Top 10 Uplifting Christmas YouTube Ads - TopX

Although this ad has the lowest numbers in terms of views on our list, we felt that this Unicef campaign was both funny and effective by aiming to recognize the 'little guy' at Christmas, and the good deeds that he is capable of. Dinner party guests don't get much better than Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Jesus Christ... Each of whom, in terms of good will, is a monumentally tough act to follow. But, by just clicking on a charitable banner, our man of the people earns his seat at the House of Goodness. And who isn't about to click that same banner, after hearing this heart-warming life story?

And now, for the first of the real tearjerkers. As we all know, Christmas is a time for family. For get-togethers that are both planned, and in this case, unplanned. Actual Christmas Day is a thing of the past here, as Boxing Day takes center stage, and Mom's just clocked off from an unenviable, but hugely important seasonal shift at the hospital. What awaits her at home is better than any gift that could ever be wrapped up. But, just in case you require an actual present, Boots makes sure you know where to buy from.

We can all get a little caught up in the commercialist side of Christmas at times. If it's shiny and expensive then we either want it, or want to buy it for someone else. But this IKEA ad reminds us all of those gifts that money can't buy. Those presents that require a shift of perspective, and not of the purse-strings. Plus, from a purely promotional point of view, a bunch of cute kids writing Christmas lists on camera is about as foolproof an idea as you're ever likely to see. IKEA, you aced it.

Not every Christmas ad has to be emotionally charged, however, our next animal-filled ad might leave you crying, but only because you're laughing so hard. It's thirteen dogs. One cat. In human clothes. Eating like humans. With human hands. If there's anything more adorable on the Internet, then I'd like to see it. With a hilarious attention to detail, there are flasks, hair-dos and hoodies... There's mistletoe, make-up... And the cat is just plain comedy gold. Here's hoping they washed the saxophone though, and that Freshpet will continue to grace our screens with scenes like this every Christmas.

Life rarely gets more mundane than when you're waiting in line at the supermarket. But in this German clip, even the most monotonous of experiences is made fun though the power of Christmas. It's all about capturing a single moment of magic. As the cash registers turn into carol singers, the customers are first bemused, and then amused. One of the best things about Christmas is that it can make you smile, even when you're not expecting it to. And that's what this ad is all about! Even grocery shopping gets you grinning.

World War I is probably not what comes to mind when you think of celebrating the holidays, and that might be the very reason why our next ad is so powerful. A legendary moment out of the Great War came on Christmas in 1914, when around 100,000 British and German troops staged a ceasefire. It's that moment that supermarket chain, Sainsbury's has recreated here. An almost unfathomable act of humanity is epitomized by the giving of one single chocolate bar and with the slogan “Christmas is for sharing,” this ad puts the entire season into perfect perspective.

Just when you're asking yourself, “Christmas ads - what will they think of next?”, English department store John Lewis busts out an animated penguin. And gets us all crying uncontrollably over it. The penguin, whose name is Monty, is absolutely adored by a little boy, whose name we don't know. What we do know, however, is that we were all young once. And the “imaginary friend finale” to this commercial cuts to the bone, and has us all crying a mushy mess of merry tears.

Okay, let's get back to basics. What's funny, whatever time of year it is? That's right... Poop! Poop and farts and toilets and stuff! Picture the scene: t'was the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... But it smelled really, really bad! That's the premise for our third-placed promotional campaign, anyway. A pun-laden, laugh-out-loud look at Santa's bathroom habits. If only he'd purchased PooPouri before the shops shut for the holidays. Let's just hope the reindeer haven't ransacked the front lawn in similar fashion.

As we've found, Christmas brings us all together. And music can do much the same thing. So, logically, Apple decided to combine these two for what makes such a memorable, heartwarming ad. It's a cross-generation story, brought to life by modern technology and expresses a moment from an era long past, with methods of the present day. Famed for their super-slick advertising campaigns, here Apple has slowed things down for the holidays. They target, and capture, all age groups – this ad could very well get your Grandma asking for an iPhone this year.

But, before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

HM1: The Hoop
youtube.com/DicksSportingGoods

HM2: Sorry, I Spent It On Myself
youtube.com/HarveyNicholsUK

HM3: Christmas Nutcracker 2013
youtube.com/Baileys

HM4: The Bear & The Hare
youtube.com/JohnLewisRetail

HM5: #WinChristmas
youtube.com/Mulberry

No matter how close to Christmas it is, the baggage carousel at the airport is never an especially seasonal place to be, except if you happened to be on this flight. The WestJet Christmas Miracle is the most-watched Christmas ad on YouTube; it’s gift-giving on a gigantic scale, and it's guaranteed to leave at least a little lump in your throat. In a little over five minutes, the fairly un-Christmassy ordeal of air-travel is turned into a magical moment. I'm smiling, I'm crying... And after watching these ads, I'm counting down the days! Come ooonn, Christmas!

That's it for today's list... We hope we've helped you get excited for the holidays! As always, be sure to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; vote for upcoming lists on our suggest page, and for more great top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.