A festive Facebook message from a giant global corporation saved Christmas for a Sydney man this morning when he opened Facebook to find the brand wishing him, his family and anyone he has ever crossed paths with a merry Christmas.

The pharmaceutical giant posted the message along with a snap of its branded anti-depressants tastefully arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree. “If it wasn’t for their heartfelt message, I would have spent the whole day in bed drinking eggnog like the rest of the year,” the man said.

Marketing expert Roger Johnson said corporations wishing a Merry Christmas on social media or email “spent a lot of time and money to mean what they carefully planned to say. Especially if you buy something from them.”

The Sydney man who had Christmas saved for him now plans to join the rest of his family looking down at their screens over a hot Christmas lunch in the sun.