Don't you just love the Christmas ads on TV

**AliceK** · 06-11-2015, 10:49 AM

Is it just me who gets excited to see them all

I still feel it's a bit early tbh but I love seeing them, I love the song on the Asda one. Just seen the John Lewis one, not sure what I think about it yet?? Maybe it'll grow on me.

Please tell me it's not just me

xxx

**tess1981** · 06-11-2015, 11:38 AM

It's not just you 😀
I love Christmas and already watching Christmas films!!!!
Have not seen the John lewis one yet can't wait to see it

**Maza** · 06-11-2015, 12:06 PM

I love them too, but we always just fast forward adverts now with the way we watch tv and so I saw them weeks after every one else. Haven't seen any yet. Tess1981, which Christmas films are you watching? I love Christmas films, even naff ones which I wouldn't normally watch.

**tess1981** · 06-11-2015, 01:09 PM

Anything Netflix has lol
Also my favs santa clause movies. I'm not fussy. Mickey mouse Christmas ones are good. Going to look for new ones soon
Ps googled the John lewis ad... I love it

**Maza** · 06-11-2015, 01:55 PM

The thing that I HATE about some Christmas movies is when they start off with someone who doesn't believe in Santa. Even though they are always proved wrong at the end of the film I think it sews a seed of doubt in little one's minds, and I don't like it. I'm happy to watch the films but don't want DD to watch them yet.

**Mouse** · 06-11-2015, 04:35 PM

Much as I love the Christmas adverts, why is the aim always to make you cry?

I want everything to be happy at Christmas. I don't want to be a jibber wreck just because the John Lewis advert is on! I'd love them to make a really happy one

**Maza** · 06-11-2015, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

Much as I love the Christmas adverts, why is the aim always to make you cry?

I want everything to be happy at Christmas. I don't want to be a jibber wreck just because the John Lewis advert is on! I'd love them to make a really happy one

Haha, you are so right! Interesting psychology!

**FussyElmo** · 07-11-2015, 08:55 AM

I agree with mouse when do they have to be so miserable.

It seems like they spend all year trying to find something that will make people cry (and Im not one of them).

We don't have a John lewis so its not someone I go to shop but we did when I was a child and I remember going to see the Christmas windows but will my children remember the adverts I doubt it

**Ripeberry** · 07-11-2015, 03:58 PM

Don't like the John Lewis advert. Skims over the real issues and leaves the poor old man on the moon crying. He didn't even get sent a Xmas dinner! Bah Humbug!

**bunyip** · 07-11-2015, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by AliceK

Is it just me who gets excited to see them all

I still feel it's a bit early tbh but I love seeing them, I love the song on the Asda one. Just seen the John Lewis one, not sure what I think about it yet?? Maybe it'll grow on me.

Please tell me it's not just me

xxx

Christmas makes me cry, even without the ads.

I'm not supposed to say this (so I shall

) as Mrs bunyip works for JLP, but the John Lewis ads drive me bonkers. I had a bellyful of the "Tiny Dancer" (more like "Prancing Gutbucket"

.) Their current Crimbo offering is another piece of sentimental tosh and I can already feel the turkey dinner rising back up from my stomach ready to spew forth.

My first guess was that "the man in the moon" was bound to turn out to be Santa, only to be proved wrong. Oh well. At least we now know where Lord Lucan's been all this time.

**FloraDora** · 07-11-2015, 06:59 PM

I have mixed feelings about the John Lewis advert - I have only seen it once so I expect I will see different things the more I watch it. Christmas is the season of goodwill and thinking of others..so working with Age UK ticks that box for them...in a ' we are a really caring company and even though we want you to spend your cash with us and no one else - we will also pull your heart strings and make you think of lonely old folk too...which will make our customers have the moral high ground.' I would like to see it followed up by them funding old peoples Christmas parties with their profits ( though your DW might not get her share then Bunyip, so this would have to be thought through!) perhaps they donate an amount from all purchases in December to Age UK?? Then they really would be thinking of the elderly.
About 10 years ago our council also pulled our heart strings and organised lonely elderly people to have a Christmas dinner - either by being invited or delivering to their home...I volunteered...and invited an elderly gentleman to our Christmas lunch....
We visited him beforehand and I had a warm glow of what a good citizen I was...we spent ages choosing a gift for him...then on the day we picked him up before our brunch champagne and canapés ( tomato brochette mainly - nobody wanted to drive)..." ****** foreign rubbish', sons had discussed his alcohol preference ......'anything' except on arrival he didn't want champagne, wine, local brewery ale....' Carling was requested , that's all I drink was exclaimed on the day..never enters our chiller...but we would have bought it had we known...so oldest nipped to a neighbour and swapped some of our bottled beer for cans of Carling. His present was tossed to the side with an exclamation of when you get older you always get useless presents. Neighbours popped in and he was fairly grumpy ( I know all these new people might have made him feel uncomfortable...but he volunteered himself into the scheme) and was a little negative about all the gadgets my teenage sons had been given - which they, bless them were trying their best not too be obsessed with. The meal was fine and he enjoyed everything - except the accompaniments to the Christmas pud ( dictated by Stokie DH and MIL - home made custard and rum butter) ....we had ordered a taxi at a fare expense to pick him up about an hour after lunch - in all he was with us for 5 hours and he wasn't happy leaving....but, to be absolutely honest we couldn't wait...it was quite a strain having a stranger with us for such a close family occasion....we did provide Sunday lunches for a few years after ..just once a month...and we came to like his predictable grumpiness ..and my youngest missed an important county match for his funeral - his choice...but sadly ( and with a selfish heart) we didn't invite him for Christmas dinner again...though someone delivered him one ( with brandy sauce to go with the pud) and delayed alcohol until it was safely delivered!
The advert makes me think of him sadly....but DH's response was " don't go getting dogooder ideas again!" Guiltily, I know I won't!

**Maza** · 07-11-2015, 09:50 PM

That's an interesting and honest account FloraDora. I've been thinking about doing something like that for years. The thought of the elderly being lonely at Christmas absolutely breaks my heart. There's a thread on my local FB page about signing up to a local charity and I am very tempted, although I know hubby wouldn't really be up for it, as lovely and patient as he is. I have such a short fuse with my own mum and am not much better with my MIL, but I find it easier with non-relatives. I must look into it, thanks for reminding me.

**k1rstie** · 08-11-2015, 12:15 AM

Floradora. What a lovely family you are.

**FloraDora** · 08-11-2015, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by k1rstie

Floradora. What a lovely family you are.

Actually the whole experience showed us we were more selfish than we would like to think.
They are talking about the JL advert on Andrew Marr this morning!
I have just seen the M&S one - a box set!
I am always in awe of people who can decorate their Christmas table....there is a video in their set just focussing on this.
We have crackers...but the centre of my table is needed for serving dishes, and cranberry sauce and condiments.....there isn't room for pine cones and a centre display!

Looking forward to seeing Waitrose and Aldi today...whatever happened to Carol singers? The adverts are replacing our traditional looking forward to Christmas activities.....but I am as guilty as others in enjoying them!

**greenfaerie** · 08-11-2015, 11:00 AM

I watched the JL advert and wasn't moved as much as Facebook tells me I should be, which in turn makes me feel bad.

Though it is a well made advert, and if it makes at least one person reconnect with an elderly loved one then it's worth it, I suppose. I did really enjoy the snowman one they did.

I remember a Morrisons one, maybe the year before last? Where people were sharing how they spend their Xmas, that was a lovely advert and I enjoyed their recreation of the WWI football match.

**bunyip** · 08-11-2015, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by FloraDora

I have mixed feelings about the John Lewis advert - I have only seen it once so I expect I will see different things the more I watch it. Christmas is the season of goodwill and thinking of others..so working with Age UK ticks that box for them...in a ' we are a really caring company and even though we want you to spend your cash with us and no one else - we will also pull your heart strings and make you think of lonely old folk too...which will make our customers have the moral high ground.' I would like to see it followed up by them funding old peoples Christmas parties with their profits ( though your DW might not get her share then Bunyip, so this would have to be thought through!) perhaps they donate an amount from all purchases in December to Age UK?? Then they really would be thinking of the elderly.

I can quite relate to what you're saying. My personal view is that the companies who make a big deal of their charity giving then bang on about it for commercial reasons are being very exploitative. They could "give quietly" like individuals do, but the noise they make shows their true intentions. I also found the WW1 Xmas football ad exploitative too, for that matter.

Having a DW working for JLP/Waitrose is a real eye-opener. They are one of the better retail employers. Yet a glance at their staff magazine letters page, and comments I hear, reveal how utterly self-centred a lot of the employees can be. You wouldn't believe the "first world issues" that get moaned about. We're talking staff who think they are treated badly if the water cooler is the wrong temperature or if the bacon in the canteen isn't cooked exactly how they like it.

Mind you (and this is going to make this post sound wholly cynical) I'm always very careful who I give to, and Age UK is definitely not on my Xmas list. A friend of mine has grandparents who live in a very exclusive 'stockbroker belt' village in Surrey: her grandad was a high-level overseas executive for a large oil company. Age UK always try to deliver them a 'food parcel' complete with turkey and booze every Christmas, despite the fact they are absolutely filthy rich.

**bunyip** · 09-11-2015, 06:38 PM

Now this one I could watch all day long..............................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB_C2eOQG9g

**FussyElmo** · 09-11-2015, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by bunyip

Now this one I could watch all day long..............................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB_C2eOQG9g

I must admit I pressed on your link with some trepidation

But I do adore that paradoy and we are waiting for the Star Wars movie

**smurfette** · 11-11-2015, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Maza

The thing that I HATE about some Christmas movies is when they start off with someone who doesn't believe in Santa. Even though they are always proved wrong at the end of the film I think it sews a seed of doubt in little one's minds, and I don't like it. I'm happy to watch the films but don't want DD to watch them yet.

Plus one!!! Difficult if they are of that age where there might be a doubt !

**cookiesncream** · 11-11-2015, 12:55 PM

I dont much like christmas. There, I said it. I used to but I find i just starts too early. I ban any mention of it in my house until 1st december. I saw someone putting up their tree last night and it just makes me tut. I think they should have it once every four years like the olympics and maybe it would be more exciting.