There’s a long tradition of remarkable-but-true stories associated with the holiday season. After all, it’s the darkest and coldest time of year (in the northern hemisphere) and maybe that’s why stories of unexpected generosity and hope stand out.

Take for instance Peggy King’s story of a last minute “Santa” who saved the day for a group of children.1

For a number of years, Peggy worked with her local Lions Club to throw a Christmas party for children with special needs who attended a nearby school. Hosted at the local fire station, the event would feature a magician, a tour of the firehouse, a special lunch, and Santa and his elf (played by Peggy) giving a gift to each child.

But one year, right before the event, Peggy got news that things were not going to go as planned. Someone from the school called to say that 60 children would be attending the party. It was wonderful that so many kids would get to participate—except that Peggy and her team had only enough gifts for 40 children.

With the party starting soon, there was no time to run out and buy more gifts.

As Peggy wondered what she was supposed to do, a man arrived at the fire station. She’d never seen him before. He asked if this was the voting location for a local referendum.

Peggy told him, “Not at this firehouse. We have a Christmas party.”

He said, “If you’re here for a party, why the long faces?”

She explained the problem. How could they send twenty children home without a present?

The man said he might be able to help and disappeared. Minutes later he was back, loaded down with bags of toys. Quickly, Peggy and her volunteers arranged them on a table and covered them with a tablecloth so that Santa could reveal the toys at the right moment.

The children loved the party. One little girl, who went home with an Easy Bake Oven, declared, “This is the best Christmas ever!”

How had the unknown man been able to produce so many toys out of thin air? Little did Peggy know that her “random” visitor was Marine Major Tom Quigley, one of the local organizers for the Corps’ Toys for Tots program.

It was a remarkable coincidence. Some would even say a Christmas miracle.

But it’s good to remember all the people whose purposeful giving made this “miracle” possible: the Lions Club, the firefighters, Peggy and all her volunteers, and the Marines and everyone who gave to their toy drive.

This season, we encourage you to do something to make someone else’s holiday one that they will always remember. Give your time as a volunteer. Buy gifts for a toy drive. And give generously to local charities who are helping people make it through this dark and cold time of year. What you receive in return will be priceless.

We wish you and your family all the best this holiday season.