The Christmas advert Hall of Fame

Christmas adverts are a genius invention. Brands roll them out every year armed with overly emotional music, adorable characters, and just enough festive sparkle to turn even the toughest viewer into a complete emotional wreck. Yes, they are technically supposed to sell us products, but what they really end up selling is Christmas itself. Without embarrassment here are my top five Christmas adverts that have turned me into a festive mess over the years!

First up, we have an undisputed classic: The Bear and the Hare. And honestly? I partly blame the music. Lily Allen’s cover of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ should come with a warning label because hearing it in December is an instant emotional breakdown. The advert follows the story of an unlikely friendship between a bear and a hare. The bear always misses Christmas because he is hibernating, and year after year the hare celebrates alone, until one Christmas, he leaves his friend a clock to wake him just in time. This advert makes Christmas feel magical, inclusive, and universal. A reminder that Christmas is for everyone.

1914 – Sainsbury’s (2014)

This one is less about happy tears and more about quiet, powerful emotion. The 2014 Sainsbury’s Christmas advert takes us back to one of the most extraordinary moments of World War I, when British and German soldiers laid down their weapons and came together for Christmas Day. Across enemy lines, they shared chocolate, exchanged small gifts, and played football together in no man’s land. A moment of peace in the middle of complete devastation. This advert earns its place in my top five because it reminds us of what Christmas really means: hope. Even in the darkest circumstances, humanity still finds a way to shine through.

It wouldn’t be a good Christmas advert without a soundtrack

Santa Travolta – Capital One (2023)

Now, let’s be brutally honest, it wouldn’t be a good Christmas advert without a soundtrack. Preferably one that gets stuck in your head and refuses to leave until February. Enter Capital One’s 2023 festive advert, starring none other than John Travolta as Santa Claus, strutting around to ‘Staying Alive’ like Christmas has hired its very own disco king. Technically it is an advert for a credit card, but you’d be forgiven for forgetting that entirely, because this one doesn’t feel like a sales pitch – instead it feels like a Christmas music video.

Travolta swaps dance floors for Christmas lights, serving pure charisma in a red suit while reminding us that Santa apparently has excellent taste in ’70s disco. Instead of pushing finance down our throats, Capital One delivers something much better. This advert is fun, it’s ridiculous, and it knows exactly what it’s doing. Capital One turns Santa into a superstar and somehow makes a credit card advert feel like a Christmas party invitation. Proof that festive advertising doesn’t always have to make you cry, sometimes it just needs to make you smile and have a good sing-along.

Coca-Cola – (2025)

My love for Coca-Cola knows no limits. And apparently, in Coca-Cola’s 2025 Christmas advertisement, I am no longer alone. In this AI-generated advert, you watch wild animals from every corner of nature mysteriously appear and begin following the iconic red Coca-Cola trucks as they roll through snowy landscapes. Instead of migrating for warmth or food, they’re migrating for Coca-Cola. And frankly … same.

It is a powerful reminder that no one deserves to be forgotten at Christmas

What makes this advert so festively brilliant is how it exaggerates something we all secretly relate to. It takes a simple love for a fizzy drink and turns it into a full-scale obsession. Even creatures with fur, feathers, beaks, and actual survival instincts can’t resist Coca- Cola …. so what hope did we humans ever have? It’s aesthetically festive, it’s dramatic, and it’s gloriously ridiculous in the best way. Coca-Cola doesn’t just sell a drink here; it sells devotion. And honestly, watching winter animals abandon the wild for a sip of Coke has never made me feel so seen.

The Man on the Moon – John Lewis (2015)

I could easily continue analysing every single Christmas advertisement known to man. However, it is time to conclude with my final favourite. As I began with John Lewis, it seems only fitting to finish with them also. Their 2015 advert, The Man on the Moon, is particularly moving. It follows a young girl who, through her telescope, notices an elderly man living alone on the moon, separated from the warmth and togetherness experienced by those on Earth during the festive season. While families celebrate below, he remains isolated and forgotten. Unable to ignore his loneliness, the girl decides to act.

Using balloons and what I assume is a little bit of Christmas magic, she sends him a gift and a letter, bridging the distance between them. In doing so, John Lewis conveys a powerful message: Christmas is not just about material gifts, but about remembering the people who feel invisible. It is a powerful reminder that no one deserves to be forgotten at Christmas.

In the end, Christmas adverts may be created by brands, but they rarely feel like they are about business. Behind every snow-bunny, old man, or Santa on screen is a beautifully crafted reminder of love, kindness, and togetherness.