After much hype and plenty of anticipation, the John Lewis Christmas advert has arrived and it certainly lives up to expectations.Â
The Gifting Hour follows a woman who attempts to secure a last minute gift for her sister. She embarks on a magical journey through her past memories in a search for inspiration.Â
It is a really brilliant effort and I love it - see the three reasons why here. But how does it compare to the previous John Lewis Christmas adverts? Let’s rank them to see which is best.Â
The rating system is from one to five Jingle Bells - and is based on my personal opinion on how Christmassy the advert is, how well the storyline works, the choice of song and more. Do you agree with my ranking, let me know by emailing me: [email protected].
13. 7 - The Beginner (2022)
Let me start by saying, I think this advert is great. It is a beautiful way to change up the formula and it carries such an important message. I do have a minor gripe, I don’t get why they didn’t use the original All the Small Things - the cover doesn’t work and since it is largely about a foster dad learning to skate, the original would have fit better. But overall, it is very good. Rating: 4.2 Jingle Bells. | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
14. 6 - The Boy and the Piano (2018)
The most star-studded of all the John Lewis adverts - courtesy of featuring Sir Elton John himself. It channels nostalgia - charting the pop star’s career backwards through time - to explore the impact a really good Christmas present can have. It is inventively edited and overall really well done - and the moment when young Elton plays the piano for the first time always gives me chills. Rating: 4.25 Jingle Bells. | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
15. 5 - The Journey (2012)
The cover choice - The Power of Love - is absolutely top tier in this one and the epic journey of the snowman to buy a gift for his wife is extremely charming. I had forgotten how good this advert is - channelling the nostalgic vibes of The Snowman into something heartwarming. Rating: 4.5 Jingle Bells | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
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16. 4 - The Man on the Moon (2015)
Following up Monty the Penguin would always be a tough ask, but the Man on the Moon is a really strong effort. It is such a fun concept, the idea of ‘the man on the moon’ being literally just a man. It has one of the top five cover songs - and like all the best Christmas stories it has just a hint of the bittersweet, but it is perhaps a tad long. Rating: 4.75 Jingle Bells. | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
17. 3 - Excitable Edgar (2019)
Can we start by just taking a moment to admire the craftsmanship of this advert - it looks better than some Hollywood films released in the last few years. Personally, I love everything about this one - the song choice, the storyline, and of course the moment that poor Edgar is able to use his fire for good and light the Christmas pud. Not sure what the collective opinion is on this one, but it is a really strong effort and extremely Christmassy in a fairy tale way. Rating: 4.9 Jingle Bells. | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
18. 2 - The Gifting Hour (2024)
A magical trip through the nostalgia of Christmases past, I found myself completely charmed by this effort. It gives strong Narnia vibes - the first film of which came out at Xmas and I remember watching with my own sibling. It is a brilliant effort and was well worth the wait. I love how it captures the manic vibes of doing Christmas shopping at the last minute and how the holiday really is all about your family - and the joy of getting the perfect present. Rating: 4.95 Jingle Bells | John Lewis Photo: John Lewis