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A definitive ranking of the best, and most heart wrenching Christmas adverts 2018

I’ve cried many times over this

5 years ago | UPDATED 5 years ago

Christmas adverts are the best things about the festive period. Everyone gets so excited when a new one comes out, and when you're in the lounge all cuddled up a blanket and a cuppa and you first see the John Lewis advert, it's a moment you never forget. You scream for everyone in the house to come and watch and you all sit and cry together over how festive it makes you feel.

Christmas adverts are magical – and I disagree strongly with anyone who thinks differently. Yes it is only November, but Christmas can never come too early. Here is a ranking of the best, worst and most heart-wrenching Christmas adverts this year. Get the tissues ready.

1. Heathrow Airport – "#HeathrowBears"

The Heathrow advert this year follows two bears that live in a retirement apartment in Florida. They decorate their house for Christmas, but soon realise it's pretty lonely and bleak having Christmas in a warm country with just the two of them. They FaceTime their family back home who have done the house up and that's where they want to be. So they pack up and go home for Christmas – to spend it with their family.

This pulled on every single heart string I have, and made me feel like I should go and tell my family I love them. It may be recycling the same thing they do every year with the bears, the biscuits and the concept of coming home for Christmas, but why fix something that isn't broken? I cried, a lot. Definitely deserves the crown of best advert 2018. 10/10.

2. Boots – "#GiftsThatGetThem"

This ad is all about the relationship between a mum and her daughter. The mum doesn't get off her back about things like wearing lots of makeup, but then when her mum is up singing with the choir – she's the one with her lipstick on. The song then says the girl is giving her "stunning and strong" mum lipstick for Christmas so she can "keep singing".

I just going to come out and say it, Boots are the undisputed kings of Christmas adverts. They pull on your heartstrings, and have got the family festive feeling down to a tee. Who would think sharing the story of a girl and her mum would be so lovely. Their adverts are faultless, and make you cry every time. 10/10.

3. Coca Cola – "Holidays are Coming"

CLASSIC, ICONIC, CAN DO NO WRONG. The ad is literally just the classic van. The music is the soundtrack of Christmas and the Coca Cola adverts will never not be the moment that you know it's time for Christmas. Holidays are defo coming. 10/10.

4. Waitrose – "Fast Forward"

The first of two Waitrose Christmas adverts from this year. The second one is pretty average so it's no surprise they felt the need to up their game and make this one too. The story shows a girl getting excited to bring all of her family in too watch the iconic John Lewis advert – relatable – but her dad fast forwards the whole thing as the stollen cake they have is too good to wait for.

Obviously this has only been allowed because they are the same company as John Lewis but the self-deprecating nature of this advert and how they basically rinse themselves makes this pretty classic. 9/10.

5. Iceland – "Say Hello To Rang-tan. #NoPalmOilChristmas"

Iceland's is the advert from Christmas 2018 you will definitely never forget. It's probably done Iceland's marketing a world of good that the advert got banned – it's got everyone talking about it. Sharing the story of how palm oil is destroying the habitats of orangutans, the ad was banned for being "too political". A little girl finds an oragutan in her bedroom and asks why he is there, and the orangutan explains it's because humans are destroying his home. It concludes that Iceland will no longer be stocking palm oil products.

It's pretty heart wrenching and people have commented on YouTube that it is "glorious" and excellent" and that they're "shopping in Iceland from now" so it's done it's job. 9/10.

6. Sainsbury's – "The Big Night"

Sainsbury's Christmas ad 2018 follows a girl in her school performance who starts off shy, but ends up putting on a Christmas show that makes her mum proud – alongside all of her classmates.

This one was good. It's warm and fuzzy throughout, and leaves you feeling festive and ready to snuggle up on the sofa and get the Christmas films and the Christmas chocolates out. You just can't really go wrong with cute kids all dressed up and making their parents proud at Christmas. The girl that plays the star is very cute, and a personal highlight is how the child that got left with the costume of a electric plug actually stole the show. Tear-jerking, and gave me goosebumps but does have a strong resemblance to the John Lewis Bohemian Rhapsody ad, so not the most original marketing. 9/10.

7. John Lewis – "#EltonJohnLewis"

The one we all wait for – the iconic John Lewis Christmas advert. Just from the music you know this is going to be good. Elton John is a hero, so it can't really go wrong. It does start off a little bit slow and doesn't feel that Christmassy throughout but then, it hits you. When you start to understand what this ad is all about it's good. Going back in time with Elton John and his piano is classic, and the child getting it at Christmas is the cutest thing you'll see this year. And the facial expression Elton John makes at the end is worthy of the five million pounds he was paid to star in it. Oscar worthy too. Can confirm: cried. 8/10.

8. Aldi – "Kevin the Carrot and the Wicked Parsnip"

Kevin the carrot is back!!! You have to hand it to Aldi, keeping this plot line going is impressive. This year Kevin is faced with a "wicked parsnip" who's jealous carrots are better and wants to take their crown. But obviously, Kevin saves the day.

The food looks good and my heart melts for Kevin. The ending gave me goosebumps, and it plays well on the Christmas fairytale. 7/10.

9. Debenhams – "Do a bit of you know you did good"

A series of a few short adverts – none of which are exactly ground breaking, these ads are all about knowing people so well you know you've got them a present they'll love. Everyone does like that jammy feeling of knowing you've got a present that is totally spot on. 6/10.

10. Morrisons – "Christmas, Morrisons Makes it"

This advert for Morrisons is basically children going along to do the Chirstmas food shop, and then when they are all around the table the boy asks if his mum has "everything she asked for" and she looks around at everyone and says yes. It's cute, and the food looks good. 5/10.

11. Tesco – "However You Do Christmas"

It's just about how different people spend Christmas. From a family round the table to a woman who's giving birth on Christmas day.

I didn't cry, but did feel pretty warm and fuzzy. Didn't really make me want to rush out and buy Tesco's food though. 5/10.

12. Waitrose – "Concert"

The second entry from Waitrose, and by far not their best. This ad is about a choir putting on a Christmas concert – but when they realise there's mince pies waiting, they all rush to finish.

Can't help but feel like Waitrose and Partners blew their budget on the John Lewis advert so just recycled the set from the Bohemian Rhapsody advert and threw this together in a day. It was short and sweet, and the mince pies did look alright tbf. 4/10.

13. Lidl – "More For Everyone This Christmas"

Lidl is a great supermarket, but the Christmas ad? Not so great. It started off so well with an old couple doing their shop, but then they left and it was all downhill. It's just Lidl workers following people around the shop and then somehow ending up in their houses too. Not particularly heart-wrenching and didn't even show off their products very well. Best bit was the sparkles at the end. 4/10.

14. Asda – "Bring Christmas Home"

It's a little bit confusing. It's loads of Christmassy things coming down a hill like someone riding a Christmas tree and a table of food, and then it all lands on the doorstep of a girl – "bringing Christmas home".

I have to say it was pretty poor. There was very little emotional blackmail and I definitely didn't cry. It didn't even make me hungry. 3/10.

15. M&S – "Must Haves"

Firstly, just calling your Christmas advert "must haves" and then listing some things people do at Christmas is pretty lazy in my opinion. It's just not very Christmassy. It's Holly Willoughby telling us everything we must have at Christmas, like: lights, parties and knickers???

You have to agree with the M&S sceptics, that not even Holly Willoughby can make this advert good. 2/10.