Just try not to cry watching the 10 most-liked holiday ads

From an elaborate Star Wars fantasy in a children's hospital to a touching cross-faith friendship, people seem to prefer their ads tear-jerky this holiday season.

Analytics firm Ace Metrix released a list of the year's ten most well-received American holiday commercials on Wednesday based on survey data from more than 500 consumers.

Topping out the list was Duracell's collaboration with the makers of Star Wars to bring to life a riveting laser shoot-out for the benefit of a sick child. The ad was accompanied by a charity drive to donate batteries to children's hospitals in need.

Amazon managed to squeeze two ads into the top five -- in second place, a poignant tale of the bond between a Muslim imam and an Anglican vicar that felt especially timely in today's political climate, and in the fifth spot, a goofier spot in which Seth Meyers and his brother Josh gorge on an advent calendar.

Below are the ten most well-liked holiday ads of the year:

1. Duracell -- "How the rebels saved Christmas"

2. Amazon -- "A priest and an imam meet for a cup of tea"

3. Hallmark -- "Extraordinary cards"

4. Kohl's -- "Give a little more: Charlene"

5. Amazon -- "Christmas gifts"

6. Apple -- "Frankie's holiday"

7. Coca-Cola -- "A Coke for Christmas"

8. Kohl's -- "Give a little more: the doll"

9. Pillsbury Baking -- "Holiday"

10. PetSmart -- "Wake Up"

While appeals to viewers' heartstrings won big this year, Ace Metrix found that more advertisers chose to target their pocketbooks; only six percent of the 362 ads considered made an emotional case, while the majority focused on deals and promotions.

Explicit references to Christmas were also fewer and further between than in past years, the firm said. Santa Claus only showed up in 12 percent of ads.

"These brands created brilliant ads with positive messaging reflecting the spirit of the season without being too heavy-handed,” Ace Metrix CEO Peter Daboll said in a statement.

As one might expect, retail shopping ads were the most common among the group, making up about half of the total.

This year's batch of ads was also surprisingly light on celebrities with only 2 percent leaning on stars.