Christmas spots from Disney and John Lewis & Partners are the post-Diwali snuggle you need

Pixaresque minis you can drown in after a tough Zoom call and before you get back to work.

If feature-length films are your escape from the harsh grind of life, then some advertisements are your escape from the everyday drudgery you might call work or work-life or that fiasco called work-life balance.

Diwali ads and campaigns packed the last couple of weeks. Some were optimistic about the future, some made us realise the value of our loved ones more than ever, and some were just there; diverse ads, but they set the mood for the festival of lights in their own ways.

Now, with the Diwali craze and the long weekend spent, you and the rest of us have hit that slump post the high from caffeine; we feel weary, empty, and the will to do nothing reigns supreme.

It is at this time the influence of advertisements comes into play. And this time is all about the magic of Christmas with Disney, a media and entertainment behemoth, and John Lewis & Partners, a British depart store playing the magicians.

We (afaqs!) first came across Disney’s Christmas ad, which is not only endearing but leaves you with a warm gooey smile that won’t leave your face for quite a while.

Made by its internal creative team, “The Stepdad” is the story of a guy's slow yet determined efforts to win over his partner’s kids. Gregory Porter’s ‘Love Runs Deeper’ fits in like a dream with this ad.

The first 10-seconds of the ad make it evident that it is connected to Disney’s Christmas ad 'Lola' from last (2020). Talk about building a new series.

From the magical realm of Disney, we head to sci-fi and aliens that John Lewis & Partners doled out this year for their annual Christmas spot; the British department store is the bar when it comes to Christmas ads and folks from several countries wait for it with eager icy breaths.

The ad, made by Adam&eveDDB, is the story of 14-year old Nathan and Skye, a space traveller whose craft has crashed here on Earth.

“As he introduces her to the season’s traditions, from decorating the tree to eating mince pies, their friendship develops and we see the magic of Christmas through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the very first time,” tells the brand on its website.

To see a human being and an alien, two different creatures, bond over Christmas knitting and fairy lights is a poignant tale; the world is more divided than ever today and it is the simplest of things that can bring us together.

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I leave this story with this post from Zomato, an online food delivery brand this week. It speaks of what we lost this year and that everything has lost its soul.

“We know that it may be too soon to be happy, but we hope you find happiness again soon.”

Maybe the magic of Christmas will nude us towards that road. Until then...

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