With Christmas around the corner, it's easy to look at the pile of things to get done and feel a little overwhelmed. Between wrapping presents, cooking meals, traveling and/or hosting visitors, it all adds up to a seemingly endless to-do list.
But if you push the chaos and noise away, the holidays are also a great time to stop and reflect on what really matters.
Recently, a New Jersey man did just that, going out his way to give others an amazing gift, reminding us what the holidays are all about.
To describe the holiday season as "hectic" is an understatement.
No time of year keeps us running around like crazy people more than the handful of weeks before Christmas. No matter how we celebrate, the one thing we all seem to have in common is the rush to get a thousand things done before December 25th. Just thinking about the litany of seasonal traditions is enough to leave even the most organized types longing for a winter nap.Maybe there's a ton of baking to do.
Whipping up holiday confections is the name of the game for many holiday enthusiasts. There are cookie exchanges, big dinners, and office parties, all of which need sweet treats. Add on trying to find the perfect tins to package everything in, plus a special batch of sugar cookies for Santa, and it's easy to see why holiday bakers get exhausted.And if we're not baking, we're bracing ourselves for lots of socializing.
Decorating dozens of cookies takes time and effort, but it's nothing compared to the anxiousness some of us feel when it comes to get-togethers. While a lot of people thrive in social settings, there are others who get so stressed out at the thought of making it through another festive dinner or cocktail party that it's easy to overlook the spirit of the season.And then there's the momentous task of picking out the perfect gift.
If baking and socializing aren't enough to have our heads spinning around the holidays, the quest to find ideal gifts will do the trick. We'll probably spend too much, overthink our choices, and make some exchanges, but we forge ahead anyway. This is year is the year we finally pick that present that special someone will adore, and nothing's going to stop us.It pays to take a deep breathe and a time out.
Before we let ourselves drown in the cacophony of holiday noise, many times, it's beneficial to take a timeout. Stopping and reflecting on the meaning of the season can be the difference between a mental breakdown and actually enjoying ourselves. And when we stop to remember that kindness to others is what drives the wonderful time of the year is all about, it can help take the pressure off.A good samaritan recently rose above the holiday chaos and lent a very generous hand to those around him.
Sometimes other people do things that are so generous, we can't help but say, "Wow." Going only by the name Charlie K., a New Jersey man just became the latest human being we have to look at in awe. While he was out shopping for his son and nabbing Black Friday deals, Charlie got the bright idea that he'd love to help others buy their toys as well.Not content to shop and be on his way, this kind man decided to help foot the bill for others.
This is Charlie K. While doing a segment @ToysRUs in Cherry Hill, Charlie walked in & decided to pay off all items… https://t.co/d2WjswdGf0— Pat Gallen (@Pat Gallen)1511525013.0
But the Toys "R" Us gift giver didn't stop there.
Paying for all those toy orders on layaway is obviously in the realm of astronomical generosity, but Charlie didn't call it a day until he'd done one more thing. After he covered the other orders, he asked that all the patrons at Toys "R" Us pick out three toys, so he could donate them to Toys for Tots. Yes, you read that right. His heart might be bigger than Mount Everest.People were most certainly in shock.
Walking in to pay off your Christmas gifts and find that someone has already footed the bill is a dream for some people, but for those at the New Jersey store, it was a reality. Stephanie Dawson was one of the lucky shoppers who had her gifts taken care of, and she had nothing but kind words for Charlie K. "I want to say thank you very much and I appreciate it and thank God for you," she said of her modern-day Santa.It's not just patrons who are impressed with this holiday hero.
@PatGallenCBS3 @ToysRUs @ToysForTots_USA Amazing - reminds us all that there are still good and loving people in th… https://t.co/AumM5fDmIx— Larry Nanni II (@Larry Nanni II)1511536824.0
We can only hope to see this much goodwill for the rest of the season.
@mir_web It's wonderful to see the Holidays bring out the best in everyone.— ToysRUs (@ToysRUs)1511700374.0