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Entertainment December 23, 2016
Thanks to major British retailer Marks and Spencer, the well-loved character of Mrs. Claus has been transformed into an empowered woman who is more independent, has a can-do attitude and looks great while saving Christmas.
The M&S Mrs. Claus, played by “Tumbleweeds” actress Janet McTeer, is introduced to the audience in a comfortable outfit of cashmere lounge pants, a knit sweater and slipper socks. Unlike the traditional depictions of Mrs. Claus, McTeer’s character is neither frumpy nor over-sexualized. Instead, she’s practical and approachable – she’s more real.
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M&S also strips Mrs. Claus from the traditional downtrodden image of the wife who makes cookies, cares for the elves and waits on her husband.
After receiving a last-minute letter from six-year-old Jake, asking her to help him reconcile with his sister, Mrs. C rises to the occasion and picks out the perfect gift: a pair of red trainers (no doll, frilly dress or pink nail polish).
But before traveling, Mrs. Claus turns to her revolving closet to get dressed in a stylish ensemble of a knee-length dress, a red tailored coat, black heels and leather gloves. With her hair subtly transformed into what Telegraph calls “Hillary Clinton’s power bob,” Mother Christmas takes matters into her own hands and hops into R-DOLF, a bright red chopper, to save Christmas herself.
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Since its Nov. 11 release, audiences have been raving about the advertisement and the new and improved Mrs. C. While it’s important to acknowledge that this is, in fact, an ad for a major retailer, M&S has also managed to connect with their customers by portraying an everyday middle-aged woman and wife as someone truly extraordinary.
During a time when women are bombarded with the pressure to make “the most wonderful time of the year” special for their friends and loved ones, Mrs. C isn’t worried about the drudgery of organizing Christmas. She’s too busy being somewhat of a James Bond, dashing through the sky in the helicopter she flies herself.
“She epitomizes the huge efforts our customers put into making the festive season special,” executive director of M&S marketing Patrick Bosquet-Chavanne said in a press release. “And [she] represents the love and togetherness customers want to feel and see in abundance at Christmas.”
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So this year, as far as Christmas adverts go, the M&S Mrs. Claus is a feminist symbol for the holidays, reminding women how extraordinary they are.
