The Waitrose Christmas advert mocks John Lewis and it's brutal

Wow.

The John Lewis Christmas advert has become a huge deal in recent years. As Christmas day edges closer, we're treated to an offering from JL that is usually tear-jerking/uplifting/funny/all of the above.

And while we also enjoy the countdown to the 25th December because there are so many amazing advent calendars around nowadays - just take a peek at our favourite alternative advent calendars - the many Christmas adverts give us all of the festive feels.

It's not just John Lewis who get us balling our eyes out every year. Sainsbury's, Aldi, ASDA... they're all at it.

However, Waitrose has stepped forward with what many are hailing the best Christmas advert ever.

Just days ago, John Lewis released their 2018 Christmas ad featuring the one and only Sir Elton John. It's Benjamin Button-esque, starting with real-time Elton playing on the piano and following him backwards through the years, ending with a little Elton getting his first piano for Christmas. It's all very sweet.

But hot on their heels, Waitrose has released their own forty-second commercial - and it has a lot of people in stitches.

Why? Because it mocks John Lewis - and all of us for eagerly awaiting the advert year in, year out.

It starts with a teenage girl gathering her parents around the telly to watch the latest John Lewis ad. Soon enough, however, the mum suggests that they fast-forward the short film and the dad snatches the remote from his daughter's hand to watch the whole thing on super speed.

Shortly after, the parents are happily munching on some Christmas food in the kitchen, talking about how 'emotional' the ads always are. The dad goes on to say he 'prefers the one with the penguins.' Lol.

Twitter is absolutely living for Waitrose's brutal takedown. One user wrote: 'Ok so, it’s official: @waitrose has THE best Christmas ad this year! The look on the girls face at the end is what I can imagine @jlandpartners executive’s faces looked like after seeing that ad!'

Another added: 'Question. Do John Lewis know about the Waitrose ad?'

The answer, however, is yes. Waitrose and John Lewis are partner companies and the masterminds behind this year's Waitrose advert are the same agency behind John Lewis' The Boy and the Piano.

Craig Inglis, customer director at John Lewis & Partners, says: 'Frankly, it’s hard to believe our colleagues at Waitrose & Partners would choose a stollen over us.

'However, as a big fan of the chocolate orange combo, I suppose if anything can trump an ad starring Elton John, it’s their amazing stollen – some food IS just too good to wait for.'

So is it just a VERY clever way of getting us to talk about the John Lewis advert even more?

Probably. And it's working.