This year’s John Lewis advert has a refreshingly simple message: If you want a happy Christmas with your family, then buy stuff from John Lewis.

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Of course that is, essentially, the message every year. The department store does not spend X amount of money on hiring A-list actors, buying the rights to a British rock anthem, and then spending more on a contemporary musician to perform a cosy acoustic version of it just for the sake of good vibes. There is money to be made. Come on, John Lewis was never in it for the true meaning of Christmas (Jesus), but at least tries to play Santa in bringing cheer while supporting capitalism.

But for years, even as budgets grew and ideas ran thinner, John Lewis did always try to give some pretence of providing a heart-tugging message from the Hare and........

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