'New Texan' James van der Beek stars in heartwarming, holiday-focused online H-E-B ad

James van der Beek — aka Dawson from teen drama series Dawson’s Creek — is commemorating his family's recent relocation to Texas by starring in a new H-E-B holiday ad campaign focused on giving back.

“I have come to look at moving to a new state like being a guest at somebody’s holiday dinner table,” the actor says in a 12-minute online video for the San Antonio-based grocer. “You don’t walk in and tell them what to do. The first question that you ask is: ‘what do I bring?’”

For the spot, Van der Beek and H-E-B partnered with Pop Up Birthday — a nonprofit that provides personalized birthday experiences to kiddos in foster care.

Van der Beek and his two kids are shown trawling the aisles of an H-E-B for decorations, gifts and Christmas cookie-baking supplies. He delivers a Texas-sized pickup truck full of the holiday goodies to Anna and Dan, a mom and her child, who tearfully accept the gifts.

The clip is part of H-E-B's Holiday Even Brighter campaign, which includes 25 days of celebrity appearances, family recipes and musical performances.

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