It’s that time of year again!… Our TV screens have been taken over by Christmas adverts, as they tap into our emotions and excitement through the festive season. Over the past decade, brands had competed against each other to put out the best Christmas advert of the year. Over the years, John Lewis has been setting the bar, but other brands such as Aldi with their cute carrots have been pushing to become the years favourite as we sit on the sofa with a sip of mulled wine and a mince pie.
Ad campaigns anytime of year aim to tap into our emotions, as well as promoting campaigns that use the best tactics of content marketing to get us spending.
Christmas is a unique time of year for adverts, we really get invested emotionally and get excited about these festive adverts hitting our screens each year
So Entertainment Swindon team have sat back in front of YouTube to go through all of this years festive adverts, ranking them from favourite, to least favourite and giving a score out of 10. Let us know what you think and comment below.
All the big brands are putting out their Christmas adverts to be the Christmas Advert Top Dog.
But Who’s a HIT and who a FLOP?
last year, top of our list was Argos, with a doll and toy dinosaur conducting a kidnapping, ASDA with a very merry grinchmas, and the return of the BFG in the Sainsbury’s Christmas advert.
In 2024, John Lewis was only just lucky to stay out of the bottom spot, with Gregg’s being the most boring Christmas advert of 2024, and in 2025 we gave John Lewis a generous 7/10 for what was a just about above average advert. SO how did the big guns of festive advert do this year? Lets find out…
Let’s take a look at 2026!
Morrisons: 9/10
Up From 8/10 in 2025
Christmas Made Just Right
A fun reimagining of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, sees Mummy and Daddy Bear’s frantic preparations after a last-minute text from Baby Bear which reads: “Home for Xmas! Bringing someone xx”.
Daddy Bear is sent to Morrisons for the food shop, where he struggles to free his trolley from the line, while Mummy Bear decorates the tree – with a quick break to scratch her back on its branches.
This years festive adverts across the board have been very dull and unimaginative, but there are a couple that have saved Christmas and Morrisons have really pulled it out of the shopping bag with this one that is deservedly our favourite Christmas Advert for 2026.
M&S: 9/10
Up From 8/10 2025
The Home of Christmas
M&S have come a very close second this year, with many taking to social media saying “best ever”, and celebs have also taken to their socials such as Stacey Dooley who said “absolutely yes” , and reality star Vicky Pattisonwho said “It is the best advert I have ever seen”
The advert see’s James Norton as Santa, who shaves his Santa beard and leaves the North Pole to experience Christmas as us mere mortals incognito. Its also the first time M&S have brought food, fashion, home and beauty together in one campaign in almost a decade.
Sainsbury’s: 8/10
Up From 5/10 in 2025
Sainsbury’s Big Delivery
Sainsbury’s have continued their relationship with the BFG in their Christmas advert, and for two Sainsbury’s delivery drivers, this year they set off on an adventure to the BFG’s magical land, determined to deliver Christmas to the giant, whilst narrowly avoiding dangers such as Trolls along the way.
Some have taken to social media to show disappointment in a lesser focus on the BFG, and focusing more on the intrepid delivery drivers, but for me, thats the very reason why this is I think the best Sainsbury’s Christmas advert in a long time.
Debenhams: 8/10
Christmas For Everyone – Dreams Can Come True
“Christmas. For Everyone” sends Emily Atack home to a fictional English village for the annual Christmas party, putting Mathew Horne in her path. When a snow storm and a neighbours Christmas light decorations creates a power cut and a delay to the arrival of special guest supposed to be performing on stage, Horne is asked to perform.
But after yet another power cut, everyone goes outside as special guest and 90s pop sensation arrives to perform. With a few awkward moments and the lights going out with another power cut, we see Horne and Emily kissing. A guy gets the girl moment, much to the delight of everyone as the lights turn back on.
What I like is that, Christmas isn’t perfect, things go wrong, there is no such thing as perfect, and its those moments that go wrong that can bring everyone together. A romantic sweet ending with the message Christmas For Everyone.
Argos: 8/10
Down from 10/10 in 2025
Tales of Argos Past
Argos this year has continued building on its ‘There’s More to Argos’ message, with brand mascots Connie the Doll and Trevor the Dinosaur, along with this year being joined by Richard Ayoade in a sort of playful version of Scrooge, with Ayoade playing the part of Scrooge and Connie & Trevor playing the part of Jacob Marley.
Since the introduction of Connie & Trevor, Argos have produced regular fun, entertaining adverts, especially at Christmas. But for me though, bringing in Ayoade, pushing the lovable toy characters to a supporting role has taken much of the fun and the loveability of the Argos adverts, they didn’t need a celeb, Connie & Trevor are the stars of Argos, they don’t need a celebrity. So sadly this year, although still an enjoyable advert, I’ve had to drop the score down this year.
LEVI’S: 8/10
A Frighteningly Fuzzy Holiday
An unusual one, almost Halloween vs Christmas, but unlike many of this years droll, unimaginative boring festive adverts, LEVI’S is an unusual festive high scorer.
Levi’s has launched Let’s Get Fuzzy, a 60-second stop-motion claymation film in which a yeti called Gus crashes a cabin party and is won over by a red sweater. Beyond the fun plot of the advert, I love they used stop-motion, rather than computer animation or AI, there’s an authentic feeling watching stop-motion, animaltronics etc, used in movies from the past before the likes of Pixar and AI took over the art of physically creating much loved characters such as Yoda, Johnny 5, Wallace & Gromit, Jack Skellington, Audrey II and many more
Burberry: 8/10
Wrapped in Burberry
Anything with Pierce Brosnan gets instant high scores for me!…
Wiltshire’s Longleat House was used for this years Burberry Christmas advert as it celebrates its 170th birthday, starring Pierce Brosnan and Fiona Shaw playing lord and lady of the manor at a rather lively and starry Christmas gathering, which has also coincided with Longleat House celebrating its 170th birthday.
As the advert starts, we see Fiona Shaw at a desk writing invites, as it cuts to Dylan Brosnan driving a classic Jaguar E-Type, followed by cutting to Pierce Brosnan in the manor reading a paper. For those with a keen eye, you may have spotted the headline ‘Trench Coat Rescues Shoppers from Unexpected Downpour.’ It’s a clever little joke about Burberry’s most famous garment, slipping in a reminder of its practical origins, prior to the glamour we have come to expect from the brand today.
As more guests arrive, pulling up in a classic old Land Rover Defender 90, unloading classic Burberry Tartan luggage, whilst all dressed head to toe in Burberry, the adverts tone turns to the lively chaos of fun and games, kids running through the manor before the party begins with with everyone dancing to Sylvester’s ‘Do You Wanna Funk’ with the party in full flow.
Dylan Brosnan, Cara Delevingne and Gabrielle Union are among the guests, with Pierce Brosnan at the centre of the dance floor, before retiring to the grounds to watch a fireworks display exploding above Longleat House.
Lidl: 8/10
Up From 2/10 in 2025
Last year, Lidl focused their Christmas advert on their ‘Lidl is perfect’, supporting the stores campaign to encourage people to ‘find the value in sharing joy by donating to Lidl’s Toy Bank’, and asks the Big Question, Why do we love Christmas so much? Yes this was a lovely message we don’t see enough, but the execution was a dull boring advert.
Christmas Everybody
EastEnders’ Barry stars in Lidl’s Christmas advert with cameos from football legend Chris Kamara, Capital FM’s Kemi Rodgers and comedian Abi Clarke in a feel good advert where we see Shaun Williamson who played Barry in the BBC soap singing karaoke to the iconic Slade anthem ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’, changing the words to promote Lidl festive food, drink and of course their Lidl Christmas Jumper, before heading to neighbours doorsteps spreading a Lidl Christmas Spirit with plenty of goodies and of course plenty of Lidl Christmas Jumpers that you can’t miss if you tried!
Lego: 8/10
Gift The Joy of Lego Bricks
The advert featured a variety of LEGO characters, both licensed and original, from Yetis to Doctor Doom, and my favourite, a blue astronaught which takes me back to being a young 5yr old and my first memories of LEGO.
The advert follows one LEGO brick on an adventure through the LEGO workshop, passing through the world of LEGO to the legendary hit song ‘One More Time’ by Daft Punk, where we see the appearance of a star-studded cast of LEGO characters including Thor & Doctor Doom from the Marvel Universe, E.T., K-Pop Demon Hunters, F1 Academy driver Esmee Kosterman, and of course Daft Punk themselves to name a few.
The bricks journey reaches its climax as we see the brick crowd surfing and leaping over Daft Punk mini figures, and departing the LEGO Universe on a LEGO lorry to the real world and into the hands of a young girl building a LEGO creation in a cosy living room with her family enjoying Christmas Day.
Aldi: 8/10
Up From 6/10 in 2025
(As much as we love Kevin the Carrot, last years first of three advert, fell a little flat against a lot of great festive adverts last year. It wasn’t because we didn’t love last years advert, it was just that 2025 had more amazing creative adverts than previous years).
Kevin the Carrot and the Christmas Wish
Can you believe, its been eleven years since we were introduced to the lovable Kevin the Carrot by Aldi?!
In the full 50-second advert, Kevin and his daughter Chantena track paw prints across the forest which eventually lead back home. Chantenay’s wish comes true as she finds Cauli Dog inside a Christmas cracker on a packed dining table.
Kevin has become a much loved part of the festive season, leading up to Christmas, bringing festive chaos, whilst showing us the real magic of Christmas is spending time with the people that matter most to us.
Kevin is not only joined by Chantenay, Cauli Dog also stars in this years advert. Aldi have taken the decision to move to a new creative agency next year, after a 21year relationship with McCann Manchester, so will this be the last we see of Kevin and the gang? Lets hope not, as Kevin the Carrot has become as much a part of Christmas as presents under the tree.
The advert closes with the brand line: “All you want for Christmas.”
Sports Direct: 7/10
Unwrap Potential ft. Haaland, Leah Williamson, Dina Asher-Smith, Henry Pollock & Aitch
Firstly, we did like this advert, the story line was really thought about. But isn’t Sports Direct a Sports Shop selling multiple brands? Not a Nike Shop? It would have been better adding other brands into the advert, and not focusing on Nike. I get it, the Fraser Group obviously did a collaboration here, but for me three stripes will always top Nike.
That said yes I liked it. The playful take on Nike AI was a great idea, leading to a secret entrance where we see sporting stars help shoppers spot the perfect sporting gift, well, the perfect Nike sporting gift at least.
The adverts title,was also a good idea, “Unwrap Potential”.
If only it wasn’t just about Nike, it would have got an 8/10!
Shelter: 6/10 (Message though, we give it a 10/10)
This is Not a Christmas Ad
Like they title the advert, ‘This is Not a Christmas Advert’, the advert is sad, close to home for many these days, with so many people living in poor temporary accommodation, often not fit for living in for a weekend, let alone long term. The advert does end on a happy note, with the mother and daughter moving into a house, but this is far from Jolly, and why it scores low, its an appeal for help from the charity Shelter and the great work they do for those in need.
ASDA: 6/10
Down From 8/10
All of Christmas at Asda Price. Boom
This year Asda’s new festive push centres on one punchy tagline: “All of Christmas at Asda Price. BOOM!”
In 2024, Asda topped our festive Christmas list with a team of Gnomes saving Christmas to the A-Team theme tune, and in 2025, Asda brought us a fun Grinchmas, so this year, focusing on what they sell and a big focus on ‘Asda Price’ was although doing what an advert is supposed to do, sell a product, service, brand, it just wasn’t quite hitting the fun of the past two years.
2024/25, although focusing on Gnomes and Grinch, they still highlighted products on the shelves at Christmas. It was still a fun, punchy advert, just bring back the Gnomes.
Etsy: 6/10
There’s a Workshop For Every Wish
Holiday magic is made by real people, one piece at a time. Celebrate Being Human with millions of workshops around the world on Etsy. That’s what Etsy’s message is this Christmas.
The advert is obviously asking us to buy stuff, thats what adverts are supposed to do, but this years advert is a chilled thoughtful advert, thats not in your face, instead focusing on being a handmade goods platform, giving a more personable touch that a human hand can give over machines.
The advert brings the audience into the magical workshops of three crafts people, almost like a Santa Workshop, making gifts more personable, as if the gift was only made for the person recieving it.
If it was all about the warm fuzzy feeling this advert gives us, it would get a 9/10, but we have been used to fun, entertaining and creative adverts for over a decade now, and so, once Christmas is over, its just another advert we will just forget was created.
Very: 6/10
That’s The Very Thing
Very’s festive advert features a young animated flamingo, as he searches for his dream gift. As he delves into Pink Very boxes, he is transported into dream worlds, from snow covered mmountain tops to outer space, before coming back to the reality of his flamingo family celebrating Christmas around the tree at home.
Its a cute advert, but the young flamingo isn’t Kevin the Carrot, and will be forgotten once we move into 2027, and why its only got a 6/10.
Boots: 6/10
Down from 9/10 in 2025
Give It Some Boots
Lets start on the positive, there are some moments throughout the advert that will make you chuckle, because you have been in that moment before where youre going out and you need to cut the facecream tube to get that last drop out because you forgot to get a new tube, or you know a friend or family member that protects their hair curlers like they are the last one’s on the planet.
But thats where the positive ends, its another advert, that by the end of January, or until Boots stop flogging this advert at us, that will be forgotten.
Last year we followed Puss in Boots on an adventure to get what he needed for the Snow Queens Ball, it was fun, creative, and hugely entertaining, and why we put it second in our list of 2025 Christmas adverts with a 9/10. This year just feels like an unimaginative need to sell us products off the shelf that we get all year round, with the exception of adding a Christmas tree and a few Christmas hats from a cracker. Another advert we will forget ever existed.
Barbour: 6/10
Wallace & Gromit
Barbour, Love Love Love! Wallace and Gromit, Love Love Love!
The execution of the two brands coming together, sadly a bit flat.
Another invention failure, that leads Barbour saving the day with a wooly jumper. It’s Wallace & Gromit, so hard to say anything bad, we all love them! But the 2025 advert made me chuckle from start to finish, this year got a chuckle at the end. I won’t stop loving Barbour or Wallace & Gromit, and I still want a nice new classic Barbour Wax Coat. This years advert will just have to settle for a 6/10.
Thatchers Cider: 4/10
Saving Tasing Time This Christmas
I love a bit of festive animation at Christmas, it wasn’t the most exciting advert, or that amusing, but at least they actually made some effort with this advert, it made me smile, but could have added a bit more humour into it.
I love a nice cold pint of Thatchers, so wanted to say more positive things, but I can’t find anything more to say about another Christmas 2026 advert that will be forgotten very quickly.
Matalan: 3/10
A Christmas Moment With Matalan
So far we have seen three Matalan Christmas 2026 adverts, basically all with the same theme, this is the best of the bunch.
The festive collection of short adverts, shows a modernisation of Matalan’s brand image, they are short, punchy and stylish. It’s simple and I like it, featuring festive fashion and gifts available in store, with effortless simplicity. Maybe I’m being harsh with just 3/10, but again, another advert that will be forgotten very quickly.
Tesco: 3/10
Because This is Christmas, Every Little Helps – Wrong Address
Not a chance that your Tesco delivery driver will drive the length of the country to deliver your shopping! I guess its heart warming if nothing else, two people reconnecting, but as droll as a typical British Soap, which is a shame, seeing that it really is a missed opportunity by tesco using talent like Anna Maxwell Martin and Roisin Conaty.
The full length advert goes on far too long, much like an episode of Coronation Street, sorry Tesco, but I think you need to take a look at your supermarket rivals over the past few years, as year on year the festive Tesco advert is getting worse.
John Lewis: 3/10
Gloria & Pickles
John Lewis have done it again! Another god awful advert, but this time they really have irritated the nation, I have to wonder if this is deliberate, to have us talking about it consently, or they really have miss-read the room!
I love John Lewis as a store, but where are those advert we all fell in love with each Christmas? Bring back the perfect connection between what we saw on screen and the perfectly chosen background music, remember 2008 and the use of Beatles classic ‘From Me To You’, 2009 use of GnR ‘Sweet Child of Mine’, to where the John Lewis Christmas journey really began, and the nation started to fall in love with the annual John Lewis Christmas Adverts where in 2011 we watched a little boy counting the days to Christmas morning, and then there was the 2012 titled ‘The Journey’ about a devoted snowman who travels across fields, forests, rivers, and city streets to find a Christmas gift for his snow partner, with again the perfect backing track from Frankie Goes To Hollywood, performed as a stripped back accoustic cover by singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin.
From there, each year the John Lewis Christmas advert was the benchmark for every brand. Unfortunately for all those other brands wanting to get noticed during the festive season, John Lewis just kept raising the bar. In 2013 came the animated ‘The Bear & Hare’ with the angelic voice of Lily Allen performing a cover of Keane’s song ‘Somewhere Only We Know’. Following on we had Monty the Penguin, The Man in The Moon, and who could ever forget, Buster the Boxer on the trampoline, the ‘Boy And The Piano’ collaboration with Sir Elton John, or that cute little dragon called Edgar!
It’s as if John Lewis could do no wrong, they had the magic touch, producing perfect Christmas adverts that each year we fell in love with. But the old saying of all good things must come to an end, has really been proven this year! John Lewis has lost its Christmas Advert Midas touch! This year we have been given a couple of feral kids for Christmas, and the nation has fallen out of love with John Lewis this Christmas.
What I did like about this years advert… Pickles the toy dog, I actually had one of these! So there was nostalgia, including an old record player, so there was a smile on my face as I saw a toy of my childhood and vinyl, and personally, I loved the London Rickshaw, its had a bit of a kicking for its inclusion in the advert by almost everyone, but I love a London Rickshaw personally.
BUT, those feral ungrateful kids, show a light on how things are today, a very I want, I must have entitled world. If it wasn’t for the toy dog Pickles, John Lewis would have got a 0/10.
TK Maxx: 3/10
Festive Crossing
I guess I should be giving this one a better score, and quite a few of you are going to disagreem with me putting TK Maxx down the bottom here, but for all its amusing cute ducks coming home from a shopping trip to the store in question, it just didn’t do it for me.
Yes its fun and sells us a feeling of Christmas and a want to head to TK Maxx to find that something fabulous, but for me its still a 3/10.
Amazon:
Joy Delivered
Joy Delivered, the sentiment of giving and helping others was there, but it just went on too long. For me, this year falls flat compared to a couple of crazy OAPs tobogganing in 2025 and the solo performance on stage by the janitor in 2024.
Arsenal: 1/10
Twas The Season
What can I say, I can’t stand football, especially the Premier League!
Not even Colin Firth could make me like this one!
Liverpool FC: 1/10
Nice One
What can I say, I can’t stand football, especially the Premier League!
Nice One? More like do one lol… Big Big Yawn!
National Lottery: 1:10
This Christmas It Could Be You
I felt bad giving it our first ever zero for our Christmas Advert List, the only reason they don’t get Nil Points!
If I see this advert much more I will definitely give it a 0/10! Not its gone from boring and very dull to irritating.
I could write more about this advert, but I really don’t want to give any time to the most boring advert Christmas has seen since Greggs unleashed their 2024 Christmas advert featuring celebrity chef Nigella Lawson.
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