With its picturesque towns, said to create a magical and festive atmosphere for viewers, this year Hertfordshire has been the chosen location by four nationally recognised Christmas adverts.

Home to Warner Bros Studio Leavesden, Sky Studios Elstree and Elstree Studios, just to name a few, as well as heritage sites and towns featured in Oscar winning movies and some of your favourite TV dramas, it’s no secret that Hertfordshire has taken centre stage for some of the nation’s favourite Christmas adverts over the years. 

Previously featured in Christmas adverts for nationally recognised brands such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and M&S, Hertfordshire’s picturesque towns, local councils and one-stop service for filming in the county, Hertfordshire Film Office (HFO), have come together to deliver another year of unforgettable seasonal campaigns.  

Boots: Gift Happily Ever After 

Filmed in the heart of St Albans town centre, the advert features a festive backdrop with a Christmas tree and snow outside the Boots store, along with shopping scenes filmed inside. This campaign offers a modern twist on Puss in Boots, bringing a touch of fairytale magic to British high streets. 

To see for yourself watch the advert and watch the magic from behind the scenes. 

M&S: Traffic Jamming 

Placing Dawn French as ‘The Magical Fairy’ and transforming F stage from a snowy motorway to a glittering dinner party, M&S’s Christmas advert was filmed at Warner Bros. Studio Leavesden, with support from HFO for location shooting. 

To see the magic behind the production click here. 

Get Your Christmas On 

M&S’s second advert was filmed at Old Hatfield, where the area was covered in snow and many businesses were featured including the local pub and Hatfield Park. 

Watch the advert here. 

Tesco: That’s What Makes It Christmas

A collection of mini festive stories, highlight the chaos of Christmas, features filming locations in Hemel Hempstead, in particular Mayland’s Offices ‘BizSpace’. 

Watch the advert. 

Sainsbury’s: The Unexpected Guest 

Featuring British literary, Roald Dahl’s BFG (Big Friendly Giant), St Alban’s Market Place and its snowy surroundings can be easily recognised towards the end, with its shops as well as local residential properties. 

For a sneak peek at the behind the scenes set up and to watch the advert click here. 

Bringing Christmas to life in Hertfordshire 

St Albans took centre stage for Hertfordshire’s Christmas location filming this year, the town is fast becoming a popular location for filming all together. 

The untitled commercial, now known as Sainsbury’s ‘The Unexpected Guest’, filmed back in July the production utilised the location to its full potential by also using the local businesses in St Albans Market Place as dressing areas.  

Hertfordshire Film Office worked alongside St Albans City council and the Business Improvement District to ensure disruptions to businesses and residents were kept to a minimum. As well as offering support with the Highways filming to ensure smooth attainment of resident consultations, licences including cranes, filming permission and the checking of PLI and RAMs. 

Chesca Store Manager, Muzhan Zakeri, shared his experience:  

“On the day, the store was closed, and the team temporarily transformed the storefront to suit their set, including repainting the exterior. Filming took place overnight. When we returned the following afternoon for handover, the store had been fully restored to its original condition — the exterior returned to its original colour and all merchandise placed exactly as it had been before. Overall, it was an effortless and very positive experience, and I would highly recommend working with them.” 

With the Film Office’s one-to-one support and strong local partnerships, productions can expect smooth logistics, a film-friendly environment, and access to top-tier talent. 

Get in contact with the HFO for filming in Hertfordshire.