Secret Santa shocks west Edmonton residents with $250 gift cards and uplifting notes

Many people living in a townhouse complex in west Edmonton were surprised with a special delivery early Christmas Eve morning.

Residents awoke to find an encouraging letter and $250 gift card dropped off anonymously.

“Woke up to find this on my step with a very large gift card,” Callingwood resident Leigh-Ann MacNaughton posted on Facebook, along with a photo of the sweet letter.

“It appears my whole neighbourhood got one. I have been crying all morning.”

The typed note, written in poem form, reads:

View image in full screen

Rob-Roy Macnaughton also lives in the complex. His neighbour knocked on his door Thursday morning, telling him about the special delivery and that he received one too.

“There was a letter and a $250 gift card to Walmart. In these times, it’s a beautiful gift because there’s a lot of families who are struggling, a lot of people not working.

“It was a surprise and it’s a little emotional for our whole family,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It was a surprise and it's a little emotional for our whole family," he said.

“I’m still in a little bit of shock about it. Obviously it feels really, really good that somebody would do that. I don’t know how many people got this Secret Santa and gift card. I think there were quite a lot of them.”

He said the fact that the person doesn’t want any recognition is also wonderful.

“Just the act of kindness… it just said ‘Secret Santa’ on the letter.”

1:53 SantaYEG delivers gift cards and compassion to Edmontonians ahead of Christmas

Macnaughton said this gift will ease the financial burden on his family.

“It’s really helpful… I’m not working right now. I’ve been looking for work.

“Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart and from my family’s heart. We’re very, very, very grateful and this really means a lot to us.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart and from my family's heart. We're very, very, very grateful and this really means a lot to us."

Anastasia Hawksworth had to pinch herself when she looked through her mail.

“I opened the envelope and I saw the gift card and thought: ‘I definitely must be dreaming… it’s $250!’

“I have two kids so we can go to the Walmart and buy the groceries… That’s my groceries for the month. It’s a big deal. It’s a lot.

“I could afford to buy something like a game for the kids.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I could afford to buy something like a game for the kids."

She said the uplifting message also touched her heart.

“It’s really nice that someone is trying to do something to help… especially during these hard times.

“I think it’s awesome that there are people like that.”