All the biggest 2025 Christmas adverts so far including John Lewis and Waitrose

Halloween is over, Bonfire Night is in the rear view mirror, and Mariah Carey is nearly done defrosting.

That can only mean one thing. Christmas is nearly upon us.

As such, shopkeepers are already dusting off their Michael Buble records, supermarkets are full of chocolate, and keen beans have started putting up decorations.

But most excitingly of all it means it’s time for seasonal ads on the telly, because nothing says Christmas quite like buying things.

From Sainsbury’s and Lidl to Aldi’s annual Kevin the Carrot adventures, the biggest shops in the UK have already started releasing their advent advertisements and Christmas commercials.

So to mark the occasion we’ve gathered together some of our favourites, so be sure to have a look and vote for your favourite further down the page – and stay tuned for more adverts to come… it’s what Father Christmas would want.

John Lewis

Ever since John Lewis dropped The Long Wait back in 2011, they’ve been the one to beat when it comes to Christmas ads. So what have they got for us this year?

Well after two relatively middling efforts in 2023 ad 2025 we’re delighted to say it’s a return to form, by which we mean it made us ugly cry.

The new ad centres on a music loving father and son, and explores how a thoughtful gift can help you express all the things you can’t find the words to say.

It’s thoughful, emotional , and it featiures the 1990s’ banger Where Love Lives. What’s not to love?

Aldi

For their 2025 advert, Aldi has brought back Kevin the Carrot for another adventure, this time taking inspiration from Love, Actually.

The first of a trilogy of ads hit TV screens for the first time on November 3 which culminated in Kevin’s momentous proposal to his beloved Katie the Carrot.

The second part of Aldi’s Christmas Trilogy parodied the Hangover with poor Kevin getting lost on his stag do.

Thankfully, though, he was rescued from Lapland (he went for the dancing) by the Christmas Express.

Waitrose

Your favourite quail egg vendor Waitrose rang in the holidays with a short, titled The Perfect Gift, starring Keira Knightley as herself while Joe Wilkinson reprises the role of Phil from the 2024 advert.

This festive four minute film sees unlucky in love Phil fall head over heels for Keira who he just so happens to bump into while shopping in… you guessed it… Waitrose!

It’s cute, funny, and has several references to pies. What more could you want?

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s has reunited with Roald Dahl’s BFG again for 2025, after he appeared in last year’s festive advert.

This time round, he’s helping real-life Sainsbury’s worker Annie protect the public from a 48-foot giant trying to steal everyone’s Christmas dinners.

The chain has teamed up with Comic Relief to help distribute over five million meals to families battling food poverty, and the ad shines a light on the importance of good quality and affordable meals.

Radha Davies, the marketing director for Sainsbury’s, told Metro: ‘[The BFG] has really lovely characteristics. He’s sensitive and thoughtful and helpful and really positive. I think those are really wonderful qualities that everyone could do with more of.’

Disney

The House of Mouse got Oscar-winning director Taika Watiti to make their Christmas commerical. Titled ‘Best Christmas Ever’ the short film tells the story of a little girl who one Christmas wishes her imaginary friend Doodle was real.

Sure enough, when it’s time to open the presentes the girl find Doodle has come to life but there’s a problem. She forgot to give him a mouth!

So poor Doodle has to wait until next Christmas before he can finally speak, but it was worth the wait because when he can finally talk he’s gotJohn goodman’s voice. No I didn’t make any of that up.

Asda

Asda has gone for a different beloved literary character for its own adverts – none other than The Grinch.

Dr. Seuss’ green grump was most famously brought to life by Jim Carrey in 2000’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas, so the ad is a befitting tribute 25 years later.

Set to a new rendition of Let It Snow, the advert sees The Grinch struggling with the soaring cost of living before Asda’s prices offer a glimmer of hope.

Argos

Argos have taken an imaginative route this year as The Inbetweeners star Simon Bird appears in a festive horror spoof.

Poking fun at preconceptions, the high street store is ‘just for toys’, the ad sees a dad taken captive by a doll and a dinosaur toy who make him drive to a magical showroom.

He manages to get everything he needs and even impresses his wife in the process.

Smyths Toys

Unlike Argos, Smyths’ Christmas advert is all about toys, as a curious boy called Sam tries to figure out what’s in a parcel with his name on.

He gets some help from the family dog and the Smyths Toys catalogue before finding his way to a superstore, where he finds Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon.

The advert’s description read: ‘It’s a heartwarming, playful adventure that captures the magic of Christmas discovery and the joy of finding the perfect toy at Smyths Toys Superstores.’

Tesco

For their ad this tear Tesco decided to remind us all that for as much as we all love Christmas it’s never perfect and that’s okay.

To do so they showed a vignette of awkward (but relatable) X-Mas moments including grandad sharing his ‘opinions,’ writing Christmas cards to half-rembered relatives, and my personal favourite a game of Pictionary turning physically violent.

Thankfully John Bishop’s narrator is there to remind us that the imperfections are what make Christmas Christmas.

Lidl

Lidl has asked a big question this year – why do we all love Christmas so much?

The child narrating the episode points out that ‘everyone’s a bit less grumpy’ and selfish, instead enjoying the happy moments in life.

‘I think we love Christmas so much because we all want to make each other feel more loved,’ the child says. ‘I think every day has a lot to learn from Christmas’.

The supermarket is using its festive campaign to encourage people to ‘find the value in sharing joy by donating to Lidl’s Toy Bank’.

M&S

Dawn French takes the lead in this year’s M&S advert, stuck in traffic as her Christmas spirit quickly evaporates.

Thankfully, a festive fairy is on hand to help, transforming one of the retailer’s lorries into a treasure trove of tasty treats for drivers to tuck into.

At the heart of the ad is a new range from celebrity chef Tom Kerridge, who makes a cameo as a disgruntled driver watching the events unfold from further back in the queue.

Coca-Cola

For the second year in a row Coca-Cola has used AI for its Christmas ad which features dead-eyed animals staring in awe at trucks full of delicious carbonated beverages.

Needless to say the reaction has been… divisive.

People on social media have complained that the ad looks ‘horrendous’ and ‘lazy’ with Hollywood writer Alex Hirsch going so far as to say that ‘Coca-Cola is red because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists.’

Still several people on Linkedin liked it as did Pratik Thakar, who’s the Global Vice President and Head of Generative AI at Coca-Cola.

‘Last year we decided to go all in, and it worked out well for us,’ he told The Hollywood Reporter. ‘Yes, some parts of the industry were not pleased we were using a 100 percent Generative AI film, but that’s part and parcel of doing something pioneering. We understand that concern but we need to keep moving forward and pushing the envelope.’

According to Thakar ‘consumer engagement was very high’ after the 2024 ad and ultimately isn’t improved consumer engagement what Christmas is really about?

Stay tuned for more adverts over the coming weeks as we get closer to Christmas!

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