Team Bookends Reacts

With just over five weeks to go until Christmas Day (Yes – it has come around quickly) the Christmas lights are up, mince pies are on the shelves and every time you turn on the TV you’re bound to see a suitably festive advert.

Whether they’ve made you well up or rush out to buy something read more to see how Team Bookends and one of our favourite Bookends authors, Joanna Bolouri, reacted to some of this years favourite Christmas adverts.

 Joanna Bolouri, author of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I have to say, after watching all of the Christmas adverts this year, the only one that didn’t make me want to rage quit the entire festive season was the John Lewis advert.

 The Maurice Sendak monster under the bed idea is utterly charming, the kid is undeniably cute and the Elbow cover of Golden Slumbers is rather pretty; however, the ending is outrageous. All it takes is the flick of a switch from a £15 lamp and the friendly, harmless monster is banished forever. Yes, sleep may be precious and important but SO IS AN ADORABLE FARTING MONSTER WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY SCALEXTRIC.

I hope the rest of that kid’s presents were clothes. Merry Christmas.

John Lewis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw1Y-zhQURU 

Aimee: The concept didn’t really work for me. The kid is really adorable, though!

Hannah: This one gave me all the feels. 10/10 would watch repeatedly.

Helena: The John Lewis ad marks the start of Christmas for me so I was very pleased to see this adorable little monster grace my screen. Loved it.

M&S

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

Aimee: I find Paddington’s voice very soothing, but don’t like to think of there being burglars prowling around on Christmas Eve!

Alice: When I heard that Paddington was going to be the star of the M&S ad I was super excited. My children love the movies (actually, I love the movies more and forced them to love them) and the combination of the much-love marmalade fan and the trusty stockist of socks and vests seemed irresistible. But somehow, it just didn’t work. Maybe they tried to pack too much in (it goes at about 90 miles an hour) but the message doesn’t quite land. The lest believable character isn’t the computer generated talking bear, but the burglar who is happy to let everything he’s nicked be returned and who seems to see the error of his ways. It may have been that my expectations were too high, but Paddington deserved better.

Hannah: My main question is where did this burglar get a pair of red tights from? Where is he shopping?!

Helena: You can’t go wrong with Paddington can you? 10/10 would watch again,

Debenhams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyNhzFYP3ts

Aimee: This was so sweet! Though who kisses someone that they’ve never spoken to and who has kept their sparkly shoe?

Hannah: This one definitely made me want to go out an splash the cash more than any other. The coats in this ad are stylish as hell, and although the glittering shoes are a bit much for me, I wouldn’t turn down her dress… Also, who doesn’t love a whimsical Ewan MacGregor carrying his ladder off into the night?

Helena: I thoroughly enjoyed the whole fairy tale aspect of this one – perfect Christmas story. I also loved her shoes.

Alice: Who can resist a love sorry narrated by Ewan McGregor? Certainly not me…

Sainsbury’s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU50dLLy7Cw

Aimee: I immediately hated this one but the song started to grow on me and now it’s stuck in my head – it’s been hours and I’m still singing ‘every bit of this’.

Hannah: Can definitely identify with the line “Hundredth time that we’ve had this playlist” – from the moment Halloween is over I’m playing the Destiny’s Child Christmas CD on repeat until the New Year. But as much as I found this one relatable, I couldn’t get on board with the song – I want the glorious harmonies of Beyonce, Kelly and Michelle, not a bunch of Sainsbury’s employees talking tunelessly over a soundtrack.

Helena: The song is still in my head.

Tesco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSUkAURUU1I

Aimee: The most relatable Christmas advert by far. Made me feel very nostalgic and I remembered the time my dad accidentally threw out the gravy, which caused quite a storm in the Oliver house.

Hannah: This one did give me some of the feels, and definitely got me excited to go home for the holidays, but the main event were those turkeys *drool*

Helena: This one was the most realistic – who hasn’t had an argument at Christmas? Once I threw away goose fat down the sink by accident – that did not go down well with my Dad.

Waitrose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJZbo5ohVGs

Aimee: My favourite Christmas song ever! (Well, apart from the Pogues). Being snowed in looks like quite a bit of fun to me.

Hannah: This one had such a lovely nostalgic, cosy feeling about it, I’d give it a 7/10 on the joyful scale.

Helena: Who wouldn’t want to be snowed in with a ton of goodies from Waitrose? The music also makes it feels extra Chrismassy.

If you’re feeling nice and festive after watching all those Christmas ad’s why not spend the rest of the day reading one of our Christmas reads for just 99p in eBook!