The Best UK Christmas Ads of 2025

The battle for the best Christmas TV advert is officially on now that the major UK retailers have unleashed their creative ads for our enjoyment, as well as perhaps gaining a few more sales in the process!

We’ve picked our standout TV adverts for 2025, so grab a mince pie, settle in, and let’s unwrap them.

M&S – Traffic Jamming

Actress Dawn French returns opposite her mischievous Fairy alter-ego in this year’s M&S Food Christmas advert, appropriately soundtracked by Chris Rea’s iconic festive anthem, Driving Home for Christmas.

Stuck in gridlocked traffic, the Fairy and Dawn French spot an M&S Food lorry brimming with party food, and before long, a dreary motorway transforms into a full-blown Christmas party on wheels.

The advert attempts to capture M&S’s message of “making every moment delicious” by celebrating the joy of sharing, even in the most unexpected places. Keep your eyes peeled, there’s even a cameo from chef Tom Kerridge at the end.

Barbour – Wallace & Gromit x Barbour

For the third year running, Barbour joins forces with the stop-motion masters at Aardman Animations to serve up a festive dose of Wallace & Gromit charm.

This year, Wallace’s latest invention is the “Gift-o-matic”, a gloriously overcomplicated gadget that can wrap, unwrap, pull crackers and inevitably… unwrap Wallace himself. Every tiny Barbour product you see, from Wallace’s Classic Tartan scarf to the world’s smallest Barbour beanie, was meticulously handmade at Aardman’s Bristol studio.

The ninety-second stop-motion film took over six months to make, progressing at just two seconds of animation a day, with each puppet moved more than a thousand times! This certainly is a testament to the creativity and playfulness that both brands share.

John Lewis – Where Love Lives

 

John Lewis Christmas adverts are famous for tugging at heartstrings, and their 2025 effort, “Where Love Lives,” is no exception.

This year’s story follows a teenage son who gifts his Dad a vinyl record of Alison Limerick’s 90s house anthem Where Love Lives. As the record spins, the music transports the Dad back to his youth: the flashing lights of a 90s club, memories of dancing with friends, and fleeting visions of his son’s younger years. The film closes on a quieter moment, soundtracked by Labrinth, for an emotional ending.

The campaign’s tagline, “If you can’t find the words, find the gift,” perfectly captures its message of connection, nostalgia and emotional honesty. As Rosie Hanley, John Lewis’s Director of Brand, explains: “At John Lewis, we understand the power of a thoughtful gift, and we hope the Ad will inspire our customers to find the gift that articulates their feelings, allowing the present itself to speak volumes where words may sometimes fall short.”

Morrisons – A Year in the Making

Morrisons would like to remind us that Christmas starts much earlier than we think.

Their 2025 campaign, “Making More of Christmas,” celebrates the people who work all year round, even when the sun’s still shining and summer barbecues are in full swing, to make the big day special. Set to the classic Stop the Cavalry by Jona Lewie, the ad moves from golden summer fields to busy bakeries and fishing boat trips, showing the care and craftsmanship behind our Christmas food.

It’s a simple, well-executed reminder that Christmas magic doesn’t just happen in December.

Aldi – Kevin the Carrot’s stag do has gone pear-shaped!

Kevin the carrot is getting married! But before he can say “I do,” there’s the small matter of a stag-do gone wrong.

The new ad opens with Kevin strapped to the North Pole wearing nothing but a mankini (yes, really), as his fiancée Katie the carrot enjoys a peaceful spa weekend miles away. Kevin risks missing his wedding the next day, but hitching a ride on the Polar Express, he may just make it. We’ll need to wait for Part 3 to find out.

Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer of Aldi UK, said: “We hope shoppers enjoy being brought on the hilariously, if not slightly chaotic, journey in the lead up to their big day. Packed with pure Christmas cheer, a dash of cheekiness, and all the heart our fans have come to expect from Kevin the Carrot, we can’t wait for everyone to stay tuned to see if our beloved groom makes it to the altar!”

Asda – A Very Merry Grinchmas

Asda’s Christmas campaign brings a familiar face back to our screens: The Grinch. Their ad this year reimagines the famous Christmas cynic as a grumpy dad, fed up with sky-high prices, set to a brilliantly rewritten version of Let It Snow.

Asda prices are seemingly so good, they’re enough to melt even the Grinch’s frosty heart. A clever tactic by Asda, given the rising cost of living and people becoming more price-conscious.

Sainsbury’s – The Unexpected Guest

Sainsbury’s delivers a storybook spectacle this Christmas with “The Unexpected Guest”, reuniting us with The BFG for another festive adventure. The ad opens with the Greedy Giant gobbling his way through Sainsbury’s foods, declaring it “tastier than human beans”. The BFG and Annie (a real Sainsbury’s colleague) set off through snow-dusted streets to reclaim the feast, eventually finding the culprit dozing outside a Sainsbury’s store.

In a heart-warming finale, the BFG is invited home for Christmas dinner, reminding us there’s always room for one more at the table.

Argos – Thought we were just Toys?

Argos is attempting to shake off the “just toys” label this Christmas with their 2025 campaign featuring Inbetweeners star Simon Bird, and Argos mascots Connie and Trevor. 

The story opens with Simon’s character, Tom, on a last-minute Christmas gift hunt, casually dismissing Argos over the phone as only good for toys. That’s when Connie and Trevor appear ready to prove otherwise.

With a bit of gentle persuasion, the duo shepherd Tom into a warehouse of gadgets, stylish homeware and premium gift ideas. By the end, Tom gets the message: there’s “more to Argos” than just toys.

Boots – Puss in Boots

The story begins as Puss must scramble to find the perfect gift ahead of the Snow Queen’s Ball. His magic mirror guide points him to one place: Boots. After losing a few of his nine lives on the journey to the shop, a helpful Boots staff member helps Puss pick out thoughtful presents for his fairytale friends. The story culminates at the Ball, with Puss presenting the perfect gift to the Snow Queen: Hand warmers.

Marketing director Laura Gooday said: “This year, more than ever, we want to help our customers gift happily ever after. Our campaign, brought to life by Puss and his fairytale friends, reminds everyone that Boots is the destination for finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list.”

By blending cinematic charm and whimsy, the ad positions Boots not just as a beauty retailer, but as the go-to for thoughtful gifting.

Lidl – More to Value This Christmas

Lidl’s 2025 Christmas campaign, titled “More to Value This Christmas,” casts a little girl as our guide to the festive season. Her simple question: “Why do we love Christmas so much?” 

As she watches the world around her prepare for the holidays, the answer reveals itself not in the presents she receives, but in the joy of giving. The ad ends with a clear call to action to donate to Lidl’s Toy Bank.

Behind the charm of the storytelling, Lidl’s much-loved Toy Bank donation scheme invites customers to drop off new, unopened toys, games, puzzles, books and arts-and-crafts materials across its stores until mid-December. All part of a push to make sure no child misses out on Christmas.

Lidl has blended its commercial message of value with a genuine gesture of community care, positioning itself as a brand that connects price-savvy shopping with meaningful giving.

Which is your favourite? Is it the food-fuelled fantasy of M&S or the storybook charm of Boots? This year, there’s something for all flavours of festive cheer. Drop a comment and tell us which advert made you smile, or tugged your heartstrings.