The John Lewis Christmas Advert

It’s officially Christmas…

Now that the festive gods of retail have spoken, Christmas can finally begin. The high-street behemoth’s annual Christmas advert has fast become the stuff of legend; making us well-up at intrepid snowmen and gift-giving toddlers as well as (worryingly) advising us to wake up hibernating brown bears. Indeed, last year’s advert was watched over 13 million times on YouTube.

This year is no different. Cute kid? Check. Adorable animal? Check? Smatterings of subtly-placed-John-Lewis-products-you-are-mentally-shopping-for-already? Check. The 2014 output even comes up trumps with another artfully sentimental soundtrack, this time from stylish crooner Tom Odell: the first male voice to grace the adverts since  2009. Expect his version of John Lennon’s ‘Real Love’ to rocket up the charts sharpish.

But what’s in it for your Little Londoners? Plenty, as it happens. Monty the Penguin is, inevitably, available as a cuddly toy in all John Lewis stores, as is a book and app telling the story of Sam and Monty’s friendship and a range of Monty-adorned jumpers and onesies. There are more treats in store on the John Lewis website, as well as some legitimately heart-warming information about the advert’s work with WWF and children’s charity Barnardos.

Follow all the festive fun on twitter #MontyThePenguin and at johnlewis.com