The new John Lewis holiday ad will set your heart on fire

We don’t usually think of dragons as holiday-oriented creatures, but don’t worry about that. The new John Lewis ad is here to change your perception.

The British retailer’s holiday ads have become a must-watch feature to mark the season since 2007. This year, the company joined up with Waitrose, a British supermarket chain, to take a fantasy approach.

The star of the ad is Edgar, an excitable dragon, who is friends with a little girl named Ava. A cover of REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” sung by Bastille’s lead singer Dan Smith, establishes the mood with the first note.

Unfortunately for Edgar, he lives in a cold village that gets a fair amount of snow and ice. It’s hard to control his fire.

The dragon ends up melting an ice skating rink, as dragons do, and burns down a tree. But he still finds a way to warm up our hearts. His friend saves the day, and at the end, Edgar uses his fiery powers to toast a holiday dinner.

The message: “Show them how much you care.”

“It started from a spark of an idea – a little dragon’s excitement about Christmas – and became the story of how someone goes the extra mile for their best friend to give just the right gift,” Craig Inglis, Partner and Customer Director, John Lewis & Partners, said in the news release.

The ad was released Thursday morning, but will make its television debut on Saturday.

Ads of holidays past

Every year since the initial release in 2007, the John Lewis holiday ad has captured a bit of attention.

Last year’s ad featured Elton John and racked up over 14 million views. The year before showcased Moz the Monster.

All of the ads are heartfelt and give you a touch of holiday charm.

Like a penguin who wants a mate:

Or a dog that can’t wait to try out a toy that is not supposed to be for him:

Whichever is your favorite we can all agree it gets us in the mood for the holidays.