J. Lo Plays Santa For Charity: Actress Wants Donations Instead Of Gifts

Jennifer Lopez, also known in certain circles as J. Lo, is currently playing the role of Santa Claus for charity, according to The Associated Press.

Instead of giving her presents this holiday season, the actress is hoping people will make donations to one of her favorite charities. In order to help spread the word, Lopez will kick off “J. Lo’s Christmas Gift.” The contest will reportedly run through next Monday.

“It’s just that kind of doing something nice for somebody, and they do something nice back and kind of paying it forward,” the actress explained during a recent interview with the AP.

According to The Hollywood Gossip, Lopez is using the hashtag #JLOSCHRISTMASGIFT to reach fans across several different social media platforms. The singer said that getting all of her fans to donate at least one dollar would help generate a substantial amount of money for several helpful organizations.

“I thought, ‘What if every person I tweeted and asked for a follow donated a dollar?’ I have [13 million] followers [on Twitter]. We can collect a lot of money for these charities that I work with that are literally close to my heart,” Lopez said.

The Christian Post reports that Lopez is asking her fans to make donations to any one of her favorite charities, specifically Boys & Girls Club, the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and the American Red Cross.

J. Lo is asking for people to donate to the Red Cross in support of those who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Her ex-husband Mark Anthony was reportedly affected by the storm that worked its way through the Northeast last October.

“Just knowing how so many people were affected by it and when you really hear the stats of it … there’s not enough you can do,” she remarked.

When she’s not helping out those in need, Jennifer Lopez still finds time to act. Her next big project is the action thriller Parker with Jason Statham. The film is presently set to open in theaters on January 25, 2013.

Are you a fan of J. Lo? What do you think about the actress playing the role of Santa Claus for charity?