This beautiful Christmas ad on the true meaning of the holiday season is an absolute tearjerker

Christmas is just around the corner and while most of the world embraces materialism, one advertisement is trying to highlight the true meaning of this holiday. One British filmmaker is emphasizing that Christmas magic is created rather than purchased. Sam Teale Productions' emotional Christmas ad depicts a young widower trying hard to make the season special for his young son. In the 3-minute video, the father is shown missing meals and turning off the heat to prioritize the child's health over his own in the midst of exorbitant living costs. While putting on a strong face for his kid, the bereaved father is seen secretly sobbing, reports TODAY.

In one scene, the small child is shown getting his hair trimmed and when asked what he wants for Christmas, he regretfully responds: "Santa is poorly this year." Later, in a letter to Santa Claus, the young child expresses his wish for Santa to feel better soon. As the commercial develops, we see the father visiting his wife's grave and being inspired to build his son a homemade go-cart so that the little one does not go without gifts on Christmas.

On Christmas morning, the small kid rushes down the stairs to see "Santa's footsteps" and a go-cart beneath the tree with a handwritten message. The boy reads from a card made by his dad: "Merry Christmas, thank you for the well wishes. I hope you enjoy. Love, Santa." In the last scene, the father pulls his son on the handmade go-cart to his mother's final resting place, where the boy places flowers on her grave and says: "Merry Christmas mummy." The ad ends with the words "The magic of Christmas is made, not bought" appearing on the screen. 

The small video production firm situated in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, UK, explained that it constantly tries to make advertising "relevant in the current climate." A representative for Sam Teale Productions said: "This year, we have a big cost of living crisis in the U.K. We wanted to present a true reflection of the Christmas people in the UK will have due to rising costs, (and) the pressure of Christmas on parents' mental health."

The production company, made up of four individuals under the age of 21, shared that they also wanted to highlight that Christmas can be just as enjoyable if you don't spend any money. The holiday ad, which was posted on the firm's YouTube channel and other media sites, has racked up over 20 million views. The representative added: "We make Christmas, not buy it. That’s the magic of it." 

Speaking to BBC, 20-year-old filmmaker Sam Teale shared that the movie depicted the brutal reality of what many families are going through amid the ongoing cost of living issue, and brought home the idea that Christmas was about "the people you are with" and "thinking about lost loved ones." He added, "It resonated with people in a way I never expected."

Teale added that it was critical to show "the true reality of Christmas" for many this year, adding that the young child in the advertisement would gladly give up his go-kart to have his mother back.