Which is your favourite?

In recent weeks, we've ranked the Wizarding World franchise, Coen brothers movies, and the ten seasons of 'Friends'. So this latest is a little left of field.

But with the 2020 advertisement having dropped earlier today, we decided to rank the last ten years of John Lewis Christmas ads.

While their Christmas ads didn't start in 2010 by any means, they developed a reputation for being extremely creative, and deeply emotional, this last decade.

Ranking these was seriously not easy - mostly because we kept crying as we revisited them.

10 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2010

So this trailer is fairly by the numbers as far as Christmas ads go, though Ellie Goulding’s rendition of “Your Song” in the background elevates it significantly. It was also from a time before John Lewis ads had a proper story. The ad also preceded their realisation that the key ingredient to a remarkable Christmas ad is a mascot. (See their adverts for 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019)

9 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2017

Perhaps we’re being a bit of a Grinch saying this but you can’t help but feel that the 2017 John Lewis Christmas ad is something of a ‘Monsters Inc’ knock-off. Still, the story is sweet and Moz the monster is pretty adorable. Is he cuter than Monty the Penguin or Buster the Boxer though? Nah. Fun fact: The ad was directed by Michel Gondry, best-known for ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’.

8 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018

John Lewis is an expert when it comes to picking music for their Christmas ads. Well that reached a new height when their 2018 advert featured the legendary Elton John and depicted his career (á la ‘Rocketman’) to the top. The final twist? That it all began with the gift of a piano.

7 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2019

A little girl in a small village has a very special friend – Edgar the dragon. But Edgar can get a little excitable with his fire breathing ability, much to the annoyance (and terror) of the locals. But Christmas is a time of sharing and forgiveness, so the little girl finds a way to help Edgar be accepted. We can’t fight this feeling anymore either.

6 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2015

A young girl named Lily discovers something extraordinary through her telescope – there’s an old man living on the moon! But she can’t say hello or send a message to him, as much as she’d like to. Luckily, kids come up with the best ideas. Now I want a telescope too!

5 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2014

2014 was the year we met the wonderful Monty the Penguin. He and his little boy friend do everything together – they watch TV, play Lego, go to the park and more. But Monty starts to get lonely, and wants a girlfriend. Lucky someone has a surprise in store. How sweet!

4 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2013

Everyone remembers this one, otherwise known as “The Bear and the Hare.” The animated advertisement is like something out of a Disney classic, or ‘Watership Down’, as it depicts the affectionate friendship between said characters, and how it is challenged when winter arrives. In the background is Lily Allen’s beautiful cover of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know.”

3 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2011

A child waits impatiently – but for what? His parents and his little brother are baffled. Surely it’s for the arrival of Santa? But no, the trailer ends with the sweet revelation that sometimes there are “gifts you can’t wait to give.” Awwwwww.

2 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2012

In their 2012 advert – also known as “The Journey” – John Lewis spun a tender yarn. It depicts the love between a snowman and snowwoman, and how far the latter will go for the former. Gabrielle Aplin’s cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “The Power of Love” would make us emotional as it is. But pair that with this heart-rending story and you’ll have to excuse our blubbering.

1 John Lewis Christmas Advert 2016

Two years after the success of Monty the Penguin, John Lewis rolled out Buster the Boxer – and what a gift that was. That dog’s pure elation at jumping up and down on the family present of a trampoline (after a couple of local animals get a kick out of doing the same) captures the spirit of Christmas unlike anything else. It makes you smile and laugh and feel warm inside. What more could you ask for?

What do you think of our ranking? What's your favourite of the John Lewis Christmas ads? Let us know in the Facebook comments.