John Lewis Christmas Ad - it’s on the app

[namehomesafe]

I’ve cried. I wasn’t sure where it was going. I am not sure it’s Christmas but it did make me cry.

I like it, I did shed a tear which is fairly typical for me and Xmas ads. Terrifying the the 90s is now ‘nostalgia’!

It’s not a great advert, I wish they would go back to the Bear and the Hare or Snowmen. All too forced now.

Mawkish as ever with the terrible breathy singing at the end.

Ugh, I've just cringed my way through it.

It's not cosy, or christmassy. There's no pretty wildlife or anything. It's embarrasing Dad-dancing, and music with no Christmas vibes at all.

It would have been better if they’d had the original upbeat version of the song throughout.

I saw it on YouTube. Good idea but it doesn't feel very festive.... previous years adverts made me shed a tear. This year.... just meh 😕

It reminds me of a trailer for/flashback in a Channel 5 crime drama - I kept expecting Jill Halfpenny to appear!

Not very festive. I presume the son is meant to be neurodiverse in some way?

Or the one with the penguins (my favourite ever JL Ad that always brings a tear to my eye).

I know nothing will ever come close to Monty the penguin or the boxer dog adverts, but this was rubbish. It's like they didn't even try.

Yeah I think so. I think it's also been left open to interpretation. He could just be awkward with his feelings but also he could be Autistic and non verbal.

(Neurodivergent household here so that's just my take),

I thought so at first but I don’t think so. Not with the way that hug happened and the sophistication of that look at the end. Or if he is, they haven’t taken the right advice, which would be unusual for them. Just an awkward phase for a dad and his teen.

I must say it didn’t hit the mark with us. My six year old usually likes the characters or animal story etc so he was just like it’s not very Christmassy at all!

Loved it. Maybe it’s because I’ve got a teen at the moment. And the music is from my clubbing era too, so it hit the spot.

i booked my tesco Christmas delivery slot this morning, so I’m deep in festive spirit!

Loved it. But why do I think it’s about a son coming out as gay?

I didn’t think the son was supposed to be ND. I thought he was just an awkward teenager in his own world with his headphones on. Might be wrong though.

I like it, although as someone with a teen son and grappling with all this sort of thing myself I am v much the target audience. I liked how the thing that seemed to keep them apart (son in his own world with headphones on) was actually the thing they in common that brought them back together-music.

Oh that’s good 🥰

Teenagers finding a way to connect, parents remembering their child is still in there

handsome dad, handsome son

Thumbs 👍🏻 up from me. So many threads on Mumsnet where parents struggle to connect with their teenagers

I thought it was great . Back on form making me cry. And the tag line is totally festive

Lovely. Made me cry too.

It's very boring and not very chrismassy to be honest. I'd be interested to know how much they spent on it they normally chuck millions at the advert and this one feels very basic.

I liked it superficially but also the underlying message that teens and young people can’t or don’t always communicate well with words or body language but they do love you is good too.

It looks more like an advert about a "How to connect with your teen" service than a Christmas one.

Sorry, that's a thumb down for me this year.

You can read more into the son if you want but it’s mostly that he is at an awkward age when if comes to showing emotions

Worst one they’ve done so far.

Also Reminded me of last year’s with the sisters
through time. JL ads are vg at that whole sense of Christmas as a still point in the year to honour the richness of relationships and connections built over time, which I suppose is also what rituals and traditions do more generally.

How but in custom and in ceremony
Are innocence and beauty born?
Ceremony's a name for the rich horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel tree.