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The fairy lights are twinkling on the 10ft high Christmas tree as the cherub-cheeked children excitedly tear open their beautifully wrapped gifts and carols play in the background.

Your loving husband pours you a sherry, kisses you tenderly and rushes back to the kitchen to baste the plump and juicy turkey while you relax, looking every inch the glammy mammy in your new figure-hugging dress with perfectly coiffed hair, fresh manicure and minimal make-up.

Oh and, of course, fresh flakes of snow are tumbling to the ground outside the window. Thank goodness for the roaring fire keeping you warm along with the sherry.

I bet this sounds just like your typical family Christmas doesn’t it? What do you mean, no?

Well if the festive TV ads are to be believed, this really is the most wonderful time of the year as everyone lives in perfect harmony while they embrace the season of goodwill.

But they’re far off the mark when it comes to reality – and if you’re a singleton or child-free you might as well hitch a ride to the moon and stay there until January 2 for you just don’t feature at all when it comes to Christmas in TV Land.

Once again this year John Lewis, Marks And Spencer, Debenhams et al have all created the magical festive experience.

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Firstly, the kings of the Christmas TV ads, John Lewis, have managed to pull out all the stops as they follow their previously successful Snowman (2012) and Bear and Hare (2013) campaigns with the oh-so-cute Monty the Penguin or #montythepenguin (they all have hashtags).

Monty is the best friend of an adorable little boy who’s counting down the days until December 25. Cue clips of them cwtched up with mum, dad and siblings watching black and white classics and tumbling in the snow as couples in love stroll past. Meanwhile, Tom Odell is singing the John Lennon cover, Real Love.

To the backdrop of Fly Me To The Moon, rival retailers M&S bring us two uber glam fairies, Magic and Sparkle, who want to inject those very things into your Christmas (#followthefairies) as they fly around in the snow.

As a handsome young man wraps an alarm clock – really? – for his sleeping partner, zap... one of the fairies suddenly ensures he’s got her some glamorous underwear. So far, so cliched.

Elsewhere, a family’s washing line looks very drab but, zap... they now have a row of sparkly sequinned clothes. And the final scene sees them playing cupid, bringing two gorgeous young lonely hearts together.

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Meanwhile, Debenhams clearly didn’t get the ‘don’t work with children’ memo as they’re everywhere in the #foundit ad which sees little ones taking over the department store and rummaging for festive treats.

And Tesco has happy families searching through their attics for their Christmas lights as they prepare to light up the season #lightson

Yes I know Christmas is a time for escapism but these ads just seem to pile on the pressure for everyone to have the most perfect time making us feel inadequate as we burn the mince pies, chip our nails, forget to buy a gift for Great Aunty Nell and scream at our kids or other half.

And for those who have little to celebrate at Christmas, the ads must just ramp up any feelings of loneliness or grief.

Maybe one day soon the ad-makers will realise that single households are a growing demographic and will come up with a festive ad to reflect this, and I don’t just mean the M&S nod this year which reunites a single woman... with her cat.

I suggest a bus load of singles, swapping gifts, tucking into party food and showing off their festive sequins as they head for the hills in the rain... #partytime