Random Act of Kindness Makes Young Boys Christmas Special
It was the Saturday before Christmas, and you could feel the excitement in the air. The tree was up with beautiful angels nestled upon its bows. A new quilted skirt of snowmen had been placed around the bottom of the trunk covering the stand. Brilliant strands of twinkling white lights were aglow. Bing Crosby singing White Christmas was playing on the radio.
I’d just taken my last batch of shortbread cookies out of the oven to cool, when my youngest son came bounding down the stairs. Full of pride and anticipation he commenced to tell me he had finished his chores, and would like his allowance. He had worked hard and diligently that week in order to earn some extra money for Christmas shopping. After handing him twenty dollars he asked if I would have the time to drive him to Beaver Lumber today, as he had one gift left to buy, that was for his father. He wanted to get him something special that he could use at work, and had a specific item in mind. I had a few items that I needed to pick up that day and told him to go and get his brothers and we would head to the store.
My three sons and I piled into car to venture out on this busy shopping day. Snow was falling heavily causing traffic to move along slowly. When we arrived at our destination my youngest son wanted to go into the store alone, and made this quite clear to us. He was determined to pick out the gift for his father, without help from his brothers or myself. The parking lot was busy so I told him to be careful and watch out for cars.
The three of us sat waiting for Garth to make his purchase and return to the car. The snow was starting to get pretty heavy, and I still needed to make a few stops before going home. Forty-five minutes had passed and everyone’s patience was wearing thin. I asked one of my twins to go into the store to see what was taking so long, while I dusted the snow off the car.
Getting back into the car and starting it to warm up, Matt and I see both boys coming out of the store. In his hand, Garth is toting a huge yellow bucket, and has a very big smile on his face. “Mom, Mom,” Garth says with excitement. “You’re not going to believe what just happened in the store.”
“You sure look happy, what happened, and what have you got there?” I asked him.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to have enough money to pay for this really cool work bucket and tool belt that I got for Dad, so I took the stuff up to the cash register lineup to check. It turned out that I was ten dollars short. There was this man who got his stuff ahead of me, and as he was leaving he heard the cashier tell me that I was short by ten dollars.”
Garth’s brother Allan interrupts, “I thought Garth was going to start crying when the cashier told him he was short ten dollars. Garth starts telling the cashier that it’s a gift for his Dad. The man ahead of Garth hands him a ten dollar bill, says Merry Christmas son, I am sure your dad will love this gift. Then he leaves the store.”
Garth jumps back into the conversation. “Mom, I told the man that it was alright and tried to hand him his money back, but he said he wouldn't take it. I said thank you to him as he walked away. Wasn’t that so nice of him, it really surprised me. He didn't even know me!”
I had Garth and Allan look around as we were driving out of the parking lot to see if they could see this kind and generous man, but he was nowhere in sight.
This was an act of kindness that Garth and the rest of my family will always remember.
Questions & Answers
© 2011 Susan Zutautas
Comments
AUTHORThank you so much Peggy!
What a wonderful story about the generosity of an individual helping fulfill a child's wish at Christmas. Knowing that the child was yours makes it even more special. Passing it on is the best way to spread the joy of that moment.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Peg. I love sharing this story :)
This really demonstrates the true spirit of Christmas. What a beautiful story.
- AUTHOR
Thanks so much RTalloni.
Lovely and heartwarming to see this again. May your work to share the incident inspire others!
- AUTHOR
TreasuresBrenda, It sure did :) Happy New Year!
Lovely story! What probably was not a big deal to the man was a very big deal and left a lasting impression on your young family.
I bet a picture from your balcony would be equally beautiful in the fall.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Rachel, I took the picture off my bedroom balcony one year.
What a lovely story, and the picture is beautiful. Something from a post card. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for coming back Audrey and letting me know.
Thought I would come back and read this--just beautiful Susan!!
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Hi Thelma, So glad that you enjoyed my story.
What a wonderful story to tell! It always makes me happy to hear that there are still kind people around us.
- AUTHOR
CraftytotheCore, Thanks so much for reading, it's always so nice to see you.
I love it when that happens. Thanks for sharing this incredibly sweet story.
- AUTHOR
DzyMsLizzy, Oh I could name quite a few myself too :) Thanks so much. I have a board on Pinterest called Random Acts of Kindness that I just invited you to pin to if you'd ever like to do so.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Alicia!
**Also pinned---the 'edit comment' function was not working...
What a wonderful story. The world needs more people like that, and fewer focused on their own selfish wants (... I could name several politicians and CEOs...).
Thank you for sharing this insprational tale! Voted up, beautiful, awesome and shared!
This is a beautiful story, Susan! What a lovely act of kindness from a stranger. It's an inspiration for all of us.
Hi Susan, I couldn't seem to find a way to send you a message, so I'm leaving you a comment here...I just put my random act of kindness story (which you inspired me to write) online, so if you go to my main hubpage, it's the second one in rotation at the top in my "In The Spotlight" hubs.
Thanks again for your inspiration!
Regards,
Easylearningweb
- AUTHOR
Thank you so much RTalloni!
Glad to see this again and to help highlight the wonderful event that your boys experienced thanks to the kindness of a stranger. On Pinterest now so am pinning to my Leadership/Character/Heroes… board.
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Diana, So nice to see here :) Garth is pretty special and I love him so much!
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LongTimeMother,
Dee,
Easylearningweb,
Thank you all for reading and for all your comments.
Dee, Garth will be 21 this month, and yes he still remembers this.
Easylearningweb, I'll be looking for your story and so happy that mine inspired you to write about your story.
- AUTHOR
torrilynn
Shryon
Karen, Yeppers good ole Beaver Lumber :) I think it's been bought out or renamed to Home Hardware since I first wrote this story..
Thanks so much for reading and for the comments.
good ole beaver lumber :)
Stories like this fill me with joy. I want to be just like the boy and the man in this story.
- AUTHOR
Dianna, Phyllis, and Moonlake, Thank you all so much for reading and for all the lovely comments.
Oh wow, what a wonderful story to share, especially around Christmas! My eyes are filling up with tears as I write this. What a touching, beloved story, and yes, I agree that man is a living angel. I wonder if he knows how many lives he touched with his random act of kindness.
This reminds me of a random act of kindness I experienced in my past on a snowy day when my kids were little. You have inspired me to create a hubpage for my story. I'm gonna go get busy and write my hubpage now, so hope we cross paths online again and share more of our stories to inspire others to also share.
Happiness to you,
Easylearningweb
I don't know how old you son is now, but as long as his lives he will always remember that Christmas , and a man who through an act of kind generousity, made it all very special. Wonderfully, amazing story. Voted up, awesome, and beautiful.
lol. Great hub, Susan. It was timely that it showed up in my feed today. I made up the difference for a young lad embarrassed by not having enough money this morning. Perhaps he'll go on to be as honest and helpful as your son. That would be nice. :)
Is there anything better than random acts of kindness? Beaver lumber you say, EH? lol
Adorable story, Susan. Glad i caught it on the feed!
Have a great holiday season (ANOTHER great holiday season, i should say!)
sharingxx
Susan, I like RAKs, but most acts of kindness are random. This is a heart warming story.
Voted up U/A/B/I, and shared.
Shyron
Oh wow that was amazing. There are still some really great people out there in the world. Voted up.
What a nice story and what a nice thing the man did for your son. There are good people out there. Voted up.
Susan, this hub is awesome and touches my heart -- thank you for sharing this very special story. It is proof that there are still kind people, and Christmas Angels, out there. Such a lovely, uplifting day for your son, and all of you.
This is the true Christmas spirit. I love that your son learned the lesson of random acts of kindness so young. He will spread this love onwards. Hugs!
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Debbie and Vicki, Thank you both and Happy New Year.
That's precious. I love reading stories like this--that are real life stories!
Susan I bet that man was an Angel from God.. isn't that wonderful;? what a wonderful hub..
I am sharing
Happy New year
Debbie
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Hi KKG, Yes and one he'll always remember. Thanks so much and you have a wonderful holiday too.
What a wonderful gift that man gave to your son. It just goes to show you that some people think with their hearts. Wonderful story. Have a wonderful holiday.
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Hi Eddy, Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed this story about my son. Have a wonderful Christmas.
What a beautiful story Susan.I loved it and isn't it so heartwarming to hear that there is still generosity in this world.I vote across/up and share this true gem.
Have a wonderful day .
Eddy.
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Janis, Glad that you liked the story. It was one of my favorite memories to write about.
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GoodLady, Yes a Christmas Angel for sure. Glad you liked this story. It was such a special day for all of us.
- AUTHOR
Karen, Thanks so much and glad this put you in a festive mood.
I bet somebody helped that man when he was a child, and he never forgot it. He is paying it forward, and look what a random act of kindness means to a child who is expressing his unconditional love for his father.
I really, really like this story, Susan. Thanks for sharing it.
He was a Christmas Angel. I love hearing about angels. Thanks so much. It's a very dear story. Please tell your son that someone you know believes it was an angel because he is so special.
What a beautiful story! A similar thing happened to me once and I never forgot it, so I always try to be that person too to pass it on :)
Aww I feel really festive now :P I might have to put some Christmas music on hehe.
Voted up, awesome and shared xxxx
- AUTHOR
Judi
Jellygator
& Wilderness, Thank you all for reading and for your comments.
A beautiful Christmas tale, and one that both you and your family will remember for years. That man left a mark, didn't he? Would that more of us were willing to go that little extra and leave someone with a happy memory.
I love stories like this. My husband is the kind of guy who would do that. It's one of the reasons I love and admire him so much.
That's a lovely story - restores faith in humanity. Will be sharing this for sure.
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Thank you Audrey.
We are our brothers' keeper--lovely write Susan -touching and heart -warming as we start the seasons an-----
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Frog Prince, Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed this.
Great Hub and writing Susan.
The Frog
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Zac, Thank you so much for your comments and for reminding me to go and check to see when It's A Wonderful life is on.
That is such a lovely story, I love things like that at this time of year, it shows us that regardless of everything else, we are all human and all have a heart. Now I want to watch It's A Wonderful Life!! x
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rebecca, Thank you, glad you liked it.
Very cool story. And kids will model the behaviors they encounter.
- AUTHOR
Frank, Thank you.
RTalloni, Thank you so much and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
mljdgulley, Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
I should have framed my comment in the specific context of this being a true account of the incident! Thanks again for sharing it with us! Hope to see it highlighted many times over!
This is truly a wonderful story. I am so glad it is true.
What a precious Christmas story! It makes me want to go to a store and help a child buy a gift for a parent! I have a feeling that Garth will grow up to "pay it forward!" What fine young men you have raised to have good presence of mind and be so polite in such a situation! Thank you for sharing this story--tell your boys, "Merry Christmas!" for us! :)
Voted up!!! I'm going to go through the comments now.
What a refreshing short.. yep... had to go up and awesome :)
Nice to meet you too. Loved it. : )
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Little Light, Nice to meet you and glad you enjoyed my story. There are angels among us.
I just adore this story... It is beautifully written and just makes me realise the power of such a small act of kindness. Sometimes we forget just how easy it is to show love to others. I too believe angels walk among us, and I also like to think that we can be angel in the life of another.
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CloudExplorer, Thank you. There is no better joy than the "Gift of Giving".
Such a beautiful truthful life experience during a wonderful time of the year, I to have had similar experiences of this kind gesture the man rendered to the young person in your hub.
I kindly repaid these kinds of gestures done for me in differing ways all throughout my experiences as an adult year after year.
There's nothing like the gift of giving from the heart & without regard to receiving anything back in return. One time I gave a complete stranger $300.00, now that was really extreme, but they needed it much more than I did at the time.
Voted up as beautiful & Awesome & thanks for adding me to your G+ location Susan, that's how I found this awesome hub. Your new Budd, Cloud Explorer....
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Sharyn, Thank you I am so glad that you liked it.
Hi Susan,
I wonder if the kind gentleman has any idea how many lives he has touched? Great story!
Sharyn
How nice to know there is still goodness in the world and especially to children. Thanks for sharing.
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Shadesbreath, There are still good people out there. Thank you, glad you liked it.
See, there are still good people out there, despite what the 24-7 news cycle and the general cynicism of the media would have us believe.
Nice story, nicely told.
- AUTHOR
jfay, What a nice guy!
that's really nice when people do that. A guy I dated once paid for a guy's meal who was a head of us at check out. His credit card wasn't working.
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Peg, Thank you, makes me happy that you liked it.
Simply beautiful Susan. That was a story well worth sharing. I loved it.
- AUTHOR
Teresa, Thank you for stopping by and for commenting.
Stories like this brng back faith in man-kind. What a beautiful experience for your family at Christmas and especially for your young son. Susan, this was a very inspirational story. Thanks for the read.
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Genna, So nice to see you. Thank you so much.
Beautiful story, Susan. I only wish more people had this generous and understanding spirit of the heart in their daily lives. When I read about the indifferences of people the news, I feel like taking heart-warming stories such as this and sending it to them!
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Hi Sue, Thank you. Yes he sure did.
What a beautiful story.
This kind stranger had the true spirit of Christmas in his heart.
Voted up, up and away!
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resspenser, Glad you liked it. Thank you.
Neat story and well written. I'll be back!
- AUTHOR
WannaB, I do hope he does. Thanks for the comments and glad you liked the story.
Keith, The little things can brighten up ones day.
Ania, Thank you for reading and commenting.
It's so good to know there are still people like this man living out there. It makes me feel that not everything is lost. Great story, thank you.
The little things in life mean a lot!
What a great Christmas story! I agree this will leave an impression on your son's soul. I imagine he might return the favor to some other young boy when he's a bit older.
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Jane, Sorry to make you teary eyed. Thanks for reading.
Okay that made me teary eyed! What a great moment for your son!
- AUTHOR
Bill, Thanks and he has a few times now.
viking, It sure is.
Ruby, Always glad to brighten your day :) Thank you.
Lovely story Susan. There are good people everywhere. We just don't hear about the good, it's always the bad. Thank you..You brightened my afternoon...
Kindness is a wonderful thing, always nice when it happens.
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