John Lewis teases 2025 Christmas advert for November 4 release

John Lewis has signalled the return of its annual Christmas advert with a short Instagram teaser showing a vinyl record being placed on a turntable and an onscreen caption reading "Dropping soon. 04.11.25," indicating the retailer will release this year’s festive film on November 4. The clip, posted over the weekend, included a single piano note and prompted speculation about the soundtrack and an earlier-than-usual launch for the campaign that has become a British seasonal fixture.

The department store said online members of its My John Lewis rewards scheme who signed up before October 31 will have exclusive first access to the advert through the John Lewis mobile app when it becomes available. Waitrose, a partner in the John Lewis Partnership, added to the anticipation on social media, commenting, "The best time of the year. Santa might just be coming early this year!"

Fans responding to the teaser tried to identify the brief musical fragment in the clip. The most commonly suggested track in online comments was Alison Limerick’s 1990 single Where Love Lives, while other users floated possibilities such as Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5. Those identifications remain speculative until...