Total stranger pays for woman's Christmas presents after her card was declined
LONDON -- Whether you love it or loathe it, Christmas brings out the best in all of us. It's a time for generosity and kindness -- two things that often arise from the most unexpected of circumstances.
One shopper at the Trafford Centre, Manchester, found herself on the receiving end of an unexpected act of generosity. Jemma -- whose surname is unknown -- was shopping for gifts in cosmetics store LUSH with her son when her card was declined. After the card was declined a second time, Jemma told the cashier to keep the gifts behind the till while she went to an ATM. When she returned soon after, the cashier handed Jemma a bag and told her that someone had purchased the gifts for her and left a note.
The note, which was written on the receipt, read: "I know how stressful this time of year can be! Have a great Christmas! Bethany xxx."
"I was in shock and asked her who the woman was I went round looking for her which I couldn't find her I just wanted to say thank you and I really appreciate what she has done!!" wrote Jemma in a Facebook post, shared to the Trafford Centre’s Facebook page by Zara Chowdhury.
"Goes to show there are some really nice people in the world xxx," wrote Jemma.
In the post -- which has been shared over 10,000 times -- Jemma urged others to help her find the woman who kindly paid for her gifts. She said she wants to thank the woman in person.
Looks like the Christmas spirit is very much alive and well!
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
