Watch the video above: WestJet releases its third Christmas Miracle: Spirit of Giving video
EDMONTON — Residents of a small community in the Dominican Republic received an early Christmas present as they were the focus of WestJet’s latest Christmas Miracle video.
The video captures residents of a Puerto Plata-area community making gift requests to Santa. At a Christmas party on a beach the next day, they receive their gifts, including a washing machine, dolls, a skateboard and even a horse.
“Bringing the spirit of Christmas to this community was an extraordinary idea that took extraordinary effort,” said Charles Roberts, executive director of the charity Live Different.
WestJet sent 20 of its employees to the Dominican Republic to work alongside 40 residents and the charity.
Last year’s WestJet “Christmas Miracle” video was enormously popular, generating 36 million YouTube views. That version featured WestJet passengers making Christmas gift requests to Santa at three Canadian airports, then company employees feverishly purchasing the gifts and delivering them to the passengers.
“The WestJet holiday video has become a tradition for us; an opportunity for WestJetters to enrich lives through our fun and caring culture,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet executive vice-president of sales marketing and guest experience.
This year’s video was posted Nov. 30 and had been viewed nearly 50,000 times on YouTube by noon the following day.
WATCH: This is why WestJet chose to bring the Christmas Miracle experience to the Nuevo Renacer community, near Puerto Plata