Sainsbury's Christmas Ad 2014

Today my post about this year's Christmas ads needed an update owing to the release of Sainsbury's phenomenal new Christmas ad.

However, I decided that Sainsbury's offering this year is in a class of its own, - based on true events 100 years ago, it features young soldiers on Christmas Eve 1914, singing Silent Night in the trenches, and playing football on Christmas Day. It shows humanity at its finest, shows our capacity for forgiveness, compassion and generosity in the most dire of circumstances, and I dare anyone to watch it and not be utterly moved by it.

This is probably my favourite Christmas ad, ever.

Christmas TV Adverts 2014

47 Days until Christmas!!! I should have issued a warning - all grinches please look away now. Personally, I love this time of the year and the excitement is a-building.
And for once, I do not mind the ads on tv so much - cozied up under a blanket with a mug of hot tea, watching your favourite program, when one of the rather good Christmas ads come on (how new is this? I mean, the concept of actually good, entertaining, heart-warming tv ads?) I sometimes - gasp - don't get up to do more important things but watch them. Repeatedly. Obviously, ask me again in the middle of December how I feel about them, but for now, these are the ones out already that put a smile on my face:

1) A Classic - the John Lewis Christmas ad. So far I have loved all of them.

2) Boots - not your usual amber-glow ad yet absolutely lovely.

(This one will air for the first time on Sunday during Downton Abeey apparently, so here's a sneak peek)


3) Another Classic, with the original Father Christmas. Of course it's Coca Cola:

4) I really do like the Aldi Christmas advert, featuring Jools Holland:

5) M&S features two fashionable fairies, Magic & Sparkle (I see what you have done here, Marks & Spencer oh you clever ones)

6) Evoking that wonderful feeling when you found just the right present for someone is Debenhams' offering:

7) A heartwarming little tale from Waitrose.

My personal favourite here is John Lewis, - for an advert it pushes the brand surprisingly gently, making it even more effective, in my eyes, for this time of the year.

I would love to hear your favourites, - and I make no apologies for the fact that there will be many more Christmas-themed posts coming up over the coming weeks, so please check back soon!