Actor Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and a vintage wooden pull-along dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse lead this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, which focuses on the effort required to choose a thoughtful gift.

Dame Kristin, who recently appeared in Slow Horses , plays grandmother Gloria. She hosts her family at her pristine London home on Christmas Eve, only to see her study thrown into chaos by her bored young grandchildren, Freddie and Maggie.

Set to Sam Fender ’s cover of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones, Gloria retrieves Pickles—a vintage Little Snoopy pull-along toy—from the attic in an attempt to keep them occupied, though without success.

The toy dog springs to life and challenges Gloria, who has lost confidence in finding presents her grandchildren will appreciate, scolding her for her lack of effort and telling her: "You can do better than cash."

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas stars as grandmother Gloria in the advert (John Lewis)

Pickles pulls Gloria out of the house on a…