Heartbreaking Christmas ad being dubbed ’the best of the year’

The cost of living crisis means that Christmas won't quite be the same for millions of families this year.

Now, a heartbreaking advert that brings home the stark reality of soaring costs has been winning widespread praise online.

Created by Sam Teale Productions, an England-based video production service that helps people to tell their stories, the video shows one dad's struggle at what's meant to be the most wonderful time of the year.

In the heartbreaking advert, a young boy can be seen telling his barber that 'Santa is poorly this year' when he's asked what he is getting.

This prompts the barber to waiver the cost of the haircut when his dad goes to pay.

Sadly, things only get more distressing as the advert progresses, and the pair go home to a meal of chips and turkey dinosaurs.

There is no sauce with the meal and it's accompanied by water, but heartbreakingly, the dad in the advert doesn't eat at all so that his son can.

He then puts him to bed before turning off every light and electrical appliance in the house and begins to cry.

The next day at school, the young boy writes a letter to Santa, telling him that he hopes he gets well soon - an act that prompts a look of total sympathy from his teacher.

Some light is then shed on the pair's plight later in the advert when it's revealed that the young boy's mum has passed away.

While it does look like he will have no Christmas this year, against the odds, his dad manages to make it a special day by building him a go-kart.

The pair then visit his mum's grave, and the ad states: "The magic of Christmas is made, not bought."

Sam Teale Productions

As you can imagine, this left viewers more than a little emotional.

Reacting to the heartbreaking advert, one viewer wrote: "Oh my goodness - this was a hard watch!

"Fabulous message though and a fabulous video - well done."

A second revealed: "This became our reality in 2013 when my wife passed away suddenly at the age of 26, leaving me to somehow try to pick up the pieces and raise our then 2yo whilst going back to work full-time.

Sam Teale Productions

"There wasn't much help or compassion back then and after a decade of governance by those who care only for the strong, for winners, there's a lot less now. Christmas certainly wasn't much fun for a few years."

"The best and most true Christmas advert I've seen so far in these hard times we're all going through," remarked a third. "We maybe all struggle at some point... nothing to be ashamed of."

What did you think? The advert's message is certainly a poignant one, this year more than ever.