- M&S brings Food, Fashion, Home and Beauty together in one Christmas campaign for the first time since 2017.
- Customers can watch it first on M&S’s Instagram page and YouTube channel from 7am on Friday 6 November.
- James Norton stars as an incognito Santa, alongside Lucy Punch as Mrs. Claus.
- Katherine Jenkins OBE makes a special appearance and provides a specially recorded soundtrack.
- A couple is enjoying a festive holiday gathering with a display of decorated cookies and an assortment of treats.
For the first time since 2017, M&S is bringing Fashion, Home, Beauty and Food together in one Christmas campaign.
The Home of Christmas launches on M&S’s Instagram page and YouTube channel at 7am on Friday 6 November 2026 and stars James Norton as an undercover Santa, alongside Lucy Punch as Mrs. Claus, with a special appearance and exclusive soundtrack by Katherine Jenkins OBE.
The campaign was informed by M&S research* highlighting the importance of spending Christmas together. More than four in five M&S customers (81%) want a special Christmas with the people they love, while 57% plan to spend as much time as possible with family and friends. Food is central to those celebrations, with 68% saying it is what makes the season feel special.
Reflecting those priorities, the film follows Santa, played by James Norton, as he leaves the North Pole to experience Christmas for himself. Encouraged by Mrs. Claus, played by Lucy Punch, he swaps his red suit for a Christmas jumper and shaves off his beard to avoid being recognised. Without his familiar appearance, audiences see a more relatable Santa sharing in the traditions and celebrations that take place in homes across the country.
His journey brings together festive meals, gifts, fashion and home, showing the role M&S plays in helping customers prepare for and celebrate the season.
The story is accompanied by Katherine Jenkins’ specially recorded version of Heaven Is a Place on Earth. The campaign song will be released on launch day, extending the soundtrack beyond the film.
Beyond the film, the integrated campaign will run across TV, video on demand, cinema, outdoor, social media, radio, digital display and print, alongside M&S’s owned channels, influencer activity and PR. The activity will bring the same Christmas story to life across Food, Fashion, Home and Beauty.
Across social and digital channels, the Friends of M&S will share their festive selections through M&S Love That Lists, featuring gifts, food, fashion, beauty and homeware. Customers will also be able to access festive recipes through the M&S Recipe Hub and check ingredient and product availability through the M&S Digital Catalogue, supporting meal planning and shopping-list preparation.
Sharry Cramond, Fashion, Home & Beauty Marketing Director at M&S, said: "Customers don't think about Christmas as one meal, one gift or one outfit. They think about all the moments that make the season special. As the only retailer with a truly cross-category offer spanning Food, Fashion, Beauty, Gifting and Home, M&S plays a unique role in helping customers create Christmas from start to finish. Bringing those categories together allows us to tell one connected Christmas story and celebrate all the ways our customers make the season their own. That's why we're proud that customers call M&S The Home of Christmas."
Andrew Hicks, Food Marketing Director at M&S, said: "Christmas is made up of countless moments, traditions and rituals that mean something different to every family. For generations, M&S has been privileged to play a part in those celebrations, helping customers create a Christmas that feels uniquely their own. From the food shared around the table to the thoughtful finishing touches that make the season memorable, we're proud to be part of some of the moments that matter most. This year's campaign brings that to life in a way that is warm, unexpected and full of charm, celebrating the special place M&S holds in our customers' festive traditions and reinforcing why we're proud to be The Home of Christmas."
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The M&S Christmas 2026 campaign launches on Friday 6th November at 7am across social channels. Customers will also be able to catch the full ad for the first time on TV within ITV’s This Morning at 10:15 on the 6th on ITV1
- Products featured in the campaign include the Oakham™ Turkey Crown with Italian Chestnut, Pancetta & Calabrian Orange Stuffing (£70), Sequin Dress (£45), Autograph Pure Cashmere Scarf (£55) and M&S X Kelly Hoppen Christmas Joy Candle (£25). The full product list appears in Notes to editors.
- All products are available at selected M&S stores and online at marksandspencer.com, subject to availability.
- *Data taken from M&S’ latest Customer Pulse insight.
- Christmas by numbers:
- During the festive period, M&S sells nearly three mince pies every second.
- One in three Christmas turkeys sold in the UK comes from M&S.
- M&S sells 1,800 Christmas jumpers every day over the festive season.
- M&S sells 15 home fragrance products every minute in December.
- M&S sells a pair of pyjamas every four seconds in the run-up to Christmas.
- In 2025, customers snapped up one Beauty Advent Calendar every 17 seconds.
- Last Christmas, customers bought 125,000 sparkle tees and crew knits.
CELEBRITY QUOTES:
James Norton: “It’s not every day you get asked to play Santa, let alone a Santa who immediately shaves off his beard! M&S has been such a familiar part of Christmas for as long as I can remember, so getting to be part of its Christmas campaign feels really special. I loved that this story takes such an iconic character and lets us see him differently. He gets to experience Christmas like the rest of us, discovering that the real magic is in the food, traditions and moments we share with the people we love. It’s warm, funny and full of Christmas spirit, and I’m very happy to have been briefly trusted with the red suit.”
Lucy Punch: “M&S and Christmas just go hand in hand, so it was an absolute joy to become part of that tradition this year. I loved that Mrs Claus is the one who gets this story moving. She gives him the nudge so he can get out there incognito and experience the magic of Christmas for himself. There’s something very sweet and fun about their dynamic, and something quite lovely about the idea behind it: this idea that the magic you’re looking for is actually happening all around you.”
Katherine Jenkins: "For me, Christmas has always been about coming home. It's about family, traditions and creating memories with the people you love most, and music is such a big part of that. Certain songs instantly become part of the soundtrack to our celebrations, so I was thrilled to record a new version of Heaven Is a Place on Earth for this campaign. I love how beautifully it complements the story, reminding us that the real magic of Christmas isn't found in grand gestures, but in the moments we share together at home."
CREDITS:
Brand: M&S
Creative Agency: Mother
Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Shannon Murphy
DOP: Justin Brown
1st AD: Clara Paris
Managing Director*: Lucy Kelly
Executive Producer: Tom Knight
Producer: Tess Mitchell
Stills / Social Producer: Seb Jowers Red
Production Manager: Marketa Husecka
Production Coordinator: Nellie Heron-Anstead
Cast Coordinator: Carys Duffield
Production Designer: Sherree Philips
Food Stylist: Elaine Ngan
Campaign Stylist: Sam Ranger
Talent Make-up Artist: Rebecca Wordingham
Talent Hair Artist: Kota Suizu
Stills & Social Production:
Production Company : Mother- Made
Photographer - Thurstan Redding @ Parent Global
Director - Rob Norman
Producer - Stills Mollie Davison
Producer - Social - Millie Costley - Deakin
Production Manager - Tom O’Driscoll
1st Ad - Andrew Vannek
Production Designer - Samuel Overs
Edit House: TenThree
Lead Editor: Billy Mead
2nd Editor: Rebuen Williams
Edit Producer: Rachel Goodger
Sound House: King Lear
Lead Sound Engineer: Jack Sedgwick
Sound Producers: Hannah Gibson & Matthew Steven
Post House: Black Kite
Colourist: Tom Mangham
VFX Lead: Sasha Danjou
Post Producer EP: Chris Allen
Post Producer: Carla Thomas
Music Supervisor: Mr Pape
Music Track: ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’
Music Artist: Katherine Jenkins
Music Supervisor: Sam Emery
Additional Music Production: Craig Brown
Lead Groomer- Liz Taw & Petra Sellge