So, it's here. The first of many to try and encourage us to feel festive in November and start panicking about the number of shopping days left until Christmas.

Not yet aired on television but available online, the new Marks and Spencer's Christmas advert is a magical, sparkly feast complete with glamorous supermodels and the wonderful Helena Bonham-Carter.

A modern day twist on traditional fairytales, it starts with a nod to Alice in Wonderland, where the very beautiful and impossibly leggy Rosie Huntington-Whiteley falls down a manhole after losing her dog, only to drop in on a tea-party with male model David Gandy, acting as the Mad-but-chiselled-cheek-boned-Hatter.

As the story progresses, Rosie appears – sometimes scantily clad – in many eye-catching outfits, while running around with Mr Gandy, with scenes from Little Red Riding Hood, Arabian Nights, and the Wizard of Oz, complete with a pair of very nice red shoes.

The appearance of the lovable and eccentric Helena Bonham-Carter is a real coup for the retailer and she certainly brings her usual “je ne sais quoi” to the advert.

M&S’ advert is beautifully filmed and enchanting with a real wintery magic about it. But if I was trying to attract new customers, I’m not sure it would entice me through the doors, which I assume is the aim.

The clothes as worn by Rosie look stunning, but I do wonder if a “normal” woman like myself would be tempted to buy anything as it wouldn’t look as good on little old me.

I think for the loyal customer M&S will always be the place to go for those brilliant staples, reliable LBDs and tasty treats and that will never change – even with a spectacularly festive advert.

But this year is certainly a creative improvement on 2012 and M&S have laid down the gauntlet to their main Christmas ad competitor John Lewis but it remains to be seen if they will stay in the top spot.

Last year, John Lewis’ snowman ad so was beautifully wistful and haunting it still gives me goose pimples just thinking about it.

For me it’s the one I look forward to each year. But they will have to go a long way - and spend a lot of money – to beat this year’s from Britain’s favourite retailer.

That just reminds me, how many shopping days left until Christmas?