EMOTIONALLY manipulative as it may be - the one thing I have watched this week which has really impacted on me is not even a programme.

It is actually just an advert for all things festive and BBC - but it has really captured hearts and imaginations in our house.

Such is the power of social media I actually saw the animated festive Ident featuring the busy single dad and his dancing daughter on Facebook.

I wasn’t sure what it was at first - it appeared to be a little yuletide treat to warm our cockles but then we happened to catch its premiere on the BBC itself.

Surely the hardest heart couldn’t fail to be moved by the put upon dad trying to earn a crust while his erstwhile daughter jigs about around him in preparation for an upcoming talent show ?

For a start if you have daughters, sons, nieces or nephews etc you will undoubtedly know one that constantly skips about, busting their moves in the most inopportune moments.

And this is beautifully observed right down to the back flips whilst trying to fix the car, jumping up and down the escalator on a shopping trip (which quite frankly come Christmas time is always fraught with small people in tow) and even attempting to do the drying up.

But even if it is a bit saccharine - the message at its heart that being together is what we should do at Christmas is one we should all be grabbing hold of this year.

There have been many dark days in one way or another and if taking the time to just help one another and be together- even do a little jig around the tree - is possible then we should all be doing it.

This probably took a team of animators years to put together, they were no doubt slaving away whilst the ill-fated Sprout Boy of past Christmas past was doing his thing.

It does seem their good work will not go to waste however since pieces of the entire film are, by the looks of it, going to be rolled out at intervals as the festive programmes are unleashed.

It remains to be seen if this is going to be irritating or informative - already we have noticed fresh gems such as the dad politely declining to join in the forward roll part of the dance with a swift shake of his hand - but on the upside we may all be able to perfect a version of the routine ourselves come New Year’s Day.

That might shift some of the calories we will undoubtedly have taken on board whilst enjoying the usual festive helpings of Doctor Who, Call the Midwife and Strictly Come Dancing.