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Anonymous ‘Santa Claus’ Pays Off All Layaway Items At A Vermont Walmart

Posted at 3:48 PM, Nov 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-24 15:48:59-05

DERBY, Vt. (AP AND WPTZ) — A mystery man is providing cheer to Walmart shoppers in Vermont.

The man paid off the entire lot of layaway items at the store in Derby, near the Canadian border.

“He actually gave them a Christmas,” said Liz Peart, whose nearly $500 worth of items were paid for.

“It was coming down to whether I could make the car payment, the rent payment or buy Christmas presents, so I chose to pay my bills and I didn’t know if we were going to have enough money to pick up the layaway,” she said.

Peart said she almost had to cancel her order, until the Christmas miracle came.

“There it was, an email saying my purchase had been paid off in full and I can go pick it up,” she said.

The man declined to give his name, only calling himself Kris Kringle.

Walmart officials confirmed the story and said it happened earlier this month. Store officials declined to say how much the man spent.

In a statement to WPTZ/NBC5, Walmart said, “When customers quietly pay off others’ layaway items, we’re reminded how good people can be. We’re honored to be a small part of these random acts of kindness.”

Peart wanted to share a message with Kris Kringle.

“I would say, ‘Thank you very, very much because you gave my kids everything,'” she said.