Fans of the John Lewis Christmas advert have noticed that someone is missing – and the retailer has had to explain it

This year’s John Lewis advert deviates from the classic tearjerker in favor of a heartwarming story about a boy who grows a Venus flytrap instead of a Christmas tree.

Alfie excitedly plants the seed and is excited to see Snapper growing – but his family panics as the plant gets bigger and bigger and eventually moves the plant outside.

But by the end of the ad, the family – made up of Alfie, his mother, grandmother and an older sibling – accepts that traditions evolve over time.

However, the moving story has raised questions from some on social media, with one person tweeting John Lewis directly asking: ‘Where is the FATHER??????!!!!!’.

“This advert features a mother and a grandmother,” John Lewis replied before explaining that Alfie is a single-parent household.

The advert focuses on Alfie’s blossoming friendship with Snapper and the family’s eventual acceptance that ‘traditions grow’ (pictured is the Christmas tree they receive after bringing Snapper outside)

But several people on social media wondered why a father figure was missing from the story, asking “Where is the FATHER???!!!!!!!”

John Lewis added: ‘We always try to show a broad representation of British life; Single-parent families make up almost a quarter of families with dependent children in Britain and these are not often shown on TV.’

Several people expressed anger that non-nuclear family dynamics were on display during the holidays.

‘[Dad] He’ll probably only get to see them for an hour on Christmas morning after they’ve been abused by the court,” said one angrily, while another branded John Lewis “man haters”.

“Absolute lefty b****x, small shop full of atrocities, no dad at Christmas,” another complained. ‘Let’s promote failed relationships and unsuccessful relationships.’

But many people were delighted with the department store’s response and loved portraying their real family lives in a positive and loving way.

One person said: ‘YES! Thanks JL – it upset me so much when I used to see entire nuclear families in Christmas ads as a kid. I like this answer almost as much as the ad! [green heart].’

While another grateful viewer said: ‘As a family where Christmas has always been just me, my mum and my child, thank you for representing our family in this year’s advert [love heart] (but houseplants always fail, so poor Snapper wouldn’t have had a chance with us [laughing face]).’

“This represents my family,” another wrote: “My dad died when I was seven so he wasn’t around for most of my Christmases.”

In an apparent response to the backlash over the ad’s lack of male relatives, one person wrote: ‘Some people just need to realize that every family is different and has different traditions.

“This year it will just be Mom, Grandma and I, cherishing the time we have left together and making memories. The perfect Christmas is whatever you want it to be #traditionsgrow.”

Another defining feature of this year’s ad is the use of an original song rather than a cover version of a classic.

Andrea Bocelli’s theatrical repetition of the lyric ‘la vita è una festa’, meaning ‘life is a celebration’, provides the backdrop to the heartwarming story – in the second only John Lewis advert to feature an original song.

The retailer’s theme this year is to highlight old and new holiday traditions with the tagline ‘Let Your Traditions Grow’.

The campaign – the first from Saatchi and Saatchi for John Lewis – aims to capture how the unusual and unexpected, rather than the conventionally ‘perfect’, can lead to a joyful time together for everyone.

Several people expressed anger that non-nuclear family dynamics were on display during the holidays

But many people were delighted with the department store’s response and loved portraying their real family lives in a positive and loving way.

John Lewis customer director Charlotte Lock said the campaign aims to celebrate both the old and the new.

“We are a nation that loves Christmas traditions – from classic traditions like pantos and putting up the tree to new traditions like making our own gifts and Zoom meetings,” she explained.

“Many of us have our own unique holiday traditions and that makes them even more special.

“The film celebrates themes of family and evolving traditions and shows that a ‘perfect’ Christmas is about finding joy with loved ones, whatever your traditions.”