The pumpkin is still rotting on the step, the dog is still hiding from fireworks - it can only mean one thing: it's time for the Christmas TV ads.

Asda was the first of the big hitters to release this year's festive offering a full 50 days before the big day, making its premiere during The X Factor.

It revealed that behind the scenes, Asda's workforce has access to high-grade weaponry which fires booze into chocolate - this would, of course, single-handedly save Christmas for most of us. Hooray!

Asda: The Imaginarium

What happens? A little girl and her granddad happen upon Asda's magical Christmas workshop, the Imaginarium, which looks a lot like a yellow label version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory crossed with a terrifying Victorian workhouse. There's a giant reindeer-powered kitchen mixer making Christmas pudding, a magical recipe book cooking the turkey and Asda canapés, circus strongmen smashing chocolate igloos and best of all, a gin room with a laser that shoots booze into truffles. Four more 30-second advertisements will be aired in the run-up to Christmas, hopefully revealing a further arsenal of alcohol-firing weapons.

Is the ad backed by a breathily sung ballad? No. It's a version of Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac: 'It'll soon be here, it'll be better than before.' A brave claim when it comes to Christmas.

Does anyone pat their backside in it? No. But there is a glass elevator and miniature Asda elves making mince pies – one cannot have the moon on a stick.

Best bit: There's a laser gun that shoots gin. I don't think we need to look any further.