Dutch Christmas commercials 2025: Almost snow-free

It’s great to see that the quality of Dutch Christmas ads has gone up compared to 2024. We’re seeing more creativity, more surprises, fewer clichés, and an overall quality level that is on the rise.

Especially supermarkets have moved up a gear and are now closing the gap with the best advertisers from last year. Oh, I’m just going to say it: the Netherlands are turning into a full-fledged Christmas commercial nation. And I’m loving it.

Also great to see: the snow is (almost) gone. Last year, there were mountains of snow in every Dutch commercial – not exactly what we see when we look out our window in December. This year, however, ads looked a lot more realistic. But don’t worry, there is still snow and there are still plenty of Christmas clichés. Sit back and enjoy all the Dutch Christmas commercials of 2025!

The supermarkets

Albert Heijn

Actor Jeroen van Koningsbrugge isn't just a supermarket manager, he's also a Christmas elf (and the manager's brother) in Albert Heijn's Christmas commercial. Along with many other elves (like actor and TikToker Sem van der Horst), Jeroen is busy filling boxes with Christmas ornaments – including the inevitable Albert Heijn hamster. ‘Make this Christmas even more Christmassy’ is the motto. What makes me happy about this ad? The fact that a Dutch supermarket doesn't automatically opt for traditional long tables full of food in its Christmas commercial. The bad news? Personally, I was a bit disappointed. I feel it lacks the real Christmas spirit: it’s a bit flat and too far removed from the Christmas spirit you ‘d expect in supermarkets. But you can’t deny that it's incredibly beautifully made! My compliments, Albert Heijn, you’ve set the bar high this year.

Aldi

Associating yourself with a low-priced Christmas takes some courage. But Aldi is brave. And that, as far as I'm concerned, sums it up. We see former football player Andy van der Meijde, a simple idea, one gimmick (eating all month long as if it were Christmas, thanks to Aldi's low prices), and a little surprise. Aldi went for light, over-the-top, extravagant, and relatable. It works, but I expect more from a Christmas commercial. Does it fit the brand? Absolutely. Andy is quite charming and his acting is surprisingly natural, but other than that, I’m not really feeling it.

Jumbo

Grumpy Frank Lammers is the star of this year’s Jumbo Christmas commercial. His wife runs into her first love, ‘smooth Roderick’. What unfolds is a flashback/flashforward, Back to the Future-esque plot. Thanks to a shooting start and an accidental wish, Roderick has taken Frank Lammers' place in some kind of parallel world. But Frank refuses to let that happen: he breaks in and drops a star-shaped cookie on the floor to turn his wish around. It all turns out to be a dream, and everything works out in the end, when everyone is sitting around the Christmas table. Great atmosphere, a surprising story and a good plot, with a touch of absurdism – I'm a fan. The boldness of the storyline does it for me: no fancy tricks, staying true to the brand. The most wonderful Christmas you could wish for? Those wishes are usually not very complicated: family, coziness, love. Amen to that.

Plus

Plus wants to stay close to its target audience: human, local, recognisable. And that is exactly what its Christmas ad is all about, too. The focus is on normal people, hard-working entrepreneurs, an intimate atmosphere. Is it exciting? No. Is it surprising? No. Is it the best Christmas commercial of the year? Definitely no. But it's completely on-brand. It aligns perfectly with the new brand direction, and that's what makes it a strong ad. Because it is true to the brand, it stands out amid the Christmas hype. And it has a nice Christmas vibe, too. A bit too many clichés, but there is no snow, and that’s a plus.

Lidl

Unfortunately, Lidl once again chose to run an international Christmas ad in the Netherlands. I get it, I'm not angry, just a tad disappointed. There's nothing wrong with it, but it feels like one big Christmas cliché. A girl talks about the Christmas spirit, there are happy people everywhere you look, a big turkey … it definitely jingles all the way. The Dutch voiceover can’t match the British one, but the music: wow. Beach Boys! At Christmas!

The best of the rest

Staatsloterij

Sainsbury's, Telstra, Barbour, Staatsloterij. An odd list? No, not this year. The stop-motion Christmas commercial (okay, New Year's Eve commercial) is up there with some of the best British animation and stop-motion ads. It's incredibly well-made: it looks beautiful, the music fits perfectly, and the story has Merry Christmas written all over it (a bit of attention goes a long way). The only commercial in the Netherlands that got me choked up. Impressive stuff for a stop-motion.

Makro

Makro went for hysteria. And for a B2B target audience – kudos! The idea: how much Christmas stress can you handle as an entrepreneur? Makro is here to help. A bit too hysterical, if you ask me.

Bol

Bol made a lovely sequel to the Sinterklaas commercial. Santa Claus misses Sinterklaas, a little girl takes care of it. Wonderful atmosphere, a bit of humour. And damn, it's so well made too.

Kruidvat

Lies is looking for love, in this year’s Kruidvat ad. And guess what: she falls in love with a handsome Santa Claus. Jackpot, her young son thinks! But when the boy sees Lies on the couch with Santa Claus without his outfit, he goes: who is that dude? The boy takes matters into his own hands to make things right. What a fantastic storyline! Totally on brand, a brilliant Dutch Christmas vibe and filled with delightful jokes. Kruidvat absolutely nailed it.

KPN

Cat Louis plays the lead role in the KPN Christmas commercial. Or rather, AI cat Louis does. The entire commercial was created by AI and the result isn't bad, but it lacks emotion. And although there's a small surprise at the end, the story is still a bit thin. But it's definitely Christmassy.

Krasloten

Even more artificial intelligence in the Krasloten ad. The use of AI worked out well here, the quality is good, but the story isn't very thrilling. The least exciting of the three AI commercials.

HEMA

The best gift you can give is love. HEMA made a commercial jam-packed with emotion, but without going overboard. Clever. HEMA icons Siepie and Takkie are back, of course. They give a sick girl a white Christmas, with the help of feathers from a pillow. Things threaten to go wrong as Takkie disappears into the night, but all's well that ends well. Excellent Christmas commercial.

Schoonenberg

Like every year, Schoonenberg was first to launch its Christmas ad. And once again, they delivered. ‘Keep listening to each other’ is the line, in small and big moments. Great message and a great commercial, both fitting the brand perfectly.

And the winners are …

Looking at the supermarkets, Jumbo wins it for me. Because of the brilliant story, the acting and the plot. Albert Heijn is right behind them, mainly because of the excellent overall quality (although it’s not quite to my personal taste).

And the rest? That's a tough one. Kruidvat, HEMA, Bol and Schoonenberg all did extremely well this year. But my favourite is the Staatsloterij – an enchanting stop-motion that is way ahead of the rest. It’s not just the best of the rest, it’s the top Christmas commercial in the Netherlands this year.

My wish for next year? More of this! Much more! And please, a little more attention to the music in the commercials. It's all too easy and obvious. Dare to make a different choice. In England, that always worked out very well.