UP Gets Into Holiday Spirit With Gift-Giving Campaign

UP will look to spread some holiday cheer with a new holiday gift-giving campaign that will provide gifts and cash to needy families around the country.

The network’s “Top Secret Santa” campaign -- part of the network's 'Uplift Someone' pro-social initative -- will aid nine families in Atlanta, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Dallas and Houston with cash and a “customized bounty” of much needed Christmas gifts, according to Charley Humbard, president and CEO of UP Entertainment LLC.

The families, chosen by local charitable organizations in their respective communities, will be visited by UP’s "Top Secret Santa"-branded  mini-van (pictured) and asked to share on camera their best and most uplifting Christmas memories. During the course of the interview, the network’s “Secret Santa” team will appear bearing such gifts targeted to each family’s needs. Gifts range from bicycles to kitchen tables, according to network officials.

UP will air footage from each surprise visit in a series of vignettes beginning Dec. 1 and running through its Christmas programming lineup of 400 hours of uplifting original holiday movies, Christmas specials, music and marathons, said the network.

“The goal of our ‘Top Secret Santa’ initiative is to show the true meaning of Christmas,” said Charley Humbard, president and CEO of UP Entertainment, LLC in a statement.  “We hope that these small acts of kindness spread joy and Christmas cheer and inspire others to do the same."

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.