First Christmas Advert 2026 – The Race To Launch Has Begun

The first Christmas advert 2026 race is officially on, and here at Under The Christmas Tree, the decorations are already up, the baubles are on the tree, and we are absolutely poised and ready to crown this year’s festive advertising champion the moment they dare to go first.

Last year, it was Aldi that fired the opening festive shot, closely followed by the most talked-about John Lewis Christmas advert in years and a stunning M&S Christmas campaign that stopped the nation in its tracks.

This year promises to be even more spectacular — and we will be tracking every single launch right here as it happens.

👉 Still decorating? Head to our Christmas Decorations Guide for the latest baubles, trees and festive inspiration.

Who Launched Their Christmas Advert First In 2025?

Last year, Aldi fired the opening festive advertising horn before virtually anyone else had even dusted off their tinsel.

Kevin the Carrot returned in typically brilliant fashion with stag dos, hen dos, and the big wedding day! And within hours of launch, the advert was trending.

John Lewis followed shortly afterwards with one of their most warmly received Christmas campaigns in recent years, and M&S delivered a stunning festive fashion and food campaign.

Asda, meanwhile, gave us The Grinch, making viewers laugh, and Tesco hopped on board with the ‘That’s What Makes Christmas’ campaign!

👉 Missed last year’s adverts? Catch up with our John Lewis Christmas Advert and Aldi Christmas Advert from 2025.

Who Will Be First In 2026? Our Predictions

The race to launch the first Christmas advert of 2026 is one of the most genuinely exciting annual competitions in British retail, and we have some strong early predictions about who will fire the starting horn.

Aldi and their beloved Kevin the Carrot have a form for launching early with snippets of mini adverts before dropping the big one! And we fully expect them to go first again in 2026.

However, John Lewis, who have been gradually creeping their launch date earlier every year, could well pip them to the post this time around.

Dark horse prediction for 2026? Asda, why? Because last year saw Asda having one of its most successful campaigns with The Grinch, this could mean bigger budgets and earlier starts.

👉 Shop Asda Groceries online here

The Greatest Christmas Adverts Of All Time

While we wait for 2026’s crop of festive campaigns to land, here is a quick reminder of some of the most iconic and most loved Christmas adverts in British advertising history:

John Lewis has produced some of the most emotionally powerful Christmas adverts ever made. Launching their first Christmas campaign in 2007, it has since become one of the most anticipated annual events in the UK festive calendar.

From the Man on the Moon to Monty the Penguin and, of course, The Bare and The Hare!

Coca-Cola gave us the most iconic Christmas advertising image of all time, the illuminated trucks rolling through a snowy landscape to the sound of Holidays Are Coming has been synonymous with the start of Christmas in the UK for over thirty years.

Woolworths brought a uniquely warm and nostalgic magic to Christmas advertising throughout the seventies and eighties.

Cadbury has given us some of the most joyful and warmly remembered Christmas adverts in British history – from Roses to Heroes, their festive campaigns are as much a part of Christmas as the chocolate itself.

The greatest Christmas advert of 2026 is coming — and we will be right here when it lands. Bookmark this page, follow us on social and never miss a single festive launch again.