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This Is Why 'The Long Wait' Will Always Be John Lewis' Best Christmas Advert

This Is Why 'The Long Wait' Will Always Be John Lewis' Best Christmas Advert

The advert tells the story of a young boy impatiently waiting for Christmas, and it is categorically the best of them all.

Ciara Sheppard

Ciara Sheppard

Today, John Lewis released its annual Christmas advert to much hype, and while all the chatter's about the overly-excited dragon Edgar, we can't help but feel it pales in comparison to one of the British retailer's past campaigns.

To be honest, we've felt like this every year since 2011. Why?

The Long Wait is categorically the best John Lewis advert ever made and we won't be taking any other suggestions. Nope, that's it. Case closed.

The ad - which tells the story of a young boy impatiently waiting for Christmas - is simplistic yet utterly layered, with a unexpected twist that makes you question your own cynicism around Christmas.

'But what about that one with the old man sat on the moon?' you might ask. Give us a rest. 'But, but... the little boy and the penguin!' Behave yourselves. 'But what about The Bear and the Hare?' I hear you cry. No.

'The Bear And The Hare' (2013) told the story of a bear who kept sleeping through Christmas (
John Lewis)

While they're all excellent in their own right, the only John Lewis advert anyone should care about is The Long Wait. Don't @ us.

Set to Slow Moving Millie's cover of The Smiths' song 'Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want', the advert starts with a little boy impatiently waiting for Christmas.

He painstakingly opens the doors on his advent calendar, tries to magic away the time dressed as a wizard, and wills the hours away by swinging on the swing in his garden.

The ad tells the story of a young by waiting for Christmas (
John Lewis)

Eventually, Christmas Eve comes and he shovels the last of his dinner in his mouth before rushing up to bed and closing is eyes in anticipation for the big day.

At first glance, the little boy is a seemingly grumpy, spoilt, if not slightly troubled young kid who can't think about anything but receiving loads of presents on December 25th.

The little boy just can't wait for the big day, seemingly to receive loads of presents (
John Lewis)

But when Christmas morning comes, the boy jumps up, rushes past his stocking packed with presents at the foot of his bed, and collects a poorly-wrapped gift from his closet.

He walks into his parents room, arms out-stretched with the present, and - for the first time in the advert - smiling, as the tagline reads: "For gifts you can't wait to give".

Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

'The Long Wait' includes a surprising twist at the end (
John Lewis)

Tell me that is not the best advert of all time? And it's genius on so many levels.

Firstly, you do not see the twist coming the first time you watch it and it majorly throws you off kilter.

Everyone thinks the boy is impatiently waiting to receive loads of presents at Christmas, as is a common trope with kids. So you're left feeling completely warm and fuzzy to discover he couldn't wait to give his present to his parents.

AND HE WRAPPED IT ALL HIMSELF - LOOK!

2015's 'The Man On The Moon' reportedly cost John Lewis around £7 million to make (
John Lewis)

It also plays to a lesser-acknowledged festive phenomenon that we all experience: how good it feels to GIVE a gift.

Christmas can sometimes feel like all Christmas lists, Black Friday sales and bulging online shopping baskets - so you can't fault an advert that celebrates the art of giving. Yep, there's a reason 'The Long Wait' was the advert that put John Lewis on the radar.

Honestly JL, save your money and just play this every year on repeat.

Featured Image Credit: John Lewis

Topics: John Lewis, Christmas, Entertainment News