Dozens of struggling families received a big surprise when they learned that complete strangers paid tens of thousands for their holiday layaways:
- A person paid $29,000 to cover all layaways at a Walmart near Philadelphia
- A Secret Santa paid $45,000 to cover all of the layaways at a Colorado Walmart
- An anonymous person paid off all of the layaways on file at a Long Island Walmart
For some families, the generosity of anonymous donors was timely and needed. One woman explained: "This year's been really hard. I'm a single mom of five. And I've been really stressed out about Christmas, and I actually was going to cancel my layaway because I couldn't pay it," she said.
The holiday season is a time for the generosity of Americans to be on full display. We give to charity and donate our time, but what makes these Secret Santas especially notable is the selflessness of their action. They don't get to deduct these gifts on their taxes nor do they earn credit for their actions.