When is the John Lewis Christmas advert 2021 out?
CHRISTMAS lovers count down the days until the much anticipated John Lewis advert is released every year.
For many, the release of the retail giant's much-loved festive advert each year officially marks the start of the Christmas countdown.
So that means shoppers can now start hanging up their fairy lights and digging into mince pies, guilt free, as the 2021 advert has officially been released.
Fans thought they had spotted a clue about when the retailer's hotly anticipated Christmas ad would launch earlier in the week.
Eagle-eyed Brits noticed TWO "spaceships" which crash landed on UK streets - one in Newcastle, and another on London's Southbank.
A plaque next to each of the alien-themed art installations reads: "Christmas is landing 04/11/21 #UnexpectedGuest".
That's because today officially marks the advert's release and the teasers certainly lived up to actual reveal, as we now know the theme and story behind it.
This year the heart-warming advert is all about the magic of experiencing Christmas for the first time.
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In its 2021 Christmas ad called The Unexpected Guest, a teenage boy called Nathan meets an alien named Skye who has crash landed on earth.
Through friendship Nathan shows Skye a series of festive family traditions.
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They decorate a tree, eat mince pies, throw snowballs, watch an Xmas movie and he even gives her a gift of a Christmas jumper - a jumper that you can actually get your hands on yourself through John Lewis' official advert merchandise.
The soundtrack is also performed by Lola Young, a 20-year-old singer-songwriter from South London, with a version of "Together in Electric Dreams".
When does the advert usually come out?
Usually the advert comes out around the second week of November, but this year the ad has been released earlier than ever.
In 2020, the advert first aired on Friday, November 13, but a year on and we've been treated to the mini movie delight nine days earlier.
Last year's ad was inspired by random acts of kindness during the Covid lockdowns.
The advert was first shown on social media and was broadcast on ITV the following day, November 14, during The Voice.
Where to buy John Lewis' Christmas Jumper
WANT your very own John Lewis Christmas jumper? Luckily for you John Lewis is selling Nathan's jumper from their iconic advert.
It's available in kids, mens and womens, and is priced from £14.
- John Lewis & Partners Christmas Advert 2021 Kids' Jumper, from £14 -
- John Lewis & Partners Christmas Advert 2021 Men's Jumper, £29 -
- John Lewis & Partners Christmas Advert 2021 Women's Jumper, £29 -
You can
The 2019 advert was launched on Thursday November 14.
The advert was a joint effort between John Lewis and Waitrose and was first shown on its social media channels.
It made its TV debut on the Saturday that week, November 16, during X Factor on ITV.
The first-ever John Lewis Christmas advert was released in 2007 and was called "shadow".
Who sings on the advert this year?
The John Lewis Christmas ads are not just known for their beautiful animations or the fuzzy-feeling they give viewers.
The big-budget ads - which cost around £1 million to make - also usually feature a great song by a top artist.
In 2020, British soul singer Celeste sung the song "A Little Love" on the advert.
She already had a Brit Award and BBC Music Award under her belt and was named as breakthrough act of 2020 in a BBC poll of music critics as well as One to Watch by NME.
The 2019 advert was voiced by Dan Smith, the lead singer of alt-pop band Bastille.
The advert that year centred around Edgar the Excitable Dragon, an accident-prone dragon who struggled to make friends in the tear-jerker of an ad.
The backing track was a cover of REO Speedwagon's classic Can't Fight This Feeling.
And in 2018, Elton John sung his classic hit Your Song on the advert titled The Boy and the Piano.
This year it's brilliant up and coming British talent Lola Young doing the cover.
"Together in Electric Dreams" was originally released by Philip Oakey, lead singer of Human League, and Italian composer Giorgio Moroder in 1984, but it's had a heartwarming revamp for the retailer's 2021 advert campaign.
When was the 2021 John Lewis ad launched?
The John Lewis team usually gets started on making the ad in February each year.
In 2020, work was delayed until June because of the pandemic, but the ad still aired well ahead of Christmas.
Previous years have seen the advert first air between around November 10 and November 15, but we were treated a little earlier this year as it came out November 4.
Typically the ad is first shown on the retailer's social media channels and appears on TV a couple of days later.
Its first TV broadcast usually comes on a Saturday night during one of the most popular shows of the year, and typically on ITV.
We've already seen some Christmas adverts hit the small screen.
Online retailer Very was the first to unveil its 2021 advert. Themed around getting started early, it arrived in October.
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Boots' Christmas advert is all about making it the best one ever too, also released today it stars Jenna Coleman, who viewers will recognise as Clare from Doctor Who and BBC series The Serpent.
Plus M&S has revealed a Percy Pig Christmas advert for 2021 – with an A-list celeb voicing Percy Pig.
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