The John Lewis Christmas advert: General Miss
This one goes out to the mums and dads out there.
by Olivia Finlayson
John Lewis, who are known for their heartfelt Christmas TV spots released their long awaited 2025 advert one week ago which brought a tear to the eyes of many parents across the UK. It contains a flashback to a teenage boy’s childhood, which started due to him giving his dad a vinyl of 90s rave songs which brings him back to his youth. highlighting how fast time changes. It also sparked a trend among parents on TikTok, showing videos of Christmas morning of their families throughout the years.
However, this year audiences are divided on whether it was heartfelt and nostalgic, or too dull and depressing for a Christmas advert. Some calling it “not very Christmassy” and “a bunch of nonsense”.
Some people online are even saying that Tesco’s advert was much better in comparison, which celebrated the imperfections of Christmas, and they make it special for all families.
The Waitrose advert which was in the style of a rom com which told the story of unexpected love after loss. It also had a humorous twist as Kiera Knightly stars as herself, portraying the average man’s lover.
The Sainsbury’s advert in comparison also held a heartfelt message, featuring the BFG (a widely loved children’s book character) who defeats the ogre stealing everyone's Christmas dinner whilst also promoting their delivery service.
Asda’s advert featured famous Christmas character The Grinch (another loved children’s character), who complains about the prices of presents and trees until he sees the bright green Asda logo in the distance. They use this bit to promote their Christmas roll back prices.
Morrisons’ advert took a more obvious turn to advertise their delivery services, promoting that they have been working all year to serve their customers
Other supermarkets this year have been giving John Lewis a run for their money, with Tesco and Waitrose receiving plenty of positive reviews and overtaking John Lewis who are usually the go to for feel good Christmas adverts.
The John Lewis Christmas advert may not have as many good reviews this year-round, as it appeals to a very specific audience: parents of older kids. It is more moving to them because the plot relates to them and their children’s lives.
The message at the end being “If you can’t find the words find the gift” referencing the fact that some teenagers don’t know how to express their feelings to their parents.