Who: Egale Canada, with Taxi for creative, Fuze Reps for production (directed by Raina + Wilson), with Eggplant Music & Sound, Outsider Editorial and Studio Feather.

What: “#AlwaysBeenQueer,” a campaign encouraging donations to the charity that uses holiday staples like tinsel and rainbow-coloured ornaments to point out that the holidays have always been a little queer.

When & Where: The campaign is in market now, running through December. It’s anchored by a 45-second spot called “Give the Gift of Belonging,” supported by CRM, social and wild postings. The ads drive to a dedicated page that allows people to donate, and contains resources such as what parents/guardians should do when their child comes out, to a guide for youth stuck inside with a homophobic or transphobic family.

Why: The holidays can be an extraordinarily difficult time for members of the LGBTQ+ community, with more than 60% of individuals surveyed by Egale indicating that they feel unsafe to be authentically themselves during the season. Some are rejected by their families, and many find themselves completely alone during holiday celebrations.

How: Set to a thumping, disco-fied version of “Deck the Halls,” the 45-second anchor spot shows a house fully decorated for the holidays, complete with visuals of brightly coloured ornaments. “The holidays have always been a little queer,” reads the super.

It’s all festive and fabulous, but then the ad takes a hard turn: The perspective changes to a young person who has been shut out of the celebration and is looking on from the outside. “This season, give the gift of belonging,” reads the final super before driving to the donation page.

And we quote:“With the sparkle, glitter, and non-stop Mariah, the holiday season is a natural time to think about the queer community. So we wanted to get people thinking about the struggles that many 2SLGBTQI people face during the holidays and how to help.” —Allen Kwong, creative director, Taxi