Jingle Jam began in 2011 when two popular Youtubers, Simon Lane and Lewis Brindley, under the name of BlueXephos (soon to become the Yogscast), began receiving boxes and boxes of Jaffa cakes from their viewers. What started out as a silly joke has now turned into the Jingle Jam, which became its own independent charity organisation in 2022.
The organisation has now raised more than $25 million for charity. I spoke to Lewis Brindley, co-founder of the Yogscast and the Jingle Jam, about where it all began. “Back in 2011 folks would send Simon boxes of jaffa cakes. It’s hard to believe, but at that time we were one of the biggest channels on YouTube and were overwhelmed with more than we could possibly eat!”
First came the Jaffa cakes, then came goat sponsorships, which received such a massive response that both decided they could use their enthusiastic subscribers for the greater good. “We had a much bigger response than we had ever expected - and if you’re not careful, doing anything around Christmas time can very easily become a tradition.” Brindley tells me. “And I think everyone loved the idea so much, there was no way we wouldn’t do it again. After that, growth came very organically - we’ve made a few changes but kept the core spirit and values in place.”
Jingle Jam might’ve started life in a small office in Bristol, but the event now spans a global network of charities and content creators. Preparation for the next Jingle Jam begins pretty much immediately after the previous one finishes. “Charity selection starts in February – every year we have hundreds of applicants to boil down to just twelve,” says Brindley. “Then we’re chasing developers and publishers to assemble the games collection, recording clips and videos from the charity partners and coordinating with Tiltify, Twitch and any big sponsors like Displate.”
2023’s Jingle Jam really showcased the expansion of the event over the past few years. Hundreds of content creators, sponsors, and a bundle with dozens of games in it, helped raise more than £2.7 million. As Jingle Jam has changed, so has the team behind it. “It’s strange to think that what was originally a yearly “bonus event” is now the main focus of my year,” Brindley tells me. “Our audience has grown and changed and so have we - and we must continue to innovate and mix things up. Setting up Jingle Jam as an independent organisation only happened recently - in 2022 - as it became clear that the event needed nurturing and protecting in its own right. In addition, Jingle Jam is no longer a Yogscast initiative - it’s something for everyone and we want to encourage that as much as possible.”
Given the success of this year’s Jingle Jam and the continued growth of the project, it makes sense to think of the future. “Our vision is for Jingle Jam to keep expanding and we really see no limit in terms of the number of people who could participate around the world as donors, fundraisers, or simply helping spread the word,” Brindley tells me.
As it stands, Jingle Jam is already one of if not the largest gaming charity event, and Bidnley compares it to some popular charity events in the UK. “I grew up with Comic Relief and Children in Need and they were hugely inspirational (and still are) but I know many people don’t watch normal telly anymore. So we’re trying to create content (and provide rewards) that appeal to folks like us (nerds). And while we have plans to grow Jingle Jam, it will always be rooted in video games and games culture.”
Given the huge milestone, it’s fitting to look back at some of the best moments from the Jingle Jam from over the years. I asked Brindley what his favourite was, and it was obviously the first stream of the event - Jingle Cats. Here are a few of the other favourites from the team:
The Jingle Jam is an annual event that runs every December.
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