Secret Santas Dole Out Money, Love and Humility

Does the concept of Secret Santa always make your groan? Well, this story puts a whole new spin on a Christmas tradition.

Rather than forcing office workers to buy a gift for a colleague they never even liked, anonymous do-gooders are roaming the country looking for people who look like they need a little extra help this holiday season — and then simply dole out cash, no questions asked.

Maggie Adams, an 84-year-old widow on a fixed income, is still stunned by her windfall from a kind stranger. Adams was struggling to pay for kerosene to keep her house warm, worrying about how she would pay the bills this winter. But her luck changed when she stopped by her local thrift store and encountered a person in a red hat.

"We're Secret Santas. We wanted to give you a gift," said the person in the red hat, as Maggie described to CBS News. The angel then handed Maggie enough cash to help her purchase 100 gallons of kerosene.

"It's about one of the most wonderful things that could have happened," Maggie said.

Secret Santas are cropping up all over the country, seeking out needy people in spots like thrift stores, bus stops and laundromats. They never reveal their identities, but CBS says they are typically part of a network of wealthy businessmen, CEO-types, who made a pact to hand out around $300,000 to people this year, just 'cuz.

A web site called Secret Santa World offers instructions to anyone interested in becoming part of the Society of Secret Santas. The guidelines include:

• Anonymity: They do not draw attention to themselves and strive to protect their personal identity and those of other Secret Santas.

• Leadership: They lead by example.

• Humility: Through belief in the human spirit, they share their wealth in a humble, selfless way.

• Compassion: Through random acts of kindness, they tap into the human spirit and try to create in the recipient hope and a belief that they are worthy of unconditional love.

• Humor: They would rather lose every dime they ever made than lose their sense of humor.

• Friendship: They value their association with people of like mind and character; they are true Christmas Elves.
  

A great set of guidelines — not just for aspiring Secret Santas, but for us all.

Photo courtesy of Jacob Windham via Wikimedia Commons.