John Lewis has launched its much-awaited Christmas advert – with a Venus flytrap in a starring function. 

The advert – known as Snapper, The Perfect Tree – follows a younger boy as he lovingly nurtures a seed purchased at an area market, considering he’s rising a Christmas tree.

But the result is extra Little Shop Of Horrors than evergreen fir.

The fast-growing plant is quickly snapping on the canine and gobbling decorations – till his antics go too far and he’s dragged out into the chilly.

A standard tree goes up in Snapper’s place as he watches by way of the window from the frosty backyard.

Of course Snapper could not keep forged out ceaselessly – and to the rousing soundtrack carried out by opera star Andrea Bocelli, the household strikes the celebrations exterior, ending with the strapline “Let your traditions grow”.

The response to the advert was combined, with a refrain of individuals on X, previously Twitter, saying a Venus flytrap wasn’t “very Christmassy”.

“Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like an alien man eating plant,” one viewer mentioned.

But others mentioned the uplifting message hit the correct word. “It’s a bit of festive cheer at a time when things are a bit low for people,” one X person mentioned.

John Lewis buyer director Charlotte Lock mentioned: “We are a nation that loves the traditions of Christmas – from classic traditions like pantos and putting up the tree to evolving new ones like crafting our own presents and Zoom get-togethers.

“Many of us have our personal distinctive festive traditions and that makes them much more particular. The movie celebrates themes of household and evolving traditions, and reveals {that a} ‘excellent’ Christmas is discovering pleasure along with family members, no matter your traditions.”

M&S was one of the first supermarkets to reveal its ad campaign, following a similar theme of ditching unwanted traditions.

However it was forced into an apology after an outtake from the video was criticised for showing burning paper hats resembling the Palestinian flag.

Asda introduced in Michael Bublé – the person whose voice is synonymous with Christmas – for an advert directed by Taika Waititi.

Sainsbury’s stayed away from excessive idea and as an alternative centered on its product as a younger woman asks over the tannoy what Santa has for Christmas dinner.

And Lidl tied the advert into the launch of its Toy Bank, donating items to youngsters, with a cute story of a raccoon returning a misplaced toy.

John Lewis has not revealed its funds for its marketing campaign, which is its first with company Saatchi and Saatchi after a partnership with adam&eveDDB stretching again to 2009. That one created advertisements that includes Monty The Penguin, The Bear And The Hare and Excitable Edgar.

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The advert’s soundtrack is an authentic track known as Festa – which suggests celebration – composed for the marketing campaign by Italian electro-pop duo Le Feste Antonacci.

Bocelli mentioned: “I’m delighted to participate on this great and distinctive custom of Christmas storytelling.

The soundtrack shall be launched in longer kind as a charity single, with a proportion of the proceeds going to the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures charities, which assist younger individuals with expertise of the care system and households in want.