The Most Hilarious and Heartwarming Holiday Ads That Capture The Magic Of Festivities

Turkey day has come and gone, and we’re in full holiday mode over here at DesignRush -- that means carols, mulled wine, and plenty of holiday videos.

Now that it’s, ahem, more acceptable to enjoy the Santa-based part of the year, we thought there was no better way to fill the gap between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday than rounding up our favorite holiday commercials.

Some are hilarious. Some are heartwarming, So get ready, because you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll likely hit the mail (or do some online shopping) after. Here’s to some Happy Holidays with the 10 best video advertisements. 

1. WestJet Christmas Miracle - real time giving

WestJet put together their Christmas video with the help of 175 WestJet volunteers, three airports and Santa himself -- and they made 250 Calgary-bound flyers very happy.

To capture the holiday spirit, WestJet installed a virtual Santa in two airports, where passengers could tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Upon landing at their destinations, they were greeted with an epic surprise...

2. Kmart's "Ship My Pants"

“Ship My Pants” is everything we want from a holiday ad. It's short, it's quippy, it's strangely informative, and it's a little juvenile. With a smart play on words and silly storytelling, "Ship My Pants" made sure to stick in every consumers' head, ensuring this video was engaging on all fronts.

3. 1914 | Sainsbury | Christmas 2014

The Sainsbury’s Christmas ad in 2014 was made in partnership with The Royal British Legion and inspired by real events from 1914 during the First World War. In the nostalgic, emotional video, we see humanity shine through the Christmas truce between rivaling militia. On Christmas day, men laid down their weapons and celebrated the reason for the season together through feasts, football and non-traditional family. 

4. English For Beginners - Allegro

Allegro’s ‘English for Beginners advert follows Robert, a Polish man, who is preparing to meet his grandson in England for the first time and he wants to learn English before he goes. He purchases "English for Beginners" on Allegro and practices non-stop before traveling to America to meet his grandson for the very first time, ending in a touching reunion of family at the holidays. 

5. Anna Kendrick in #missadventure: The Waiting Game (s1) | kate spade new york

Women’s fashion brand Kate Spade New York picked the holidays to launch their digital video series #Missadventure. Season 1, which stars actress Anna Kendrick, humanizes the luxury brand and helps it appeal to a younger millennial audience through quirky brand building and realistic Christmas fails we can all relate to. The online series, which follows the misadventures of the madcap heroine, is a great example of compelling, effective storytelling through video.

6. A Coke for Christmas

The lights are tangled. The snow is slippery. The baking four is strewn everywhere. Decorating for the hap-happiest season of all is, well, less tha hap-happy.

Enter: Coca-Cola.

A young boy carts around bottles of coke, delivering them to his neighbors and showcasing the spirit of giving throughout the holidays, even if it's a something as small as a soda pop. It's the thought that counts -- and Coca-Cola's thought is grand. 

7. M&S: Paddington & The Christmas Visitor

Paddington is back for another adventure! This 2017 Marks & Spencer ad ‘Paddington & The Christmas Visitor’ tells the tale of how Paddington Bear managed to convince a would-be burglar that there’s more to the festive time of the year than just presents. Who needs Home Alone after this story?

8. Walmart: Rollbacks That Rock the Show

We all know Walmart is all about the rollbacks, and this video transforms its iconic deals to the holidays. Excited children are seen celebrating the epic deals their parents scored. Meanwhile, the well-known symbol has been transformed to resemble snowflakes, and is sprinkled throughout the video to reinforce the wintry feel. 

9. Macy’s: Lighthouse

Macy’s poignant Christmas commercial sets a similar tone as the holiday ads from U.K retailers like John Lewis, who capitalize on heart-wrenching emotion and are often the most anticipated throughout the season. 

In this video, a young boy signals to his neighbors -- who are suffering a loss -- through a lighthouse to come join him and his family for the holidays, extending much-needed care and compassion throughout the latter part of 2017. 

10. Heathrow Airport: Heathrow Bears Christmas 2017

Following their 2016 success, the Heathrow Bears are back for another holiday season! The iconic Heathrow Airport transports viewers through the bears' loving romance over the past 70 years, demonstration their growing family. Eventually, the bears are reunited with other family members at the airport at Christmas, giving us real Love Actually meets Berenstain Bears vibes.