British Christmas Adverts – Part 1
Monday, 16 December 2019
In November and December each year, some of Great Britain's oldest and most well-known retail establishments spend gobs of money on Christmas commercials that can warm your heart, make you laugh and even, sometimes, force an unexpected tear or two from your eye.
In past holiday seasons, I have sometimes posted one of the adverts that caught my eye but this year I did a survey of all that are out there. Whew! A lot. Some are fantastic. Others are only so-so. But it's been fun checking them out.
There are so many that I'll share these with you in two batches – today and next Monday. This is not every British Christmas advert but it's a large enough number for me. In the videos below, the top line, in bold caps, is the title of the video. The second line is the name of the sponsor. Enjoy.
BE A KID THIS CHRISTMAS
Hafod Hardware
Just to prove that you don't need to be a big, rich corporation to make a terrific holiday advert, here is one from the hardware store in the small town of Rhayader, Wales, population 2,000.
The little boy is Arthur Lewis Jones, age 2.
EDGAR THE EXCITABLE DRAGON
John Lewis and Partners and Waitrose and Partners
About a little girl and her friendship with an excitable young dragon who almost derails festivities with his fire-breathing excitement.
GRETA THUNBERG AND DONALD TRUMP
Parody of the Edgar/John Lewis video
I know – some people think we should leave politics out of the season but this is worth it. Some guy named Joe with a YouTube channel fashioned this video from the John Lewis dragon vid above.
TOO GOOD TO SHARE
Walkers
Also titled All Mariah Carey Wants This Christmas, this is what happens behind the scenes when Mariah Carey and a Christmas elf discover the last bag of Walkers Pigs in Blankets.
DELIVERING CHRISTMAS
Tesco
A Tesco delivery driver takes an unexpected detour through time, embarking upon 100 years of Delivering Christmas in one magical night. Loaded with a van full of ‘food from the future,’ he might just make a few historic deliveries along the way.
THE MAGIC OF FROZEN
Iceland Foods
THE BOOK OF DREAMS (Extended Version)
Argos
Argos renames the catalogue ‘The Book of Dreams’ as a dad’s childhood dreams are awoken when he sees the drumkit his daughter has circled.
THE ELIXER
Disneyland Paris
How Disneyland in Paris came to be.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOOD...
M & S Food
It's M&S Christmas Food – that's what they tell us. The M&S Food Christmas Market – where good food and festive fun collide to create a magical Christmas experience.
KEEPING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY CONNECTED
Sure Petcare
Once upon a time, in a happy, comfortable home, the Bell Family were preparing for Christmas. On Christmas Day, Mrs Bell left the house before dawn to go to her job as a nurse. Though she was sad to leave on such a special day, she knew that even in her absence she would still feel connected to her pets.
Part 2 of British Christmas Adverts is here.
Hi Ronni - thanks so much ... such fun to see ... cheers for now - have a peaceful and happy Christmas and New Year - Hilary
Posted by: Hilary | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 07:38 AM
Some stores have tradition of elaborate Christmas decorations in their store windows. One such is Fenwick's (being British this is pronounced 'Fenick') in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Posted by: Ian | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 08:25 AM
Cheers, Ronni! This was a wonderful way to start my day; thank you so very much! I hope you enjoy this season with as much zest as you can muster.
As ever - Edie
Posted by: Edie Birken | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 08:33 AM
Thank you for the wonderful Christmas e-card. Looking forward to Part 2 next Monday.
Quite a difference fro U.S. seasonal adverts which I mute and avert my eyes.
Posted by: RheaT | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 08:41 AM
These are great Ronni, I posted the drummers on my f-book page.
Posted by: Celia Andrews | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 10:57 AM
My favorite is the Hafod Hardware but all quite superior to most of what I’ve seen on U.S. TV. Our com’ls are all so much more crass but not unlike our present leadership, I guess. Christmas is and always has attractively focused on children and family gatherings, if possible, for me.
Posted by: Joared | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 12:27 PM
Luvely !!
Posted by: Carol | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 01:51 PM
Ronni: I’m supportive of the other side of the aisle, so while I may have skipped one of the commercials, I LOVED all the others...ie: choked up with the hardware one, chuckled out loud at the Mariah Carey one. I’m sure others have said it but...YOU and your perspective on life are true gifts to me and us...now during the holidays and all year ‘round. Merry Christmas, Ronni!
John Horne
Bradenton, Florida
Posted by: John Horne | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 03:55 PM
Thank you Ronni for taking the time to find and share these. What lovely Christmas messages. They warmed the cockles of my heart tonight. I had not seen the actual John Lewis video that was parodied by the one with Greta Thunberg and the prez, but it was so sweet and Joe who produced the parody version did a brilliant job!
Posted by: Cathy J. | Monday, 16 December 2019 at 07:12 PM
Thank you Ronni for this, especially Edgar the excitable dragon. I live in Singapore/Toronto, and miss the years I lived in England, and the TV especially, such as Black Adder and Only Fools and Horses. Each one of us probably knows one Edgar the dragon, except others don't laugh. I blog about aging, but from a third party perspective and how the "experts" annoy me, and your post about Limits of Longevity contains issues that "experts" suddenly have no opinion. Anyway, you have a fan far from UK, and I made reference to this post here. https://www.famlinet.com/seniors-telling-stories-who-is-listening/ Qualitative aspects of aging requires attention. Merry Christmas (I hate the "politically correct" Happy Holidays, descent into blandness)
Posted by: Chieh Teng | Tuesday, 17 December 2019 at 05:29 AM
HI Ronni
Thanks for sharing all these videos. Have a Merry Christmas.
Posted by: Ann Shaw | Friday, 20 December 2019 at 09:09 AM