Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice: Introducing the 2024 Aflac Holiday Duck

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

For Ellen Hansen of Madison, Mississippi, the holiday season isn’t complete until she’s added the year’s Aflac Holiday Duck to her collection. Her tradition started with the first Aflac Holiday Duck in 2001 and now, 23 years later, her ducks are on permanent display in her office — though for this holiday season, they’ve made their home around Hansen’s tree.

A nursing and hospital administrator, Hansen has dedicated her life’s work to caring for children, including those with cancer and blood disorders, at hospitals in Georgia, Texas, Mississippi and others. Aflac agent Carter May learned of Hansen’s love for the holiday plush and enjoyed surprising her with the newest collectible each year when she worked in his home state of Texas — May estimates he’s given nearly 800 ducks to accounts, friends and family over the past 13 years.

The 2024 Aflac Holiday Duck is dressed as a holiday baker, complete with a festive plaid apron, chef’s hat and a gingerbread man cookie in its wings. Coincidentally, this year’s collectible has a special connection to the Hansen family — Ellen’s father-in-law owned a bakery for many years, and her husband, Steve, is now the baker in the family.

However, the most meaningful connection between Aflac’s holiday duck program and Hansen is that both are dedicated to caring for children.

Watch this video above to see Hansen receive this year’s Aflac Holiday Duck.

Since 2001, net proceeds from the Aflac Holiday Duck program have contributed to more than $4 million donated to hospitals across the country that treat children with cancer and blood disorders. The 2024 Holiday Duck can be purchased, while supplies last, at AflacChildhoodCancer.org.

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