The ad remembers that time, showing both British and German forces coming together for a friendly soccer match and a touching gift exchange.

It is a powerful remembrance of the true meaning of Christmas.

The BBC reports that Sainsbury's commercial is a counter-offensive against UK competitor store chain John Lewis which launched a Christmas commercial that that was equally memorable. Between these epic commercials, one thing is obvious: American advertisers need to step up their game.

In the Sainsbury’s commercial, some scholars debate exactly what happened during the truce, specifically whether or not a game of soccer was played. Below is a companion video about the story behind the truce.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1126033600001?bctid=3891861917001

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Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. It was the first day the Federal Aviation Administration cut flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com