Get ready to sob... it's the John Lewis Christmas advert: Tear-jerking commercial tells story of hare making sure his bear best friend doesn't miss out on the big day

The £7million Disney-inspired advert is to make its TV debut tomorrow

It tells of a hare hoping to make sure a bear doesn't miss Christmas

John Lewis has bought an entire advert break during the X Factor



Its predecessors have been viewed millions of times on YouTube

Previous soundtracks have also made it to the top of the charts

Lily Allen will perform a cover of Somewhere Only We Know on the advert



Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without mince pies, roast turkey, crackers … and a tear-jerking advert from John Lewis.



The department store has long made it its mission to convert even the most avowed Scrooges, and this year is no exception.



The £7million Disney-inspired advert, which makes its TV debut tomorrow, tells the story of a selfless hare who is determined to make sure his best friend, a bear, doesn’t miss Christmas for once.

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I've got your back: The new John Lewis Christmas advert features a hare and a bear

So happy together: The hare and the bear enjoy autumn together Sleepy: But as winter begins it's time for the bear to hibernate...

However, it has a lot to live up to, for its predecessors have become a social media phenomenon with millions of YouTube hits and huge soundtrack sales.

The commercial features the tale of two good friends, a bear and a hare, who are sad at the thought of being separated for Christmas.

The store has used hand drawn animation to tell the story with the result the commercial looks very much like a classic Disney film from the 1940s, such as Bambi, which has been watched by generations of children.

The technique taps in to feelings of nostalgia, while it also tells a heart-warming story which, based on past experience, will have many in tears.

Looking for a place to rest: So the bear treks through the wilderness to find a likely spot... Christmas is coming: While the bear sleeps, the other woodland animals get on with decorating the tree

The tale opens as winter is starting to draw in and the fun and excitement of preparing for Christmas begins.

As the first snowflake falls and lands on the bear’s nose, the hare starts to feel sad because he realises his friend will soon go off to hibernate, so – as usual - missing Christmas.

While the bear is keen to join in, eventually he finds he cannot hold off his winter sleep any longer and disappears into his cave.

Viewers see the bear fast asleep while all the other woodland creatures become excited about the big day to come.

Sad: The hare fears that the bear is missing out, so he comes up with a bright idea Best friends: Carrying a gift, the hare follows the bear into the wilderness where he is in hibernation

However, the hare is missing his friend and finds it increasingly difficult to join in the preparations until the moment he has a great idea for a very special present.

He disappears off in to the wilderness to return with the gift – an alarm clock – which wakes the bear just in time to gather around a beautifully decorated tree to celebrate with all his friends.

The commercial, which carries the strapline ‘Give someone a Christmas they’ll never forget’, is the first for the chain to use hand drawn animation.

A spokesman said: ‘The story evokes the excitement of a first Christmas and the importance of friendship and thoughtfulness.’

Christmas gift: The hare leaves the bear a mystery gift - an alarm clock

Tearjerker: The alarm clock means that for the very first time the bear is awake for Christmas

The songs linked to John Lewis commercials, which generally involve a new take on much loved hits from the past, have been central to the success of its campaigns.

Last year, the commercial featured a snowman’s determined trek to find his loved one a perfect gift to a version of The Power of Love by young English singer, Gabrielle Aplin.

Heading for number one? Lily Allen has recorded a cover of Keane's Somewhere Only We Know for the advert

This year, Lily Allen is performing a version of the Keane’s 2004 hit ‘Somewhere Only We Know’.

It is something of a coup for the singer, who stepped out of the limelight in 2010, effectively walking out on a highly successful career, to have children.

The singer and husband Sam Cooper married in Bali and had their first child Ethel Mary in November 2011, who was followed by Marnie Rose in January this year.

It is known that the much missed 28-year-old has been in the recording studio working on an album to be released in the New Year. The song from the John Lewis commercial seems certain to be the perfect springboard for her come back.

John Lewis has outperformed the rest of the high street since the emotive advertising series was first launched at Christmas 2009.

That year, children were seen playing with gifts and morphing into adults to a folk version of the 1987 Guns N’ Roses track Sweet Child O’ Mine.

The 2010 Christmas offering included a version of Elton John’s Your Song by Ellie Goulding.



It subsequently topped the charts and was chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as the music for their first dance as man and wife.

Last year: Christmas 2012's John Lewis advert featured a snowman's trek to find the perfect gift for his loved one

Moving: 2011's ad saw Slow Moving Millie performed a version of The Smiths ¿Please, Please, Please let me get what I want¿

Two years ago, Slow Moving Millie performed a version of The Smiths ‘Please, Please, Please let me get what I want’.

Apart from building a relationship with shoppers, the campaigns have been instrumental in generating sales. One study suggested they have increased sales by more than £1billion over two years.