Frequently Asked Questions
How do I receive Christmas help?
Christmas Daddies is the fundraiser and The Salvation Army is our distribution partner for these funds.
The Salvation Army also manages the registration for toys, gifts and food at Christmastime.
You need to register with The Salvation Army to be on the list.
Click here to discover the Salvation Army location closest to you.
If you are unable to reach your local Salvation Army, please contact The Salvation Army Divisional Headquarters
via phone at (902) 455-1201
or via email at [email protected]
What is Christmas Daddies?
Christmas Daddies is an annual telethon held in early December. The telethon is a televised pledge-based variety show broadcast live on CTV. The program is a volunteer effort of the staff of CTV Atlantic and Bell Media provides the airtime and equipment to make the production possible. A cast of hundreds – from the very young to the young at heart, volunteer their time to assist in the production. Duties include technical set up, taking phone pledges, running auctions and performing on the show. CTV and CTV Two personalities and special guests host the show, and encourage viewers to phone in and make pledges. As well, a large number of individuals, community groups and companies who have initiated their own fundraising efforts appear on the telethon to make cheque presentations. To read the story of how Christmas Daddies was started click here.
When is the Christmas Daddies Telethon?
We will confirm the date in the Fall of 2025 , but the next live broadcast of the Christmas Daddies Telethon is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 11 am to 6 pm (Atlantic) on CTV, with a live stream available on CTVatlantic.ca
If you missed watching the 2024 Telethon or are looking for past telethons please visit our YouTube Channel.
How can I donate to Christmas Daddies?
You can make a donation to Christmas Daddies anytime!
Donations must be received by December 31 to be eligible for a charitable tax receipt in the current year.
Donations can be made online at anytime!
We accept Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard and American Express.
Or by one of the following methods:
1) Mail
Send a cheque, or money order made payable to CTV Christmas Daddies.
Mailing address:
Christmas Daddies
C/O CTV HALIFAX
PO BOX 1653
HALIFAX NS B3J 2Z4
2) By Pay Pal
Please note, if you would like to receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation of $20 or more,
include donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code in the message box when sending.
Alternately, if you called the toll free number on Telethon day, you would have been given a Donation ID # and you can include that number in the message box. Click here to be directed to PayPal.
Note: Donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code are required for a charitable tax receipt to be issued.
Charitable tax receipts are issued by The Salvation Army and will be sent via email in January and February.
3) By e-transfer
Please use email address
[email protected]
If your bank requires a password (not all banks do) use the word
donation
If you would like to receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation of $20 or more,
include donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code in the message when sending.
Alternately, if you called the toll free number on Telethon day, you would have been given a Donation ID # and you can include that number in the message box.
4) In Cape Breton, pledges can also be honoured at Credit Unions in the month of December.
5) At RBC locations in December in the Maritime provinces only.
Charitable tax receipts are issued by The Salvation Army and will be sent in January and February.
How can I honour my Christmas Daddies pledge?
Donations can be made online at anytime!
We accept Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard and American Express.
Telethon organizers are encouraging donors to make donations by one of the following methods:
1) Mail a cheque, or money order made payable to CTV Christmas Daddies
We have one mailing address for New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton and Mainland Nova Scotia:
CTV Christmas Daddies
C/O CTV HALIFAX
P.O. BOX 1653
Halifax, NS B3J 2Z4
2) By sending payments via e-transfer to [email protected]
If your bank requires a password, use the word donation
3) By Pay Pal
Please note, if you would like to receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation of $20 or more, include donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code in the message box when sending.
Alternately, if you called the toll free number on Telethon day, you would have been given a Donation ID # and you can include that number in the message box.
Note: Donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code are required for a charitable tax receipt to be issued.
Charitable tax receipts are issued by The Salvation Army and will be sent via email in January and February.
Click here to be directed to PayPal.
4) In Cape Breton, pledges can also be honoured at Credit Unions in the month of December.
Donations must be received by December 31 to be eligible for a charitable tax receipt in the current year.
Will I receive a charitable tax receipt for my donation?
Donations of $20 or more that include full name and complete mailing address will be issued a charitable tax receipt.
A complete mailing address must include civic address (apartment number if applicable), city/town and postal code.
According to CRA guidelines only one donor name can appear on a charitable tax receipt, ie. John Smith not John & Betty Smith or The Smith Family.
Charitable tax receipts are issued by the Salvation Army, the process begins in mid January with the goal of being completed by mid February each year. If you provided your email address, your charitable tax receipt will be sent by email.
If you were expecting a charitable tax receipt and it did not arrive by the first week of March please contact the Christmas Daddies office and provide your donation details including full name, complete address and how you paid your donation.
What if I donated on the NAVY DIVERS GoFundMe Page?
If a donor making a contribution through the Go Fund Me page would like a charitable tax receipt, that individual will need to forward their Go Fund Me receipt (received via email from Go Fund Me) to us at [email protected] and include their full name, complete mailing address, including postal code. Note: Go Fund me does not provide donor contact information to Christmas Daddies.
What if I purchased 50/50 tickets in the online Draw / Jackpot?
Sorry but no, because your purchase is considered a “Game of Chance” it does not qualify for a charitable tax receipt. Provincial lottery rules, not ours.
Will I receive a charitable tax receipt if I purchased 50/50 tickets in the online Draw / Jackpot?
Unfortunately, no. Lottery ticket purchases are not tax deductible as per the CRA guidelines. This is because there is a chance that you will be winning a prize!
I missed the telethon! Can I watch online?
Yes! Please visit our YouTube Channel.
If I missed watching the Telethon, can I still donate?
It’s never too late to donate!
If you would like a charitable tax receipt include first & last name, complete mailing address including postal code.
We are not able to issue charitable tax receipts without this information.
Pick your donation method of choice:
Telethon organizers are encouraging donors to make donations by one of the following methods:
1) Donations can be made online at anytime!
We accept Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard and American Express.
2) Mail a cheque, or money order made payable to CTV Christmas Daddies
Mailing address:
Christmas Daddies
C/O CTV HALIFAX
PO BOX 1653
HALIFAX NS B3J 2Z4
3) Send via e-transfer to [email protected]
If your bank requires a password use
donation
4) Click here to be directed to PayPal
5) In Cape Breton, pledges can also be honoured at Credit Unions in the month of December.
6) Donations can be made at RBC location in the Maritimes in the month of December.
Donations must be received by December 31 to be eligible for a charitable tax receipt in the current year.
Donations received after January 1st are eligible for a tax receipt of that year.
Please note that your charitable tax receipt is issued by The Salvation Army.
Where can I buy a Christmas Daddies Calendar?
Plans are underway for the 2026 Christmas Daddies Calendars and will be available at all Giant Tiger locations in the Maritimes in late August or early September 2025.
If you know a young artist who would like to submit a drawing, check out the Calendar Drawing Contest.
How does my child submit a drawing for the next Christmas Daddies Calendar?
Click here for all the details!
How do I contact Christmas Daddies?
Visit our Contact page for all of our contact information, but before you do please continue reading this FAQ section, we have our most popular questions answered here!
How can I present a cheque during the telethon?
If you would like to present a cheque during the telethon please contact the office
Please include your contact information, the details of your donation and the location where you would like to present your cheque, options are: Halifax, Moncton, Charlottetown or Sydney.
Where can I watch the Christmas Daddies Telethon ?
Click here for channel listings for the CTV Christmas Daddies Telethon.
A live stream of the Christmas Daddies Telethon
will be available during the LIVE broadcast, at CTV Atlantic STARTING AT 11 AM
and ending at 6 pm (Atlantic).
In the days following the live broadcast, we will post the entire Christmas Daddies Telethon program on our YouTube channel, but please allow us a few days to get it up there!
To watch Christmas Daddies Telethons from previous years, go to to our YouTube Channel
How can my company sponsor the Telethon?
As the Christmas Daddies Telethon approaches, we seek support from the corporate community.
If your company is interested in this opportunity there are various ways you can help!
We welcome financial support as well as donated products or services that assist us with the production of the program.
There are a variety of ways we can recognize your corporate support!
We are also seeking a sponsor for our very popular 50/50 Draw and our Online Auction launching Dec 4, 2024.
Interested ? Please contact us to discuss opportunities and help make a difference to a child this Christmas!
Are Christmas Daddies and the IWK Foundation the same organization?
No.
Christmas Daddies and the IWK Foundation are two different organizations. People sometimes confuse us as the same organization, as both Telethons are broadcast on CTV and both Telethons help Maritime Children.
CTV Christmas Daddies is broadcast on the first Saturday in December. Christmas Daddies is a nonprofit organization. The production is a volunteer effort of the staff of CTV Atlantic. Christmas Daddies raises funds to provide for less fortunate children at Christmas. Funds raised are distributed by The Salvation Army.
The IWK Telethon is typically broadcast in early June. The IWK Foundation is a registered charity. Donations fund world-class care for women, children, youth and families in the Maritimes at the IWK hospital in Halifax, NS. Here is their link.
How can I perform on the Christmas Daddies Telethon?
To Apply:
Record a video of the song you would like to perform on the Telethon
Complete the Talent Application Form & submit before the application deadline.
Your video audition can be recorded on a phone, it does not need to be fancy, but should be well lit (not dark) and use the best sound quality available to you. It is extremely important your video is labelled with the performers name and not the preassigned file name automatically assigned when you record on a phone.
DUE DATE for video submissions & application forms is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (October) each year.
Click here for the Talent Application Form
Note: your video submission is considered an “audition”.
If selected, you will be invited to perform live on the Telethon or at a predetermined location & date for a recorded performance.
You must submit your talent application and video before the deadline.
Please ensure your video is labelled as the performers name.
Please submit your recorded video performance using wetransfer.com to [email protected]
You do not need to create an account to use WeTransfer but you will be required to accept their terms and conditions.
Submitting a Talent Application Form does not guarantee your performance will be included in the live broadcast.
All talent submissions are at the discretion of Telethon producers.
Because our telethon’s goal is to help children at Christmas, we prefer musical selections with a Christmas theme or positive message that inspires giving.
Your performance must not be longer than THREE MINUTES and 30 seconds in length.
All applicants will be contacted after final decisions have been made, we promise! Your patience in waiting for a response from us will be greatly appreciated!
How do I buy 50/50 tickets?
The next Christmas Daddies online 50/50 draw is planned for the Fall of 2025 , please check back for details!
Can I buy 50/50 tickets with Pay Pal or e-transfer?
No.
You must use a credit card as you only buy tickets in the province you live in. The name and address you use to purchase ticket(s) should be an exact match for the name & billing address for the credit card used to purchase the tickets.
Can I buy 50/50 tickets as a gift for someone else ?
No.
The name and address you use to purchase ticket(s) should be an exact match for the name & billing address for the credit card used to purchase the ticket(s).
A ticket is only sold to the authorized holder of the credit card used at the time of purchase. “Authorized holder” is defined as the person who is assigned the credit card by the bank or financial institution which provided the credit card. ONLY ONE NAME IS PERMITTED ON A TICKET WHEN PURCHASED. A cheque will be made payable to the name on the verified winning ticket. You must use a credit card as you only buy tickets in the province you live in. Provincial lottery rules, not ours, sorry!
I have questions about the online 50/50 ticket tickets, who do I contact?
If you’re having problems, didn’t receive an email with ticket numbers or have questions about online 50/50 tickets tickets click here for help.
How can I donate to the Navy Divers?
Can I use Pay Pal to send a donation?
Yes!
If you would like to receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation of $20 or more,
include donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code in the
“Add a note” section (or click – Share your Mailing address with C.D Fundraising Association) to allow us to see your address and send you a charitable tax receipt. We promise you won’t receive any other emails or mail from us!
Click here to be directed to PayPal.
Alternately, if you called the toll free number on Telethon day, you would have been given a Donation ID # and you can include that number in the “Add a note” section.
What if I sent a donation and didn’t provide my address?
Easy! Email us with your confirmation number and complete mailing address & we will take care of it!
According to CRA guidelines only one donor name can appear on a charitable tax receipt.
ie. John Smith not John & Betty Smith or The Smith Family.
Donations received before December 31st are eligible for a charitable tax receipt in the current year.
Charitable tax receipts are issued by The Salvation Army and will be sent via email in January and February.
Please note: if you choose to add an amount to help cover the fees, that additional amount is not included in your charitable tax receipt.
Can I send an e-transfer ?
Yes! please use email address
[email protected]
If your bank requires a password (not all banks do) use the word
donation
If you would like to receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation of $20 or more,
include donor first name, last name, complete mailing address, including postal code in the message when sending.
Alternately, if you called the toll free number on Telethon day, you would have been given a Donation ID # and you can include that number in the message box.
According to CRA guidelines only one donor name can appear on a charitable tax receipt. ie. John Smith not John & Betty Smith or The Smith Family.
Donations received before December 31st are eligible for a charitable tax receipt in the current year.
Charitable tax receipts are issued by The Salvation Army and will be sent in January and February.
If I am the successful bidder on an auction item will I receive a tax receipt?
If an auction item is purchased, a receipt is issued for the portion above and beyond the value received by you.
For example, you have paid $100 for an autographed book, the fair market value of the book is $25.
The eligible amount of the receipt is $75.
How can I bid on an auction item with Steve Murphy?
To bid on an auction item on the Feature Auction with Steve Murphy,
please call 1 844 400 1964 between 11 am – 4:45 pm
during the LIVE broadcast to place your bid for items with Steve!
For a list of the Feature Auction with Steve Murphy items to bid on by phone click here.
Check back closer to the broadcast date, as we will be adding more items.
How can I donate an auction item?
If you would like to donate an item to be included in the auction,
please click here.
If I donate an auction item, will I receive a charitable tax receipt?
No. When an item is donated for the auction, we consider the promotion you receive as value to you and there is not a “donation in kind” tax receipt issued for charitable tax purposes.
Is there an online auction this year ?
The next Christmas Daddies online auction is scheduled for the fall of 2025. Please check back for details!
The 2024 Christmas Daddies Online Auction is available here.
If you would like to donate an item to be included in the online auction, please click here
How much money has the Christmas Daddies Telethon raised?
For more details and total amounts raised per year, as well as a breakdown by region, please see the Amounts Raised section on the Telethon page.
Can I watch the Telethon online?
A live stream of the Christmas Daddies Telethon will be available during the LIVE broadcast, starting at 11 am and ending at 6 pm (Atlantic)
visit the CTV Atlantic webpage to watch online.
In the days following the live broadcast, we will post the entire Christmas Daddies Telethon program on our YouTube channel, but please allow us a few days to get it up there!
What happened to The Empty Stocking Fund in Saint John, NB ?
June 15, 2022 – We were saddened to learn the Empty Stocking Fund of Saint John will be no more. On behalf of all of us at Christmas Daddies Telethon, we thank you for looking after the children of Saint John for all these years! Do not worry; we will step up to fill those stockings!
As we have always done, donations are returned to the area where they come from.
Donations received from Saint John, NB will be distributed back to children in need in Saint John through our wonderful distribution partner, The Salvation Army.
Performers of Saint John and surrounding area can perform on our Telethon!
Look for the Talent Application button on our homepage.
I want to organize a fundraiser for Christmas Daddies, what do I do?
Groups and individuals are always welcome to organize a fundraiser!
Please contact the Christmas Daddies office (it doesn’t matter what region you are from – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton or Mainland Nova Scotia) give us the details of what you would like to do. Please include all the facts: group name, contact name, address and phone number. Tell us about your event: include date, time and location.
If you are holding a raffle draw or a 50/50 draw you will need to apply for a lottery license. Our office must first approve your event and provide you with a letter. You can then apply for a lottery license!
To obtain a lottery licence:
- In Nova Scotia contact the NS Alcohol & Gaming Authority
- In New Brunswick contact the NB Gaming Control
- In Prince Edward Island contact the PEI Environment, Labour and Justice Dept
How are the Christmas Daddies funds used?
The funds raised through the Christmas Daddies program provide food, toys and gifts for less fortunate children during the Christmas season.
The Salvation Army distributes these funds throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Funds are returned to the area from which they originated, as an example, a donation from Bridgewater, NS goes back to Bridgewater, a donation from PEI goes back to PEI, a donation from Saint John, NB is returned to Saint John and like wise, a donation from Cape Breton is returned to Cape Breton.
Can I volunteer for the Christmas Daddies Telethon?
So you want to be a Christmas Daddies volunteer ?
You can be a “Christmas Daddies Ambassador” by following us on Social Media and liking our posts!
Many of the volunteer roles we can offer are technical in nature. Our phone volunteer positions are filled at this time.
On occasion, we are looking for additional assistance and we welcome you to complete a volunteer application form. After receiving your completed form, we will contact you if we have a volunteer task that would best fit your skills with our needs.
We encourage groups, businesses or individuals to organize a fundraiser. If this is something you want to do, please contact our office.
If you would like to help the Salvation Army, our partner in the distribution of toys and gifts, in their toy packing centres or on distribution days please reach out to your local Salvation Army.
What fundraising events are organized throughout the year?
Check our news and events page for a list of the latest fund raisers and news updates.
In previous years the Christmas Daddies Association of Halifax held additional fund raisers such as a Spring Fashion Show, a Black Tie Dinner & Auction and an Annual Golf Tournament. It has been decided to concentrate efforts on the telethon, and these events no longer take place. However, some groups such as the Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic), the Christmas Daddies 1 Pitch Tourney and PharmaChoice hold fundraising events on our behalf throughout the year. If you wish to hold such an event yourself, please contact the Christmas Daddies office for information and guidelines. Your efforts are very much appreciated!
Can I purchase older versions of the Telethon from years gone by?
No. We are often asked for broadcasts from older archived shows in the 60s, 70s and 80s. We do not have them.
We do not have the ability to isolate one performance or appearance.
We are slowly adding past telethons to our YouTube Channel.
We encourage you to check out our YouTube Channel.
Who founded Christmas Daddies?
Read the whole story about the History of The Christmas Daddies in our History Section.
What is the legal name of Christmas Daddies? What is the charitable registration number?
We are known as Christmas Daddies, however our registered non—profit name is
C.D. Fundraising Association
Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies # 3028464
We are not a registered charity with Canada Revenue Agency but have an official agreement with
The Salvation Army Maritime Division as our distribution partner.
The Salvation Army also issues charitable tax receipts to Christmas Daddies donors on our behalf.
CRA# 10795 1618 RR 0001
