Watch the new John Lewis Christmas ad, directed by the Oscar-winner behind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

LONDON – John Lewis has released its latest Christmas advert, featuring a monster under the bed called "Moz."

The monster hides under the bed of a child he befriends, keeping him up at night and disrupting his days. Eventually, the monster realises he has to leave to let the boy sleep and buys him a starlight as a memento to remember him by.

Watch the full ad:

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The big budget two-minute short was directed by Michel Gondry, the French director known for his Oscar-winning film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as well as the Science of Sleep, and the Green Hornet. 

Gondry is used to telling stories in shorter formats. Before making films, Gondry produced music videos for the likes of the White Stripes, Bjork, and Daft Punk.

John Lewis' heart-warming ads have become of the most anticipated pre-Christmas rituals in recent years, with memorable recent adverts such as the Man on the Moon in 2015 and the Bear and the Hare in 2013.

Christmas is a crucial period for retailers, with many making the bulk of their sales in the run-up to December 25. This has fuelled an advertising arms race in recent years. The Advertising Association forecast on Friday that ad agencies will rake in £6 billion over the Christmas period, their largest festive haul ever.

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