Thank you Secret Santas: Celebrating seven years of our Christmas appeal
This Christmas marks seven years of our charity Christmas appeal, Secret Santa.
The magic of Christmas begins in childhood. Carefully hanging stockings. Peeking at presents under the tree. But for many, Christmas is anything but magical.
For seven years, we've been asking people like you to support our charity Christmas appeal by becoming a Secret Santa and making a donation.
Every year, our supporters remind us of their incredible generosity. Thanks to you, we can continue to be there for vulnerable children and families across the UK.
To celebrate, we reflect on the Secret Santa milestones we've achieved over the years.
2018: The birth of Secret Santa
It started with just an illustration style of a child and an animated video that spoke to people across the UK.
Each year since, the magic has only grown.
2019: pop-up shop and virtual gifts
In our second year, we launched our first charity pop-up shop in Covent Garden, featuring exclusive clothing designed by celebrity supporters. We also introduced virtual gifting, making it easier for supporters to buy a charitable gift.
2020: Pivoting our campaign
The pandemic saw us embrace the need for virtual gifting and events. We introduced Starry Night Carol: a virtual event hosted by journalist, Jon Snow, and featured performances from Leona Lewis and Liam Gallagher.
2021: Partnerships and national radio
A new partnership with First Direct helped us share our mission more widely. We also hosted a Radio Times Santa takeover, reaching millions of listeners nationwide.
2022: Awards and TV ad
We received the Poverty award at The Drum Awards for Social Purpose. This award was a milestone in our campaign.
That same year, we launched our first TV ad, narrated by Larry Lamb and featuring illustrated characters Nathan, Lucy and Tripti. Their stories unfold through Christmas cards displayed on a festive mantlepiece.
The ad even appeared on ITV's This Morning, helping us reach even more people across the UK.
2023: Festive baubles and wonderful carols
In November, we launched our first ever range of charity Christmas baubles.
The baubles were designed by Jess – a young person who received support from Action for Children – and TV personality Billie Shepherd.
In December, our extraordinary Young Carers Aloud choir shone brightly. They performed at our Starry Night Gala, ITV's This Morning and at our Royal patron’s - The Princess of Wales - 'Together at Christmas' carol event.
2024: Giving Grotto
In November we launched the Giving Grotto - a festive experience where children became Secret Santas by choosing a gift that could help a vulnerable child.
2025: Santaland
In December, we launched our new appeal film 'Santaland', featuring our newest celebrity ambassador, Anna Maxwell Martin. The film highlighted the issue of child poverty and was promoted on ITV’s Lorraine.
