One British filmmaker is making sure consumers know that Christmas magic is made, not purchased, this holiday season.
The emotional Christmas ad created by Sam Teale Productions shows a young widower working diligently to make the season special for his son.
Over the course of the 3-minute clip, the father is seen skipping meals and turning off the heat to prioritize his son's wellbeing over his own in the midst of the high cost of living.
While putting on a brave face for his son, the grief-stricken father is shown breaking down privately.
In one scene, the little boy is getting his hair cut and is asked what he wants for Christmas. He replies sadly, “Santa is poorly this year.” Later, in a letter to Santa Claus, the young boy says he hopes Santa feels better soon.
As the ad progresses, we see the dad visiting his wife's grave and start to build his son a homemade go-cart so the child doesn't go without presents on Christmas.
On Christmas morning, the little boy scampers down the steps to see homemade footprints from Santa and the go-cart under the tree with a homemade card.
"Merry Christmas, thank you for the well wishes," the boy reads from a card crafted by his dad. "I hope you enjoy. Love, Santa."
In the closing scene, the dad pulls his son on the makeshift go-cart to his mother's grave.
"Merry Christmas mummy," the boy says as he places flowers on her grave.
Before the ad ends, “The magic of Christmas is made, not bought" appears on the screen.
The small video production company based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, tells TODAY.com that they always try to make ads "relevant in the current climate."
"This year, we have a big cost of living crisis in the U.K.," a representative for Sam Teale Productions says. "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."
Posted to their Youtube and social media channels, the holiday ad has racked up more than 20 million views, and rivals the popularity of the yearly John Lewis Christmas ad.
Sam Teale Productions, comprised of four people under 21, tells TODAY.com they also wanted to show that Christmas is just as special if you spend nothing.
"We make Christmas, not buy it," a representative tells TODAY.com. "That’s the magic of it."
