There's a reason there's 'no dad' in John Lewis Christmas ad

John Lewis dropped its much-anticipated Christmas ad on Thursday (9 November) – and it's certainly received a mixed bag of reviews.

The 2023 advert shows a young boy asking his grandma if he can have a 'Grow Your Own Perfect Christmas Tree' kit. He goes on to plant and nurture the seed that eventually grows into a giant Venus flytrap called Snapper.

The boy's family become concerned when the plant spots their pet Pomeranian, so subsequently move the flytrap outside to avoid any casualties. They replaced it with a traditional Christmas tree instead.

When his mother and grandmother notice how upset the boy is on Christmas day, they all head outside to open presents with the plant.

Some viewers have called the 2023 advert "beautiful," while others said it was a "pathetic" attempt that lacked Christmas spirit.

Meanwhile, others were riled up about one small detail... there was no dad in the ad.

"Banned the Dad, have we? Sexist b**tards. You’ve lost me as a customer forever. Happy Christmas, hope you’re bankrupt next year," one person fumed.

"I enjoyed the advert but it would have been nice to see the Dad or even Grandad," another wrote. "Fathers play just as an important role in their children’s lives."

John Lewis responded to the comment, explaining: "We always attempt to show a broad representation of British life across our advertising. This is a very realistic scenario for thousands of families in the UK."

Another person joked they would be "writing to Ofcom immediately" to which they later quipped: "I hope my post comes across as parody! My point is that people will be offended by absolutely ANYTHING. 'Where’s the dad' - John Lewis should probably reply 'down the pub b***ing his secretary.'"

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