Oh, they grow up so fast. The John Lewis Christmas advert, the sickeningly British festive institution, has just turned 18. In that time, we’ve had eight prime ministers, two monarchs and 19 seasons of Strictly Come Dancing. Its success has been down to its foolproof formula: impossibly saccharine, a little bit sad and unbelievably sparkly. To really get the tears flowing, the JL advert must – and I repeat, must – have a twinkly, slowed-down piano ballad cover version of a nostalgic hit from a boomer’s youth (preferably sung by Elton John, or Richard Ashcroft, or Ellie Goulding). Bonus points for using an adorable five-year-old and/or an anthropomorphic animal as the protagonist. Anyone remember that lonely elderly man trapped living on the moon (2015)? Or the misunderstood boxer dog with a passion for trampolines (2016)?
