Neil Patrick Harris Raises HIV/AIDS Awareness As He Gears Up for the Holidays with His Family

Neil Patrick Harris is the man that keeps on giving!

The actor isn’t slowing down for the holidays as he finds time to raise HIV/AIDS awareness with philanthropic organization (RED).

The star of the upcoming Netflix show, A Series of Unfortunate Events, tells PEOPLE exclusively he’s passionate about changing the future of the world for his children, Harper and Gideon.

“As a father with kids in kindergarten, it gets more apparent to me that things need to be done,” he says. “Not for us in our immediate life, but for the lives of the generations that come after us. If you can actually commit to making something like HIV/AIDS vanish … then I think that’s worth putting a spotlight on.”

The Tony Award-winning actor — who is working with The Coca-Cola Company this World AIDS Day in support of the company’s partnership with (RED) — spent five months filming for the highly anticipated A Series of Unfortunate Events and plays the villain Count Olaf on the show.

The Count, a sinister character, didn’t seem to faze Harper and Gideon when he appeared for FaceTime chats while still in costume.

“I was in Vancouver. They were in New York ,” he explains. “I want to make sure that they know the process. Not only of what my face is going to be or what I’m going to be looking like, but what their papa does for a living.”

Harris’ children visited the set of the Netflix show and became a part of the family there.

When it comes to their own family, Harris, 43, and his husband, David Burtka, 41, have simple but sweet holiday plans for their kids.

“Our parents come into town with us,” he says. “I love the rituals of the tree and shopping. It ends up being a busy year for everyone, and when you get a week or two to really just huddle up and be with the people you love, it’s great.”

As for whether he’d return to a Broadway stage in the near future, Harris misses it, but isn’t willing to put his kids through such a rough schedule.

“You have to be headed toward the theatre by 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., and that’s when the kids are having their bath time and about to go to sleep,” he says. “That’s an almost harder schedule for little kids.”

“When I go see a show, I am so impressed by the caliber of talent on the nightly,” he adds. “It’s one of the great reasons to go to New York. You never know.”

For a chance to win a night on the town with Harris and his husband, visit omaze.com/nph and donate to win.