John Lewis unveils 2026 Christmas advert as heartwarming message behind this year's campaign revealed
With Halloween finally out of the way, the festive season is very nearly upon us.
To celebrate the autumn milestone, John Lewis has finally unveiled its highly-anticipated Christmas advert for 2026 - and, once again, this year's edition comes with a very special message, indeed.
That's right - it's time to get the tinsel and wreaths down from the loft, stock up on Quality Street and prepare to shed a tear or two.
Marking the 20th edition of the retailer's much-loved festive campaign, this year's advert, titled 'Gloria and Pickles', is all about rediscovering the joy of giving, with the heartwarming tagline, 'Don't give up on giving'.
Advert
And with an Oscar-nominated actress, a very special four-legged friend and a brand-new Sam Fender soundtrack involved, it's safe to say the much-loved retailer has pulled out all the stops.
Created by Saatchi & Saatchi, the three-minute advert follows Gloria, played by Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, and her beloved childhood toy, Pickles the dog, as they embark on a last-minute mission to find the perfect Christmas gifts for her grandchildren.
Anyway, the story begins on Christmas Eve, with Gloria putting the finishing touches to her beautiful home ahead of welcoming her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, Freddie and Maggie.
After the children arrive following a long journey, Gloria decides to dig out her old toy collection from the attic to keep them entertained.
Among the collection is Pickles, a vintage Little Snoopy Pull-Along Toy, who Gloria introduces to her grandchildren.
The troublesome youngsters are soon distracted by calls for lunch, however, leaving their grandmother wondering whether she really knows what they want for Christmas nowadays.
Feeling a little unsure of herself, a Disheartened Gloria later sits down to write the children's Christmas cards, placing cash inside each envelope, having decided money is the safest option.
But it seems Pickles has other ideas.
In a rather magical turn of events, the toy pup suddenly springs to life - voiced by actor, comedian and writer Paul Whitehouse - to give Gloria a telling-off.
"You can do better than cash," he tells her, before dragging her out of the house on a last-minute Christmas gifting mission.
And just when the pair begin to lose hope, a colourful TukTuk comes to their rescue, whisking them through the streets of London.
Inspired by the vibrant ride, Gloria suddenly has a lightbulb moment and asks the driver to stop outside John Lewis.
Fast-forward to Christmas morning, and Gloria hands Freddie and Maggie their Christmas cards, with the children expecting to find the usual cash inside.
But instead, they're presented with an unexpected surprise - a single key.
Using it to unlock the door to Gloria's home office, the youngsters discover the 'Gran Cave', a magical wonderland complete with sparkling lights, disco balls and music inspired by their grandmother's TukTuk adventure.
Of course, the ad ends with a happy ending, and Freddie and Maggie are absolutely delighted by the sweet gesture, rushing into Gloria's arms as the thoughtful surprise brings the generations together.
We're not crying, you are!
In-keeping with tradition, this year's commercial also features a rather special soundtrack, with singer-songwriter Sam Fender covering The Rolling Stones' iconic track 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'.
The new version marks Fender's first new music since the record-breaking success of 'Rein Me In', and has been released alongside the advert.
Adding an extra special touch, the musician revealed that the children's choir featured in the recording was made up of pupils from his former school, John Spence Community High School, while the brass section was arranged with Easington Colliery Band.
Even Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has given the cover his seal of approval.
"I'm a fan of Sam's work, so I was pleased to hear he was covering one of my songs," he gushed. "I think he's done a great job with it."
Meanwhile, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas said she couldn't resist the opportunity to star in the iconic Christmas campaign.
Speaking about her role, she confessed: "Gloria's journey captured my heart straight away. She represents so many parents and grandparents who want nothing more than to create lasting memories with the younger generation."
The British star also described working alongside Pickles to create the 'Gran Cave' as an 'absolute joy', adding that she hopes the advert brings a big smile to families across the UK this Christmas.
N'aww!
Topics: John Lewis, Shopping, TV And Film, Entertainment, Christmas
Rhianna Benson