WITH less than two months to go before Christmas, popular store chain Marks and Spencer has unveiled its brand new festive advert ahead of the holiday season.

Its Christmas Clothing & Home campaign for 2023 is titled 'Love Thismas, Not Thatmas' and celebrates the "honest truths" about the time of year.

The campaign is inspired by the insight that many of us find it hard to strike a balance between the things we love about the holidays and the things we do because we feel obliged.

To bring this special time alive for everyone, M&S is encouraging people to embrace only the things they love about Christmas.

Watch the M&S 2023 Christmas advert 

The advert is set across four different homes featuring one of four popular household names.

Actress Hannah Waddingham, singer and podcast host Sophie Ellis-Bextor, presenter and style expert Tan France, and actress Zawe Ashton all have to make decisions about the Christmas traditions they're going to embrace this year.

Anna Braithwaite, M&S Clothing & Home Marketing Director, said: “Before we created Love Thismas (Not Thatmas), we spoke to hundreds of our customers and they all told us that, at Christmas, they feel this pressure of having to worry about and plan so many things. We know it can often feel like the list is never-ending so this year we decided to celebrate and empower our customers to just do the things they love.”

Hannah Waddingham said: “I love the build up to Christmas and all the magic and sparkle that comes with it! If I'm perfectly honest, I'd be happy to start it all in November! Getting glammed up and spending time with loved ones and family is something I look forward to the most, so filming this campaign really got me in the festive spirit. M&S is always my go-to destination for picking up Christmas gifts and let's not forget the foooood!......so being involved in the campaign has been so special and a great pleasure.”

On working with M&S, Tan France added: “I’ve loved M&S since I was a child, and so to be included in this campaign is such an exciting moment for me. I love celebrating Christmas with my kids and all the festivities that come with it (yes - even those home-made decorations!), and I’m so excited to share this campaign with them – they love going into M&S when we’re back in the UK, so they’ll be super excited when they see the ad.”

Actress Zawe Ashton said of being involved in the campaign: “Who doesn’t love an M&S Christmas? I’m delighted to be playing a part in the campaign this year – I have a special place in my heart for M&S. I can’t wait to really embrace the season and make the most of every minute with my family.”

Long-time fan of the brand, Sophie Ellis Bextor added: “My kids all still love the magic of Christmas, so it’s a really exciting time in our household – we love hosting Christmas, so having a house-full is when I’m happiest. We’ve got so many Christmas traditions in our family, which we add to each year – it’s always busy for us, and I love it that way! Being able to be a part of one of the biggest TV ad campaigns of the year is so exciting, I can’t wait to see it go live!”

The advert was created by M&S' newly appointed creative agency MOTHER and director Ally Pankiw, best known for Feel Good and Black Mirror.