Secret Santas Spotted Locally

CROCKETT - Wrapped presents under a few trees today will serve as a reminder of the gift of kindness.

According to Wal-Mart officials in Crockett, ‘layaway Santas,’ people who pay for other people’s layaway accounts, have popped into their store this holiday shopping season. Some of the anonymous benefactors lay money on the counter and instruct employees to find an account in their system with a remaining balance for toys or clothing. The employees leave a penny balance so the layaways don’t get lost in their system. While the exact amount these secret Santas have covered is unknown, the occurrence happened more than twice locally.

Attempts to contact Wal-Mart’s media relations department about the accounts weren’t confirmed as of press time; but news sources across the nation are reporting similar instances.

According to WWBT-TV in Chesterfield, Va., one woman found her $45 balance down to a penny. Associated Press writers in Omaha, Neb., reported a father of three children cried when he found his account paid for at an area K-Mart.

“It is honestly being driven by people wanting to do a good deed at this time of the year,” Salima Yala, Kmart’s division vice president for layaway, told them.

Television station KWES-9 reported a donation of $2,000 paid for 22 layaways in Big Spring, Texas.

While most of the donors don’t want the recognition, their deeds aren’t going unnoticed.

Wal-mart officials told an Acworth, Ga., news station the acts of kindness attest they have the best customers.

“We know that many Americans are still struggling in this economy and it’s nice to see people trying to help each other and make the holiday as joyful as it can be,” they told the station in a statement.

A Destin, Fla., grandmother told a local newspaper her granddaughter would get a Disney princess mirror and matching chairs because of someone else’s generosity.

“I’m going to tell (my grandbaby) that an angel brought them,” she said. “An angel from nowhere.”