Actress Jen Lilley is spreading a little extra Christmas cheer!

Jen is helping bring 20,000 gifts to children in need through a holiday campaign featuring all sorts of prizes!

Christmas movies are filled with Pinterest-worthy decorations, festive traditions, and a little holiday magic. My wonderful friend, actress Jen Lilley, wants to bring some of that Christmas magic into real homes this year while helping thousands of children experience the joy of opening presents.

Jen is bringing back Christmas Is Not Cancelled, her holiday fundraising initiative that began during the pandemic in 2020. After a few years away, the campaign is returning for 2026 as a nonprofit program with an ambitious goal: providing 20,000 Christmas presents, including toys and books, to children in need.

Running from November 1 through December 13, the campaign gives supporters an opportunity to help children while earning entries into weekly prize drawings and an incredible grand prize called “The Ultimate Christmas.” The prizes are designed around the decorations, baking traditions, and holiday experiences that make Christmas movies so much fun to watch.

And yes, it includes just about everything you’d expect to see in a Christmas movie!

Christmas Is Not Cancelled returns for 2026

Christmas Is Not Cancelled started in 2020, when Lilley joked with a friend about the possibility of Christmas being canceled during the pandemic. What began as a lighthearted conversation grew into a fundraising effort with an initial goal of collecting 10,000 toys for Toys for Tots. Thousands of supporters joined the effort, turning it into a holiday tradition that eventually received national recognition from Toys for Tots and Childhelp.

Now operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit program, the initiative is returning with a renewed focus on helping children across the country. The campaign also has a special connection to Jen’s personal experiences with foster care and adoption.

I asked Jen all about the fundraiser, what she hopes families experience during the holidays, and why giving back is such an important part of her Christmas traditions.

Christmas Is Not Cancelled is about more than presents. What do you hope a child feels when they receive a gift through the organization?

Pure Christmas joy. We partner with Toys for Tots, and one of the things I love most about their program is that parents usually get to pick out the gifts themselves. So on Christmas morning, the presents under the tree are from Mom or Dad. The kids don’t have to know their family had a hard year. They just get to wake up, run to the tree, and be a kid.

But I think the parents feel something just as powerful. The toys we buy through Christmas Is Not Cancelled aren’t random leftovers nobody wanted. We give the hottest toys on every kid’s wish list: Nee-Dohs, Squishmallows, magnetic tiles, roller skates, and more. So when a parent picks out a gift, it’s THE gift their child has been dreaming about. And in that moment, they realize, “Someone I’ve never met thought about my family this Christmas. We matter.”

And for kids in foster care, who are often spending Christmas away from everything familiar, the holidays can be the loneliest time of the year. A gift chosen just for them says they weren’t forgotten.

That’s what Christmas Is Not Cancelled is really about. It’s strangers showing up for strangers. It’s kindness you can unwrap. It’s everyone’s chance to be George Bailey for a family who needs it. And honestly, I think that’s the kind of hope we all need right now, a reminder that people are still good and we’re still in this together.

You’ve been a passionate advocate for foster children and families. How has your personal experience shaped the way you approach Christmas Is Not Cancelled?

My husband and I got licensed to foster and adopt through Childhelp, and over the years we’ve mentored and helped so many kids. Two of our sons came to us through foster care. Today they have parents and a stable home, and they never have to wonder whether there will be presents on Christmas morning. But so many kids do wonder.

Christmas Is Not Cancelled isn’t only for kids in foster care. It helps children in families all across the country. Foster care just opened my eyes. Many kids enter care with nothing to their name but the clothes they’re wearing. Once you’ve seen that, you can’t unsee it, and you want every child to have something that’s truly theirs.

What’s something people might not realize about the children and families you’re helping during the holidays?

That teenagers get forgotten. Everyone wants to buy for the cute five-year-old, but the 14-year-old needs to feel loved at Christmas too. That’s why we’re choosing gifts like Squishmallows and Nee-Dohs this year. Kids of every age love them, even teens.

Bringing Christmas movie magic into real homes

One of the most creative parts of this year’s fundraiser is how it incorporates the Christmas movie experience into the campaign. Each week features a new holiday-themed prize, with everything from decorations and movie memorabilia to baking supplies and Christmas treats.

Here’s a look at the weekly prizes:

• Week 1 (November 1–7): JIMMY and It’s a Wonderful Life Package. Celebrate the release of JIMMY, the James Stewart biopic, and the 80th anniversary of It’s a Wonderful Life. The package includes a cast-signed script, commemorative Bevin Bells, four Fandango movie tickets, and a 4K copy of It’s a Wonderful Life. This prize package is courtesy of JIMMY the movie, Burns & Co., and Fandango.
• Week 2 (November 8–14): Balsam Hill Christmas Wreath. Three winners will each receive a 26-inch pre-lit Balsam Fir wreath to decorate their front doors.
• Week 3 (November 15–21): Balsam Hill Christmas Garland. Three winners will each receive a six-foot pre-lit Balsam Fir garland, perfect for decorating a mantel or staircase.
• Week 4 (November 22–28): The Christmas Baker’s Box. Five winners will receive a collection of cookie mixes, sprinkles, baking goodies, Christmas teas, and hot cocoa mixes from The Food Nanny, Sprinkle Pop, Chavamade, and Old School Brand.
• Week 5 (November 29–December 5): Balsam Hill Ornament Set. A collection of Christmas ornaments to help decorate the tree.

Of course, I’m especially excited about the Christmas Baker’s Box, wink wink. Christmas cookies, a ton of sprinkles, and a mug of hot cocoa fit right into the holiday movie theme. And with Balsam Hill decorations and classic Christmas movie memorabilia included throughout the campaign, each week’s prize adds another piece to that picture-perfect Christmas setting.bilia included throughout the campaign, each week’s prize adds another piece to that picture-perfect Christmas setting.

The Ultimate Christmas grand prize

While the weekly prizes celebrate individual holiday traditions, the grand prize brings everything together into one Christmas movie experience.

One supporter will win The Ultimate Christmas, which includes every weekly prize along with a pre-lit Balsam Hill Christmas tree, a $1,000 shopping spree, Christmas dinner and dessert, six Christmas stockings, and a personalized video message from Lilley and her Christmas movie friends.

The idea is to help create an entire Christmas movie setting at home, from a beautifully decorated tree and garland-covered mantel to cookies in the oven and dinner on the table. It’s a creative way to celebrate holiday traditions while encouraging people to contribute to a cause that will help thousands of children.

Jen Lilley on It’s a Wonderful Life and the future of the fundraiser

There’s another meaningful connection between Lilley’s holiday fundraiser and one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. Jen portrays Gloria Stewart in JIMMY, the upcoming biographical film exploring the life of James Stewart and his journey toward It’s a Wonderful Life. The film is scheduled for nationwide release on November 6, 2026, coinciding with the classic movie’s 80th anniversary.

You also appear in the upcoming film JIMMY, which explores Jimmy Stewart’s life and his journey toward It’s a Wonderful Life. What did that experience teach you about the enduring appeal of a Christmas classic?

That the message never gets old. It’s a Wonderful Life is about how one ordinary life touches so many others, and that’s exactly what Christmas Is Not Cancelledis. Nobody has to give a lot. When we all give a little, it adds up to thousands of kids waking up to a present on Christmas morning. Getting to play Gloria Stewart, and to be part of telling the story behind George Bailey, felt like a gift. It also made me realize how much I love supporting roles, where you get to champion everyone around you.

Is there a particular moment, story, or experience from past campaigns that has stayed with you?

Honestly, it’s not one moment, it’s something I’ve heard countless times. So many supporters have told me they wanted to spread hope and love in a dark world but felt like they didn’t have enough to make a difference. Then they joined Christmas Is Not Cancelled and realized that together, every gift counts. We’ve built a true community, and that’s the thing I’m proudest of.

Looking ahead, what’s your biggest dream for the future of Christmas Is Not Cancelled?

That Christmas Is Not Cancelled becomes part of people’s holiday traditions every single year, where giving a gift to a child in need is as much a part of the season as decorating the tree.

And I’m dreaming big! I’d love for more brands to join us and help make the Ultimate Christmas even more magical every year. Imagine a dream vacation with airfare, a snowy cabin getaway, the works. The more partners we have, the more joy we can give, both to our winners and to the children we serve. If your brand loves Christmas as much as we do, let’s dream up something incredible together.

Christmas cookies, family traditions, and a little baking chaos

Of course, I couldn’t talk to a Christmas movie star without asking about holiday baking! As it turns out, Jen has some wonderful family traditions involving Christmas cookies, movie nights, and tons of entertaining kitchen experiences.

If I walked into your kitchen in December, what would I most likely find baking in the oven?

Snickerdoodles! The whole house smells like cinnamon sugar, and it instantly feels like Christmas.

Do you have a Christmas cookie or dessert recipe that’s been passed down through your family?

My mom is an incredible baker, and she taught my sister and me everything she knows. Our family tradition is to make every cookie recipe under the sun and set out a giant Christmas cookie buffet. Now I’ve started my own tradition with my kids: Christmas movie night with homemade candy, a popcorn bar, and a hot cocoa bar.

Do you follow a recipe exactly, or start adding extra chocolate chips and sprinkles?

I follow the recipe! Cooking is an art, but baking is a science. When you have a tried-and-true recipe, you stick to it. Now, the sprinkles on top? That’s where I let loose.

Have you ever had a Christmas baking disaster?

Haven’t we all?! The secret is choosing to laugh instead of cry. Some of our best Christmas memories started as baking disasters.

What has been your sweetest or funniest memory of baking with your children?

My kids are so cute in the kitchen, but they sneak frosting way more than I’d like to admit. Our gingerbread house decorating parties are basically sugar-tastrophes. There’s more candy in their mouths than on the houses, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.A little behind-the-scenes Christmas movie fun

A little behind-the-scenes Christmas movie fun

Those picture-perfect Christmas movie kitchens might make viewers want to start baking, but I was curious about what really happens on set. Jen shared a few entertaining details, including whether the food is actually as delicious as it looks and which holiday movie she’d love to revisit.

Is the food on set actually as delicious as it looks?

Let’s just say there’s a little movie magic involved! Those cookies have to look perfect take after take, so they’re usually there for the camera, not for us. But the hot cocoa? I’ll never tell.

What’s something about filming Christmas movies that would surprise people?

We usually film them in the peak of summer heat!

What’s the most magical Christmas movie set you’ve ever worked on?

The Spirit of Christmas. It was my first leading role, and we stayed in the very house where we were filming. Then we got snowed in by historic back-to-back blizzards in Massachusetts. It felt like we were living inside a Christmas movie.

If you could revisit one of your Christmas movie characters, who would you choose?

It’s a tie between Molly Hoffman from Mingle All the Way and Kate from The Spirit of Christmas, which fans rewatch every single year. We actually have a sequel to The Spirit of Christmas written and ready to go, and I think it might be even better than the original. So if any networks out there are reading this, call me!

How to help bring Christmas to 20,000 children

Supporters can participate in Christmas Is Not Cancelled from November 1 through December 13, with gifts starting at $15. For the first time, gifts to the campaign are tax-deductible, as Christmas Is Not Cancelled now operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit program. Eligible gifts and purchases from the Christmas by Jen Lilley merchandise collection also earn entries into the holiday prize drawings.

She is also introducing Christmas by Jen Lilley, a limited-edition merchandise collection that connects holiday shopping with charitable giving. Every hat purchased provides a book to a child in need, while every sweatshirt provides a toy. The collection is available while supplies last. With this year’s goal of 20,000 presents, the organization hopes to bring holiday excitement to families across the country.

And while Christmas movies, decorations, and baking traditions are all part of the fun, Lilley hopes her children carry one particular tradition into adulthood.

What’s one Christmas tradition you hope your children will continue?

Giving back. More than any cookie recipe or decoration, I hope they always remember that Christmas is about loving others, especially someone who needs it most.

With thousands of gifts to collect, celebrity supporters joining the cause, and a grand prize filled with Christmas movie magic, this year’s fundraiser offers a wonderful reminder that the holidays can be just as much about giving as receiving.

Because the magic of Christmas isn’t just about what’s waiting under your own tree. Sometimes, it’s knowing you helped put something under someone else’s.

More Christmas surprises are on the way

And according to Jen, there’s even more holiday fun on the way! Stay tuned for more surprises, special guests, and exciting announcements from Christmas Is Not Cancelled throughout the season.