg]

I've just seen it. It's absolutely the best one yet. Totally ridiculously, I'm in floods of tears.

[CrumpleHornedSnorkack]

When it comes to Calvin & Hobbes I'm always serious

Can't enjoy the advert though, I have a penguin phobia (genuine scared shitless of them phobia)

[poolomoomon]

Last years advert was such a disappointment. Really cold and unfeeling IMO. This years is a MASSIVE improvement, really love it. I did shed a tear.

[CheeseBored]

I really don't understand how this is making everyone cry so much!! I am completely unmoved.

[Greengardenpixie]

Yuk yuk yuk..that advert makes me feel sick! It just totally misses the mark. I thought it was bad seeing the penguin oagling couples..so horrible....but at the end i felt strange when i saw the little boy with the two penguins and then i thought...Why would a child of that age be thinking about pets in love!! OMG its hiddeous! If you asked that child if he thought that he would do that and its natural at his age im sure he would say yuk yuk...i am a teacher and i know that kids of that age would run a mile or tease each other with anything like that. The concept is wrong for that age. It is an adults concept of what a child might do..it is not from a child and that is why it is not a good advert. I dont like it.

[Caboodle]

Oliver Jeffers..Lost and Found anyone?
I also didn't cry.

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

Really Crumple? Wow. And not poking fun at you, just wow. I do think a fair few people have some type of bird fear. I'm not horribly fond of flappy birds near me. And the seagulls at the beach on holiday looked pretty evil when they were eyeing our food and surrounding us. So I sympathise with you on that.

An adult's concept of what a child might do? I've seen my child pretend that his toys kissed or were getting married or in love. For heaven's sake, they see it all the time in children's programming - Disney movies, all sorts of shows.

[MollyBdenum]

I cried lots because I have a horrible cold and watched it under a duvet while drinking lens up and because I have a 5 year old DS who sleeps with a cuddly penguin BUT I do think that Greengardenpixie is actually quite right. Also, DS' penguin is quite content to find interpecies love with Rover the toy dog or one of the My Little Ponies when DD, aged 8, wants to play at cuddly toy weddings.

[CrumpleHornedSnorkack]

Yep 100% true. I also have a fear of moving plasticine so Pingu is banned in our house.

[ZingOfSeven]

Green

yep. I couldn't put it in words but I agree about an adult concept played out by a child is just not right.

The penguin oogling at couples, eurgh, just weird. And it also made me feel uneasy to see the "single therefore must be miserable" stereotype reinforced.
Bridget Jones as a penguin. great

[Greengardenpixie]

Believe me, i teach 7 and 8 year old boys and they would NOT do this as a general rule. I also have a son who is 6 and the thought of animals kissing would not enter his imagination sorry!! They tease each other over this kind of thing....such and such says you fancy him...Its a complete nonsense.
Thats for the support of others who agree. It just very unlikely to happen at this age. If it had been a little girl...then maybe...but even then..my dd who is sensitive and girly at the age of nearly 8 has never done that!

[Greengardenpixie]

That should have said, thanks for the support of others who agree lol!!

[temporaryusername]

Yes, at the risk of obsessively over-analysing...it seemed that the boy and the penguin were pals, to imply that wasn't enough and the penguin 'needs more' undermines their relationship and introduces a rather alarming toy penguins in physical intimacy scandal. I love the bonding with toys theme, the imagination and so on, and the penguin is cute when doing the activities (not when gazing at adults kissing so much). They just needed to be able to use some other than romance for the plot to make it perfect.

Still, I will try to ignore that and just watch the beginning bits with the penguin around the house.

at 'fear of moving plasticine'.

[Greengardenpixie]

I think they didnt pick a girl for this add because they would have been hammered for being stereotyped. Could you imagine!!!!

[Greengardenpixie]

lol..I love your comments on the penguin in love temporaryusername..i so agree!!! It makes me feel really uneasy. A cute penguin searching for love...eugh....enough said. Its a mix i dont like.

[Greengardenpixie]

Physical imtimacy scandal....ha ha ha ha.........

[ZingOfSeven]

green

when our 4 older boys see anything like kissing on tv they either go giggly or just go "yuck"
and it's not just the pre teens. very young teenagers also react with "ooh bleach my eyes" at displays of romance, they get embarrassed.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

It melted my heart as DD has a soft.Mouse toy that goes everywhere with her and I would love if her imagination made her see him as a Real.Mouse as this little boy sees his Penguin.

It also reminds me of the beautiful Lost and Found book by Oliver Jeffers.

[temporaryusername]

You know what would have been cute is if we'd seen the scenes of him with his penguin, and if he had been visiting his mum in the hospital (decorated to show Christmas) to see a new baby sister. Then she brings the baby home at Christmas and he has got a penguin for the baby so she can a true friend like his.

[ZingOfSeven]

temp

yes. that would've been fantastic. I'm getting soppy at the thought!

[CrumpleHornedSnorkack]

Oi temp you taking the piss out of my very well founded, I mean Morph is sinister phobia?!

Your alternative advert would have been MUCH better, I agree.

[cakeymakey]

DS2 after watching it: "Mummy - I've decided what i want for christmas...a pet penguin. A REAL one." Thanks John Lewis.

[goldenlilliesdaffodillies]

I liked the snow people one and loved the hare and bear advert last year. This one is sweet but not as good as the other 2.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

How can Monty be sold out already?

[BeaLola]

I have bought a Monty and Mabel and they are super cute. In theory they are for DS but really they are for the house which means me !

I hadn't seen the advert at the time but I do like it

[RuinedAndNotorious]

It sends a pretty dodgy message, I agree. Plus the penguin eyes in the close-ups freak me right out.
John Lewis, if you're reading you should hire temporaryusername to make your next ad. That would have been ace!
My favourite is still the one where the boy couldn't wait for Christmas to give his parents their present. It had the best song.