Deck the Halls with Bells of Foley

With the big day less than 10 days away (deep breaths everyone!) and this year’s Christmas ads playing out across our screens, LBB felt it was time to celebrate the unsung heroes of festive storytelling. 

Yes, we of course mean the sound designers and foley artists spending countless hours behind the mixing desk, ensuring that each snow-soaked footstep and popped champagne cork sounds just right.

Walking the line between ultimate festive spectacle versus overdone, eyeroll-inducing cliché, audio artists have to determine where to go all-in, what areas might benefit from a stripped back approach, and calculate just how many sleigh bells equals too many. 

To dig into the details and unwrap exactly how the magic happens, LBB heard from sound designers for their takes on the intricate sonic moments that make all the difference. 

Chris Afzal 

Senior sound designer / mixer at Wave Studios NY

When sound designing a holiday spot, it’s best to avoid using sleigh bell sound effects. While they certainly have their place, they’re often a little too on-the-nose, a creative cop-out that can flatten the emotional texture of the spot. I prefer to begin by thinking about the world we’re trying to evoke. How can I contribute to the story? Sound has the unique ability to communicate environment and emotion before a single line of dialogue is spoken.

Let’s start with the elements that shape the season: the distant, cold, wintery wind gusts that make us shiver instinctually; the soft, warm crackling of a fire just out of frame that makes us crave that cup of hot chocolate; the faint rustle of coats, the crisp crunch of snow under a character’s feet, or even a barely-there high tonal shimmer when the camera glides past a decorated window, hinting that there’s something magical in the air. These small details build immersion, and more importantly, they build story.

Holiday magic is rarely about loud, obvious cues. It’s about subtlety – the sounds that tap into memory and nostalgia without announcing themselves. Of course, eventually the client will say it needs to feel ‘more holiday’. And when that moment comes, that’s when you sprinkle in the damn sleigh bells. But gently. Strategically. And only after the world already feels alive.

Tom Lane

Sound designer at Creative Outpost

Working in sound design, the aim is always to create something original and avoid leaning too heavily on familiar ideas. That becomes even more important when you’re working on Christmas content, because the season comes with its own instantly recognisable tropes. The cosy crackle, the twinkly sparkle etc. Whilst evocative of the time of year they can also make everything feel a bit samey if you rely on them too much. The challenge is finding a way to tap into that festive nostalgia without slipping into cliché. 

One of the trickier parts of designing Christmas soundscapes is bringing to life elements that don’t naturally make much noise. Snow is the perfect example. Visually, it sets the mood straight away, but sonically it’s almost silent. So when I’m building a snowy atmosphere, I tend to approach it more from a feeling than a literal sound. I often start with a gentle, positive-toned drone. Something soft and airy which I then layer in a subtle shimmer or sparkle to give the sense of cold light hitting fresh snow. It’s less about imitating reality and more about creating the emotional texture people associate with winter/Christmas. 

Michael Anastasi 

Sound designer, mixer, and foley artist at Lime Studios

For me, the magic of holiday sound design lives in the tiny, tactile details that make people feel something before they even realise why. It’s not about piling on sleigh bells or choirs – it’s about crafting warmth and wonder through texture, space and honesty.

Over the past nine years, I’ve been cultivating my foley stage at Lime Studios, where a lot of that storytelling comes to life. Snow footsteps, for example, are deceptively simple but emotionally loaded. I start with cornstarch in a pillowcase for that soft, powdery sound, and mix in rock salt when I want extra crunch. I’ll often sweeten those with real snow recordings I’ve captured outdoors for a layer of authenticity that you can feel, not just hear.

Growing up on Long Island, winter always had a very specific sound to me. With the leaves gone, the distant train horn carried differently – longer, clearer, and almost haunting. There was the unmistakable grind of snow plows after a big storm, a sound that instantly told you winter had really settled in. And on the more festive side, you’d sometimes hear the gentle ringing of a Salvation Army Santa’s bell outside a store – a small, rhythmic reminder that the holidays were here. Depending on the spot, those kinds of cues – even the imperfect or gritty ones – can immediately place you in the season in a grounded, authentic way.

I also love weaving in a light, cool mountain wind – it instantly evokes that open, wintery atmosphere. And depending on the spot, I’ll record small groups of holiday walla to bring in that human layer – the subtle hum of excitement, laughter, and togetherness that defines the season.

The challenge is always to make it feel festive without tipping into cliché. A few distant sleigh bells can still do the job – but framed with restraint and space, they feel discovered rather than expected. The best holiday sound design isn’t loud or obvious; it’s what quietly makes everything feel cozy, magical, and real.

Ben Leeves

Sound designer at Jungle Studios 

I always find that Christmas is trying to create that feeling of togetherness. So, we want the outdoors to feel cold, the indoors to feel super warm and homely. Children playing, family laughing, fireplaces, the list goes on. Then there is the Christmas dinner foley. That’s always a tough one, you want to hear everyone chatting at once, cutlery, glasses, crackers a cacophony ideally!

Outside, yes, it's cold, but still if people are present it's fun and joyful. A lot of off camera sounds, giving the sense of community. This Christmas I’ve used a lot of conversation and laughter from the team here at Jungle to bolster environments. Although the sound mix ideas started late September, so it felt Christmas was a long way away!

But, never forget East 17 ‘Stay’!! The addition of bells made it a Christmas hit. So, yes, the bells have had a few outings here, take a summer campaign music track get Sean to play sleigh bells over it and low and behold you have a lovely Christmas version.

Luke Isom

Sound designer at Creative Outpost

A key element I aim for in any Christmas ad is a palpable sense of temperature. The contrast between heart-warming interior settings and the biting cold outside is essential. Transitioning from an exterior shot where I’ve created a thick layer of whistling winds and blowing blizzards to an interior shot paired with a beautiful, warm colour grade allows the entire piece to truly immerse the viewer in the seasonal atmosphere. Then of course… sleigh bells *** insert eye roll ***.

Michalis Anthis

Sound designer/mixer at Machine

Christmas ads represent a unique creative space, offering a blend of nostalgic elements and fresh, novel opportunities. My starting point is building an atmosphere through layers that call up a sense of place and memory. The goal is to ground the audience in the all-familiar festive season, without being too on-the-nose. 

Sleigh bells and chimes certainly have their moment, yet I prefer a quieter approach, letting the sound design hint and whisper rather than announce. For example; a distant laughter or muffled voices from another room adds the feeling of family or community celebration. A fireplace hum or crackle, softly layered beneath dialogue, creates warmth and comfort without drawing attention. I also like to blend dynamic resonating winds in the music which can add a subtle tonal movement in a very organic way. Another example is a single church bell ringing once or twice way off in the distance. It’s timeless, magical and evokes Christmas without declaring it.

Dave Robinson

Head of sound at Creative Outpost

When it comes to injecting a bit of Crimbo spirit into a mix, I guess that warmth would be an overall consideration for me. Try to avoid using harsh or abrasive sounds wherever possible, leaning more towards more gentle sounds such as sparkles and twinkles or the pleasing ASMR of scrunching snow sounds. And of course, you can always throw in some classic sleigh bells for added festive feels. The warmth of the overall mix might be further enhanced with EQ and other treatment to soften everything slightly if required.