With Halloween and Bonfire Night firmly out of the way, it’s time to start the countdown to Christmas. Mulled wine has started to pop up in pubs and bars, advent calendars are appearing in supermarkets and the first Christmas adverts are now on our TV screens.

A staple of the festive countdown, brands are going bigger and often sparklier each year, and we’re not complaining. We’ve got some of our favourite characters returning, like Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot and the Lidl fairy, as well as some bigger characters making special cameos, including Shaun the Sheep and Roald Dahl’s BFG. And of course, the much-anticipated John Lewis advert.

Here, we’ve rounded up the brands that have already launched their Christmas adverts for 2024.

John Lewis

The two-minute TV advert celebrates the search for the perfect gift through the wisdom of its customers and the breadth of offering in its stores – ending with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look”. 

In the ad, the heroine, Sally, has left it a little late to find the right gift for her sister this year and races into a John Lewis store at closing time. Falling through a rack of dresses, she enters a parallel world. We first see her stumbling out of the wardrobe in the attic of her childhood home and from here we are taken on a whimsical journey through her memories as she searches for the ultimate present, against the clock.

Waitrose

A Waitrose Mystery: a family Christmas takes an unexpected turn in this tale of mystery, suspicion and pudding. The No.1 Red Velvet Bauble Dessert is so delicious, it’s gone. Someone’s taken it, but who? They all have good alibis. You’ll have to watch the advert to help Waitrose crack this case.

The star-studded advert features Matthew Macfadyen, Joe Wilkinson, Rahkee Thakrar, Sian Clifford, Dustin Demri-Burns and Eryl Maynard.

Lidl

The advert centres around the heartwarming theme of creating a magical Christmas for everyone through the story of one kind little girl and her family.

The advert’s wholesome story signals the return of Lidl’s beloved toy bank scheme. In the spirit of creating a ‘Magical Christmas with Lidl’, the scheme aims to donate over 100,000 toys to reach more children than ever before.

Aldi

Set in a festive village, the ad reveals that the Spirit of Christmas has been kidnapped by a group of evil ‘humbugs’, plunging the village into darkness. Santa tasks Kevin and Katie with a seemingly impossible assignment.

Working fast to save the day, Kevin and Katie must manoeuvre through dangerous situations and ‘booby traps’ to free the Spirit of Christmas and teach the humbugs that “Christmas is better when goodwill is returned”.

Shelter

The film opens in an imaginary world and shows a little girl Mia and her dad spacewalking across an alien landscape.

On their adventures, as the pair search the planet for the Space Palace, Father Christmas waves to them as he flies towards Earth and they high-five an alien octopus voiced by comedian, podcaster and writer Adam Buxton. Suddenly the harsh reality of living in temporary accommodation intrudes and brings them back to Earth.

At the end of the film, Mia and her dad return to the fantasy world, before a flicker of emotion on his face shows the constant stress he’s bravely hiding from his daughter while trying to make her feel safe. The film ends with the tagline: “Love alone can’t protect a child from homelessness, but your donations could.”

Morrisons

Morrisons’ advert sees the return of singing oven gloves and spotlights the nation’s festive hosts, who will be putting on the greatest show at home this year. The 60-second feel-good ad is directed by The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey and features the uplifting showtune Give A Little Love from Bugsy Malone, with the soundtrack sung by a choir of Morrisons colleagues.

Debenhams 

Step into Christmas and get ready to discover the fashion, beauty and homeware icons that will bring a touch of luxury to your celebrations. The festive ad features Elizabeth Hurley, model and TV host Leomie Anderson, comedian Ellie Taylor and presenter Hannah Cooper-Dommett, who all reveal their festive favourites.

Barbour

Having successfully patched up The Farmer’s waxed jacket last year, Shaun the Sheep and his flock are back for more adventures with Barbour. This time the focus is Barbour’s accessories, with a message of giving the gift of warmth this winter.

M&S

This year, Dawn French comes face-to-face with the M&S Fairy and gets quite the fright. Not only has she discovered magic truly exists but Fairy’s only gone and invited all her neighbours round for an impromptu party. A disaster for anyone not equipped with a magic wand and some tasty food. So, step into Christmas and meet the quintessential hostess of the season.

Sainsbury’s

In this heartwarming ad, two old friends embark on a journey, showcasing the delicious flavours of the festive Taste the Difference and Sainsbury’s ranges. In a TV first, a real-life ‘Sophie’ from Sainsbury’s is featured alongside the lovable BFG character and, together, they go on a festive foodie adventure.

Amazon

Amazon’s 2024 Christmas ad showcases how small, thoughtful acts can spark joy and bring people together. The short film Midnight Opus tells the story of a theatre janitor whose hidden vocal talent is discovered and celebrated by his colleagues during his daily shift.

Image: Morrisons