Anonymous Angels Pay Kmart Layaway Balances

If you’re anything like me, around this time one finds real holiday cheer difficult to muster. It’s an endless, vicious cycle of fighting for parking and perusing endless aisles of worthless materialism only to feel completely overwhelmed, uninspired and slightly manipulated.

Until a story like this hits the news cycle.

In a showing of ultimate selflessness, patrons in Midwest states (starting in Michigan and spreading from there) are anonymously paying off the holiday layaway balances of less-fortunate families, reports National Public Radio. One mother came to the store to find that all but $58 of her balance had been paid.

Plus: Holiday Charity for Families

Another woman intervened at the layaway counter on behalf of a father, dragging behind him three disheveled young ‘uns. When the woman told the father she would be paying his remaining balance on his children’s Christmas toys, he burst into tears. I don’t blame him.

Plus: Teaching Your Child Charity

This kind of unbelievable show of kindness, mercy and love towards a fellow man is what inspires me during the last week before Christmas, when all the cookie-making, party-throwing and last-minute gift buying has all but worn my holiday spirit thin.

Plus: Forced Charity in Schools: Right or Wrong?

There’s a Kmart down the street from the Parenting offices in Florida. I might just end up there tonight, looking for a family who needs a little magic this year.

What kind of charity have you extended this year? Have you heard any great holiday stories like this happening in your area?