With Christmas less than a month away, it's the season for those heartwarming commercials. However, these days, lots of companies use this time of year to remind people that it's not always a time of good cheer for some, and there are ways we can lend a hand.
The ad for Charlie's Bar in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland, begins with a sad elderly gentleman making his way to the cemetery. He continues on his lonely journey until he finds his way into the bar where he is met with kindness, companionship, and a little Christmas joy.
The end of the commercial shares a quote from the Irish poet W.B. Yeats, telling us:
There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't yet met."
And that's something we can all consider: We should always offer a hand of friendship to those who look to be in need of a little company, especially at this time of year.
While the notion of people being lonely at Christmas is not unusual, often it's only when we see the reality of loneliness that we are really motivated to take action.
The owner of the bar in Enniskillen shared that it was "so lovely" that the heartbreaking ad has had such an impact on people, according to the Belfast Telegraph. And now hopefully it will inspire people to take action.