The John Lewis Christmas advert is a true modern British festive institution.
From Monty the Penguin to Buster the Boxer and the Man on the Moon, we will all have a personal favourite. But with more than a decade’s worth of adverts to choose from - going back all the way to 2007 - it might be hard to remember which are the best as the years go by.
As we eagerly await the 18th John Lewis Christmas advert - I have looked back through the trends to see if I can find any clues for when the 2024 edition could drop. I have also decided to take on the mammoth task of ranking all of the past ads: from worst to best. Also take a look at the great Waitrose ad here.
The rating system is from one to five Jingle Bells - and is based on my personal opinion on how Christmassy the advert is, how well the storyline works, the choice of song and more. Do you agree with my ranking, let me know by emailing me: [email protected].

17. 2- Excitable Edgar (2019)
Can we start by just taking a moment to admire the craftsmanship of this advert - it looks better than some Hollywood films released in the last few years. Personally, I love everything about this one - the song choice, the storyline, and of course the moment that poor Edgar is able to use his fire for good and light the Christmas pud. Not sure what the collective opinion is on this one, but it is a really strong effort and extremely Christmassy in a fairy tale way. Rating: 4.9 Jingle Bells. | YouTube/ John Lewis Photo: YouTube/ John Lewis

18. 1 - Monty the Penguin (2014)
Look, penguins are my favourite animals and so I have always had a soft spot for this advert. I remember it being released a decade ago and I wondered if my fondness for it was purely nostalgia based. But Monty’s quest for love is still as endearing now as it was back then. Rating: 5 Jingle Bells. | YouTube/ John Lewis Photo: YouTube/ John Lewis