Waitrose has kicked off the Christmas ad season with a 60-second jaunt through festive food traditions.

The campaign features some of the grocer’s suppliers and TV chef Heston Blumenthal, who presents festive favourites such as cheese and chocolate drinks.

The ad’s tagline is “Whatever makes your Christmas, make it with Waitrose” and it is set to the 1948 jazz classic Everybody Eats When They Come To My House by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra.

Waitrose marketing director Rupert Thomas said: “We celebrate with food, we unwind with food, we get to know each other with food.

“Delicious things to eat make the moments that matter even more memorable, especially at Christmas.”

The full 60-second advert launches on the retailer’s social media channels today, and will screen on television from Sunday.

As is now the norm, Waitrose is asking customers to engage with the ad via social media by asking them to share what really “#MakesChristmas” for them.