The Unexpected Guest?
When does Christmas start in your household? At what point is it socially acceptable to put up your tree and start playing Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ at full pelt? With the regularity of a liturgical calendar, the Christmas adverts on TV arguably mark the beginning of the festive period for many of us. Nowadays, the Christmas ad is as much a part of the season as Boxing Day sales, broken toys, and left-over turkey.
Although it’s perhaps lost something of its lustre over the years, the John Lewis ad is still something of a benchmark. This year’s – ‘Unexpected Guest’ – sees our young hero befriending an alien who has crash-landed their ship in his local woods.
This article is one in a series (Connecting with Culture) from the the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity.
The Great, the Good, and the Green
Warning: Contains plot spoilers for the film The Green Knight
David Lowery’s daring, dark, and dizzying film The Green Knight re-examines chivalry for the modern age.
In the ancient poem that inspired the film, the gallant Sir Gawain sets out to prove his chivalric credentials by taking on a peculiar axe-wielding contest proposed by the other-worldly Green Knight. Along the way he faces various challenges. Can he maintain his purity despite seduction? His loyalty despite temptation? His bravery despite fear?
This article is one in a series (Connecting with Culture) from the the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity.