The sleigh keeps flying. Barbour, LEGO, M&S Fashion and more have just dropped their festive films, from heritage warmth to supermarket humour. Here’s the latest batch to unwrap.

Barbour X Wallace & Gromit

Barbour’s 2025 Christmas spot, created with Wallace & Gromit via Aardman, features the duo introducing their latest invention—“The Gift-o-matic”—which wraps presents, pops crackers and even selects gifts automatically, all set against Barbour’s heritage tartan and countryside aesthetic.

The campaign was complemented with an activation in Covent Garden, all wrapped up in Winterberry tartan.

My take:
This is probably my favourite campaign of the season. Barbour stays true to its roots while adding a playful twist with beloved characters and gadgets galore, just enough whimsy to keep the luxury brand relatable and the festive tone elevated. You just can’t beat Ardman Animation.

ALDI UK: Part 2 | Kevin the Carrot’s stag do has gone pear-shaped!

Celebrating a decade of its mascot, Kevin the Carrot, Aldi’s 2025 ad marks the milestone with a romantic narrative: Kevin prepares to propose to Katie the Carrot, using cue-cards and snowy scenes, in a three-part festive campaign.

My take:
Funny, familiar and affectionate. Aldi leverages a long-running character to build emotional continuity rather than chasing novelty, smart for brand memory and campaign longevity.

M&S Fashion: Give The Gift

M&S’s 2025 festive fashion campaign is built around a social-first, digital-first approach rather than a single blockbuster ad. The rollout is phased starting with “Give the Gift” in late October (gifting content), followed by “Host With The Most” in early November (partywear + hosting), and finishing with “Get Your Christmas On” in December (winter style). The soundtrack drops another 90s banger: Rhythm Is a Dancer by Snap!, giving the partywear phase serious throw-back energy.

My take:
There’s a definite pattern emerging this year, brands mining the 90s for feel-good familiarity. From John Lewis’ club nostalgia to Waitrose’s Chesney comeback and now M&S’s dance-floor throwback, it’s the decade delivering cultural comfort. M&S nails it: upbeat, stylish and just nostalgic enough to make us hit “add to cart” and “play again.”

IKEA Spain: Active Home Mode

In its 2025 Spanish market Christmas campaign titled “Activate Home Mode”, IKEA urges us to give the ultimate gift: our full attention. The central film shows a child’s simple yet powerful request for their parents’ presence, symbolised by assembling a BILLY bookcase, turning a piece of furniture into a means of connection. The tagline “This Christmas, the best gift is being present” cuts through the usual festive spectacle and points to the quiet power of home-time.

My take:
IKEA Spain nails the emotional pivot smartly: instead of high-drama luxury or big gifting marathons, they spotlight the mundane, universal moment of being there. In a world where interruptions and devices dominate, this is refreshingly human. Strategically, it also reinforces IKEA’s home-as-sanctuary positioning, affordable, real and resonant. Too often Christmas ads chase spectacle; this one opts for presence, and that feels quietly powerful.

LEGO: Hello

LEGO’s 2025 holiday ad, titled “Hello,” invites families to rediscover the magic of play through a story of a boy who’d lost that spark. With 97,000 bricks, animation and an ’80s power-ballad style score, the film turns creative building into a festive family moment.

My take:
Clever. LEGO reminds us that the brand isn’t just about toys but connection, imagination and togetherness. It stands out for permitting the child in all of us at Christmas.

GAP: Give Your Gift

GAP’s 2025 holiday campaign, “Give Your Gift,” puts a soulful twist on celebration by reimagining The Climb (originally by Miley Cyrus) via a performance from rising artist Sienna Spiro and a multigenerational choir aged 8-72. The film blends music, togetherness and the brand’s seasonal collection (especially the CashSoft knitwear) across digital, social and retail channels.

My take:
This is GAP at its best; clean, heartfelt and human. No gimmicks, no glitter explosions, just real voices and real warmth. Reworking a 2000s anthem feels clever too: nostalgic enough to pull at memory, modern enough to feel fresh. It’s proof you don’t need sleigh bells to hit the right note.

Matalan: It’s Showtime

Matalan’s 2025 Christmas campaign, titled “It’s Showtime”, puts the brand’s homeware range front and centre for the first time. The hero commercial follows a lead character who transforms her home into a dramatic stage, dressing the dining table, styling the tree, and designing party spaces with cinematic flair. The campaign emphasises how Matalan helps make your home the backdrop for the season’s biggest show-piece.

My take:
Matalan nails the everyday-meets-extra balance. You don’t expect high-drama from a value retailer, yet here they are turning the act of decorating into a full-scale production. It’s aspirational but not intimidating, just enough sparkle that you believe your home could be the starring set.

Telstra: Together is for Christmas – Girl & Ghost

Telstra’s 2025 Christmas campaign, developed by Bear Meets Eagle On Fire with partner agency +61, introduces a quirky story of two outsiders, a teenage goth and a wandering ghost, who find each other in the run-up to the holidays. The film hinges on the idea of “finding your people”, even if you don’t visually look like the traditional Christmas crowd. The spot reinvents the brand’s “Wherever We Go” platform, pairing visual storytelling with another ’90s music track and deliberately sidestepping the usual festive tropes.

My take:
In my opinion, Telstra nails a sharp insight here. I think the choice to centre a goth and a ghost is bold (and cheeky), talking to the misfits and those who might typically feel on the outside at this time of year, yet they become the heart of the story. It’s a clever, distinctive way to tell a Christmas story, playful without losing heart. For a brand that speaks to everyone, it’s nice to see Telstra’s personality come through.

Waitrose: The Perfect Gift

Waitrose’s 2025 Christmas campaign, “The Perfect Gift”, stars Keira Knightley playing herself and Joe Wilkinson reprising his role from their previous festive film. The ad opens in a Waitrose cheese counter where their shared love of food sparks a quirky rom-com romp. After discovering they’re shopping the same premium range, Wilkinson whips up a homemade turkey pie in a playful nod to the classic romantic-gesture scene from Love Actually. Amid the sparkle and food close-ups, the brand spotlights its premium No.1 food range and festive range innovation.

https://metro.co.uk/video/waitrose-2025-christmas-advert-perfect-gift-3548269/?ito=vjs-link

My take:
I’ve purposefully topped and tailed this post with the best. I love this ad. It links back to Joe from last year, riffs on what’s arguably the best Christmas movie of all time, even using the same endearing character. It’s got warmth, wit and all the feels, sprinkled with just the right amount of humour. Honestly, it’s everything we want to feel (and watch) at Christmas.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, this year’s Christmas ads feel more strategic than ever. Brands aren’t chasing tears for clicks anymore but rather energy. I think the smart ones have realised that nostalgia and music can do the heavy lifting, especially when you pair them with a social-first approach. There’s a real shift from big, one-off films to smaller, shoppable stories that live where people actually are; on their phones, in their kitchens, and mid-scroll. In my view, the best campaigns this year don’t sell Christmas, they understand it, what we crave, what we remember, and what we actually buy into.