Few things make us feel more festive than the annual John Lewis Christmas advert, and no matter how many times we watch The Holiday or eat a Yule Log, Christmas hasn't started until the shop's advert drops.
We've been through it all - the snowman who travelled miles to get his snowwife a scarf, the little boy whose pet penguin was desperate to find love, the bear who just couldn't stay awake long enough to see Christmas without his friend the hare, and of course the man on the moon. The 2018 advert saw a young Elton John get given a piano - something that changed his entire life and 2019 was of course Edgar the excitable dragon who kept blowing fire because he was so excited about the festivities. 2020 saw John Lewis and Partners mix it up due to the pandemic, focusing on love and community spirit. And last year's offering entitled "unexpected gift" saw a young boy befriend a lost space traveller and teach her about the magic of Christmas
Yes, it appears that the winning formula for the John Lewis Christmas advert is simple - a heart-melting storyline, a cool cover song as a soundtrack and an adorable character as the focus.
This year was no exception, as John Lewis and Partners released their 2022 offering to a reworked soundtrack of All the Small Things by Blink 182.
This year's advert, entitled "The Beginner", follows a foster dad who is teaching himself skateboarding in order to bond with his future foster child, before she arrives at Christmas
"Over 108,000 children in the UK are in the care system," reads the message at the end of the advert. "We're making a long-term commitment to support the futures of young people from care."
Releasing a statement as the advert was released, John Lewis announced:
"This year's Christmas ad tells the story of a big-hearted man who takes up a certain new hobby a little later in life than you'd expect. Although he struggles initially, he never gives up - despite the bumps and scrapes. And, after a few weeks, he begins to get the hang of it. But then, with a ring of the doorbell, it becomes clear what - or who - all his efforts have been for. Because it’s what we do that matters most."
