Excitable Edgar, a well-meaning dragon who can't control his fire-breathing, is star of John Lewis' heartwarming Christmas ad
John Lewis' yearly Christmas advertisements have almost become a tradition that people across the United Kingdom eagerly wait for, and 2019's rendition is arguably its best one yet.
The ad features Edgar the Excitable dragon, a dragon who is well-meaning and unable to contain his enthusiasm as Christmas approaches, alongside his red-headed best friend Ava, played by Ruby Dailly, 10, according to the Daily Mail.
Edgar has a problem, however. Because he's so excitable, he's unable to control his fire-breathing abilities and inadvertently melts all the things around him.
He first destroys a snowman built by two children as he rushes to put the finishing touch by placing a carrot for its nose. Next, it's the village's ice rink that melts as fire just spews out of his nose and mouth uncontrollably. Things finally come to a head when he burns down the lushly-decorated Christmas tree.
Dejected, he locks himself away in his home lest he causes further trouble, but Ava has a solution to make use of his unique abilities. She convinces him to rejoin the village by making him bake a Christmas pudding, a gift which everyone eagerly embraces.
Keeping in tune with previous years' ads, this one too encourages engagement with a good cause, with food poverty charity FareShare set to hold "feasts" in John Lewis shops and community venues ahead of Christmas.
This ad, however, is unique in the sense it is the first time the department store has joined hands with sister brand Waitrose for its festive commercial.
A full range of Edgar merchandise is available, including cuddly toys for $19, Waitrose & Partners No.1 12 Months Matured Christmas Pudding for $10, gingerbread biscuits for $2, and a Waitrose Edgar cupcakes called 'Chocolate Edgars.'
"I'm delighted our two brands have come together for this year's Christmas campaign," said John Lewis customer director Craig Inglis. "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."
"It's a funny, heart-warming story that will resonate with our customers as they seek out the perfect gifts for their loved ones this Christmas," he added.