John Lewis 2026 Christmas ad: toy dog Pickles tells grandma not to give up on giving

British retailer John Lewis launched its 2026 Christmas film on November 3: grandmother Gloria, fretting over what to buy, is talked out of giving cash by her vintage toy dog Pickles, who comes to life to urge her not to give up on giving. (Photo is a stock image of a Christmas tree, not a still from the film.)

The 20th Christmas ad: Gloria and Pickles

The three-minute film, titled Gloria and Pickles, was created by Saatchi & Saatchi London and directed by Lucy Forbes through Smuggler. It is the 20th edition of the retailer's famous Christmas advert. Dame Kristin Scott Thomas plays Gloria, a grandmother preparing her home for the family on Christmas Eve who is tempted to give cash until Pickles, her vintage Fisher-Price toy dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse, comes to life and urges her to do better.

Music and rollout

The film is soundtracked by Sam Fender's cover of the Rolling Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want, his first new music since Rein Me In. It launched on November 3 across John Lewis channels, before its TV premiere during Coronation Street on ITV and The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4. It will run across TV, streaming services including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, programmatic and social.

Rosie Hanley, marketing and loyalty director at John Lewis, said the message this year is simple: Don't give up on giving.