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Rebecca Claxton reviews the new John Lewis advert and the angry hype surrounding it

Climate change, Brexit and terrorist attacks are consuming our thoughts this Christmas. So why in the midst of all this negative news are we condemning Edgar the dragon and labelling him as a capitalist trap. The bottom line is the John Lewis Christmas advert is created to encourage the frantic parents, aunties, boyfriends and friends to turn to their department store when buying the Christmas presents, they are inevitably going to purchase from somewhere. So why all the negative press? Advertising always has an agenda.

Edgar is a publicity plee and yet perhaps he symbolises a lot more than that. Edgar asks us to see beyond prejudices and give each other a second chance. John Lewis have taken us back to an age before Twitter and Tinder and focuses on a beautiful friendship. The unlikely camaraderie of a girl and a dragon; a friendship that has no strings attached, a friendship that goes beyond race, ethnicity and politics.

we should be focusing on the wonderful story of acceptance and love at a time when the world seems to be desperately struggling to co-operate.

Edgar the dragon, aside from who created him and for what purpose, alongside his small friend represents a beautiful friendship; a misfit who finds his place within society. Surely that’s a Christmas tale to warm your hearts whether or not you head to John Lewis for a pair of slippers to warm your feet. Instead of getting flustered about the motives of the advert, we should be focusing on the wonderful story of acceptance and love at a time when the world seems to be desperately struggling to co-operate.

Recent events in London have shown that there’s not always love in our world and so Edgar is perhaps a reminder that small acts of kindness will go along way this Christmas. And if you didn’t share a sneaky smile when he set the Christmas pudding alight with his nostrils you must be Scrooge because that was undeniably adorable.

Header image: Stephen McKay