Lianna NormanUSA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Tender-hearted Floridians have all been there: You’re relaxing in your living room, innocently watching “The Bachelor” or “Monday Night Football” and all of a sudden, Publix makes you cry.
Whether it’s a tender moment shared between soulmates, a heart-warming connection between a woman and her step-dad or any of the other Hallmark-worthy moments Publix has shared with us, its advertising team knows how to tug on heartstrings. And the holiday season is the Florida-based grocery chain’s Superbowl for tear-jerking ads.
Publix hasn’t released a new holiday commercial yet this year, but the 2022 Publix Thanksgiving commercial has made a comeback and some of us are running for the tissues, yet again.
Here is a short list of some of the most emotional Publix holiday ads we’ve seen, ranked from the most tears cried to the least.
'Thanks, Chris' and other Publix commercials that will make you cry
Does Publix have a 2023 Thanksgiving commercial?
Publix hasn’t released a new Thanksgiving commercial yet. The grocery store’s 2022 Thanksgiving commercial released around this time last year, so there still could be a new one.
But last year’s ad was probably one of the store’s most emotional to date. It shows a young woman’s Thanksgiving spent away from her parents.
She’s hosting and cooking a Thanksgiving dinner of her own when she calls her mom to ask her questions about a dressing recipe. The conversation is a very normal one until the end of the commercial, when she asks her mom how their day is going.
Her mom says that it's good but quiet without her there and they exchange I love yous. When the daughter hangs up the phone, we see she had the recipe in front of her the whole time.
The worst part? They have one of these commercials in Spanish, too. So if you’re bilingual, you can cry along in English and Spanish.
Watch at your own risk and don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Publix’s 2018 Christmas commercial: ‘The Surprise’
Publix’s 2018 Christmas commercial isn’t about the family we’re born to, but the family we choose.
The commercial begins with a little boy leaving a note on his elderly neighbor’s porch before cutting to scenes of his family hustling and bustling around to prepare Christmas dinner at their home.
Right before everyone takes their seat at the dinner table, they hear a doorbell. The boy’s mom answers the door to find their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Roberts, with a card in hand.
The card says “You’re invited to Christmas dinner. Love, Henry.”
We see Henry run to the door to welcome Mrs. Roberts in before the commercial ends with a “Merry Christmas from Publix, where shopping is a pleasure.”
Publix’s 2008 Christmas commercial: ‘Holiday Surprise’
This Publix tear-jerker gave Floridians something to cry about other than the recession during the 2008 holiday season.
This heartwarming ad starts by showing a nurse who can’t go home for the holidays because he has to work on Christmas.
We see him at the hospital, talking with his mom on the phone. He tells her that he’s really sorry he can’t be there and misses everyone. On her side of the phone, family members are putting gingerbread houses together, hanging ornaments on the tree and preparing Christmas dinner.
After their call, a coworker asks him if he’s going to be spending the holiday with family and he says they’re all at his parents’ house. We watch him make a lonely commute home on an empty bus, and just before he walks into his apartment, he calls his mom again to tell her to wish everyone happy holidays from him.
“Of course I will,” she says. He then opens the door of his apartment to find it decorated and his entire family there.
If you’re someone that typically spends the holidays working or away from your family, this one really hits home.
Publix’s 2013 Christmas commercial
Last but certainly not least, Publix’s 2013 Christmas commercial will definitely make your eyes misty if you’re a grandparent.
It shows a little girl making Christmas cookies, presumably for Santa, with her parents.
“Are we going to leave these by the tree?” the girl’s mom asks.
“No,” she replies.
“Well how is he supposed to get them?” her dad asks.
“I’m going to give them to him,” she responds.
The parents share a look of confusion and then the doorbell rings.
“He’s here!” the girl screams.
When the door opens she hands her grandpa the Christmas cookies she made.
This commercial is probably sweeter than any frosted cookie you’ll eat this season.
Publix holiday commercials mega montage
Thanks to YouTube user @jerseyfla, there is a mega montage of the best Publix holiday commercials. If you want to take a trip to Christmas past, there are plenty of older ones in this compilation.
And it's sure to keep you in tears for most of the 19 minutes and 52 seconds of holiday cheer.