IGA is kicking off its annual holiday fundraiser with a staple of the season: the Yule log, but reinvented as a Log of Generosity.

The Yule Logs of Generosity are available for purchase at IGA, with all proceeds going to La Guignolée, Quebec’s first door-to-door charity fundraiser. The organization was founded in 1861 to gather food for the needy.

“Mr. Beaver’s Yule Log,” the hero TV work, is created by Sid Lee, and features an animated tale of a grandfather telling Mr. Beaver’s touching story to his grandchildren and highlights the importance of sharing.

“The Christmas tale is an original way for our merchants to give back to the public, by doling out a little happiness to families in Quebec and New Brunswick,” says Carl Pichette, senior VP of marketing, full service, liquor, fuel and convenience at Empire.

“The current economic context is putting additional pressure on food banks, especially as the holiday season approaches. Our story has inspired our IGA merchants to act in solidarity with their communities with The Yule Log of Generosity, allowing consumers to enjoy an iconic holiday dessert while directly contributing to La Guignolée.”

This latest effort adds to Sid Lee’s work on IGA’s Christmas holiday campaigns.

“More than ever, the notion of sharing is essential, and we wanted to bring it to the forefront through storytelling,” says Jonathan Lavoie, creative and innovation director for Sid Lee. “We decided to go even further by developing other initiatives to reinforce this important trait, one that Mr. Beaver discovers himself in the tale.”

In addition to airing on television until Dec. 30 in Quebec and New Brunswick, the short film will be available in French and English online, on IGA Vive la bouffe’s social channels and at IGA.net.

Yule Logs of Generosity will be available exclusively at IGA stores and online at Voilà par IGA until Nov. 29.

Tonic DNA handled animation, Circonflex did the music and sound, and Carat handled media.