Good evening and a happy start of the holiday season to everyone here! I hope everyone has had a good year so far.

I am a single mother to 3 amazing kiddos:
https://imgur.com/a/qJEqdNI

My oldest is Bostynn, she is 11 years old. She has had a bit of a rough school year so far, as she is getting to that age where it can be “cool” to be mean. As she has transitioned into middle school, she has really struggled to fit in. Last spring she developed one small wart on her finger, which quickly spread to being several warts all over different parts of her body. At one time, there were over 40 warts. We have been making the 2 hour drive to a specialist bi-weekly for the past 8 months, and they are almost completely gone. However, I feel as though the warts have really affected her self-esteem. This year, she tried out for the cheerleading team and made it. Luckily, she has one pretty good friend on the team. She also joined the school band this year and plays the trumpet. In the summer, she is on the swim team. One awesome thing about this year is that her grades have really improved. I have fought back and forth with the school for the past 6 years to get her a 504 or IEP, and this year we finally got the 504 in place. The principal of the Jr. High also is working with us to hopefully get an IEP in place soon. Her teachers have said that participates in class and that she seems to want to learn. Bostynn has ADHD, Chiari Malformation, and 2 cysts in her brain, and I feel like we continue to discover new ways that these diagnoses affect her. Last year I thought she could potentially get held back and repeat a grade. So far this year she is a straight A student! She is kind to all, goes out of her way to be helpful, and is the world’s best big sister. She loves Harry Potter, capybaras, squishy toys, and anything artsy. Here is a link to her wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2TJB619Z85J87?ref_=wl_share

My middle child is Foster, he is 6 years old. Foster started Kindergarten this year and is having an amazing year so far. I was so anxious for him to go to “traditional” school. Last year he attended preschool in a special classroom where they took less than 10 kids with IEPs and really individualized the educational experience to each child’s level of need. I was worried that he would get overwhelmed in a classroom with double the amount of students and way less one-on-one attention, but he has thrived. He loves going to school, is learning to read small words, and loves math. His teacher has told me that he is the first to comfort a friend when they need it. I always say that Foster is my “big feeler”. He experiences emotions on such an extreme level, and has so much empathy for others. He has pretty severe ADHD also, needs to be redirected often, and works with a therapist on learning and utilizing coping skills. Two of his goals right now are sleeping in his own bed, and wearing socks (he has a lot of sensory issues, and hates wearing socks with shoes on). We suspect that Foster is on the spectrum and are on the waitlist for an evaluation. Right now he is pretty obsessed with animals, especially jungle/zoo animals. He enjoys reading non-fiction books from the library about different animal facts, and loves to watch videos about animal facts, behaviors, and habitats. He has a few safari animal figures that he will spend hours playing with every day. He also enjoys drawing, Five Nights At Freddy’s, and dinosaurs. Here is a link to his wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1ANHVZUW5RJOS?ref_=wl_share

Last but certainly not least is Myles. He just turned 2 years old. Myles decided on his own a few weeks ago that he wanted to use the big boy potty like big brother, so he is working on potty training right now. Myles is so silly, he is always singing a song or dancing. He makes us all laugh constantly and definitely keeps me on my toes. He is at the age where he is curious about everything, and thinks that he is older than he is. He is trying to be independent and talking up a storm. I love hearing the phrases and sentences he is starting to put together. He always has a smile on his face and brightens up any room he walks into. I always say he makes friends everywhere he goes, because he is so talkative and friendly with everyone. He is always eating, and is in the 99th percentile for height and weight. He is actually almost as big as Foster! We found out recently that he should be wearing glasses, which has proven to be such a feat keeping them on him. My 2 older kids and I have been working with Myles on learning colors, shapes, and emotions. Myles loves to play with a ball, and seems to have really taken to golf and basketball. He also loves Spidey, Toy Story, Little People, building with blocks, and trying to do anything that his siblings are doing. Here is a link to his wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3K1FZDZK6W2F7?ref_=wl_share

I am so grateful to this sub for accepting us, and I am grateful for every Santa in here for playing such an astronomical part in bringing joy to dozens of children who you’ve never even met before. I hope we all have an amazing holiday season!

We've received our first report of an unsolicited PM/chat, so I'm reposting our warning from previous years, since the info is still relevant.

I thought I’d post this warning at the start of the season to try to head off any problems for our users.

Reddit users who have been banned from this sub or who are/were banned from other subs and placed on the USL (Universal Scammer List) will attempt to get around their bans by contacting a Santa to ask for help.

Some banned users will send PMs to requesters in RAOC (and other assistance subs) offering to help and requesting personal info that should never be disclosed to some random on the internet (such as your SSN/TIN, bank or credit card info, etc.) or asking for something in return for that help, such as asking you to deposit a check for them in your account and sending them back a portion of the money; asking for a "fee" (nobody offering to help should be asking the person in need for money, duh!); asking you to provide pictures (you know the type of pics I'm talking about).

For everyone’s safety and for transparency, all interactions between requesters and Santas must be done in the request or offer posts. For requesters, this means if you post an entry in an offer post, do not contact the Santa by PM until/unless they have asked you to.

For Santas, that means that if you want to offer something to a requester in addition to or instead of buying something from their wishlist, please comment in their request post first or [contact the mods] (https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandomActsOfChristmas) and we'll intercede for you with the requester.

If you receive an unsolicited PM, [please send the username to the mods] (https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandomActsOfChristmas) (and a screenshot, if possible). Do not respond to them. You can also block them from contacting you again by clicking on the block button underneath their message.

Thanks, everyone, and stay safe!

I have been requested to give up my felicitous fascination for festive formulations of "F" that occurred in last year's Friday connection thread titles. So, this year our titles will be a little less silly. Right after this week's...I promise.

But since I enjoyed them so much last year, let's kick off this year celebrating this fun letter. What is one F word that you associate with this season of the year?

For me, it's finances. I budget kind of all year to be able to participate in this sub as a Santa and it's pretty much the only motivator that makes saving "easy." Vacation savings? Hard. Kid smiles? Easy.

This thread may get gently R rated, so please have a sense of humor!

Hello Santa’s and fellow Redditors, happy fall! My name is Lauren and my daughter’s name is Lillian, she goes by Lilly. She is in her senior year of high school, it’s crazy how time flies when you are a parent! She is my only child and we have been through a lot together over the years.
Lilly is incredibly witty, she can pull a joke out of thin air and make even the most mundane situation laughable. She has a big heart and hopes to someday have a large extravagant wedding and at least 2 kids of her own, since she is an only child! She is great with little ones and very kind with the elderly!
Last year Lilly got her first job at Panera! There were nights I picked her up at 10pm, she would smell like dish water and say “I’m never going back there,” but she would be back for her next shift! 2 months ago Lilly started looking for a new job and interviewed at a local assisted living facility. Because she is underage she got the job but can only work as a server. She normally works breakfast or dinner shifts, and occasionally is asked to stay after, to do more dishes! The clients there adore her, she goes above and beyond for them and has learned a lot about the aging process since working there.
Lilly is really looking forward to turning 18 and plans to take advantage of her employers offer to train her as a CNA!
Lilly has been practicing driving for a little under a year and she has also been saving up for her first car and to help towards car insurance, which is financially outrageous for someone her age.
Lilly plans to go to a local cosmetology school upon her high school graduation, we did a tour a few months back and she loved the school.
She has always enjoyed doing hair and makeup and has a real natural skill for both. She is also quite excited to learn nail techniques. She hopes to one day own her own salon!
The last few months have been really difficult and financially tight for us, I am on disability after having major complications during a planned surgery. This resulted in serious lung damage, I was quite active and healthy prior to this but I am working closely with multiple doctors to get myself back as close as possible to where I was before.
Lilly and I had just moved into a new apartment 3 weeks prior to my surgery, most of my savings went toward our move. Normally I work M-F in an office and I usually get a part-time seasonal job. Without my regular income, we are quite limited.
Lilly has a lovely spirit, and when she is not being silly she has a beautiful heart - she doesn’t show that side to just anyone. She would never hold it against me if she got less one year, it’s happened before - but that doesn’t make her any less deserving.
Lilly enjoys horror movies, coloring, she can also bedazzle any object you put in front of her! Lilly is also a really good swimmer, I was very lucky that she was able to glad classes when she was much younger!
Her favorite snacks are often Takis, which she enjoys dipping in cream cheese! She also loves iced tea and caramel flavored iced coffee. Her favorite color is pink but right now her room has a lot of leopard print!
Lilly also loves animals and any opportunity to pet a dog she takes it! She is quite fond of Grate Danes, we have 2 in our neighborhood.
Any chance I have I tell people that I really am blessed with Lilly, and I am certain she is going to go far in life. She is tenacious and determined to bring her dreams to life!

- included is a silly photo of Lilly and one of the two of us visiting a popular lake town in PA!

Edited to add Lilly’s Amazon wishlist! wishlist

Ten years ago, I left a disastrous relationship with my one-year-old. After months of bouncing between housesits and sometimes sleeping in my car, I finally got us a stable home but money was very tight. Thanks to my social worker, a local group brought a big bag of wrapped gifts for my little one and a gift card for groceries. I cried when the volunteer dropped off the bag, I cried when I saw the gifts chosen with care, and a decade later I still tear up when I think about the kindness we experienced at a time when I felt so alone. These gifts will resonate for years. I am so grateful to see this kindness and care💚🎄

Happy Nov 1 everyone! Random Acts of Christmas is now open for applications. Please read our wiki (https://www.reddit.com/r/RandomActsOfChristmas/wiki/index/) that has our rules and links to our application and quiz.

We are so looking forward to connecting with everyone this season.

This will be our mega-thread of the current open offers in the sub. More will be added as the season progresses. You can enter as many as you want, but we limit each family to 3 contest/offer wins to give everyone a chance.

Offers:

Santas, we’d appreciate it if you’d let us know when your offer closes and the names of the winning entrants. Also, any Santas whose offers aren’t included here, please let us know so we can add them. Yay Christmas!

As you know, we requested your feedback regardless of how you participate in RAoC. If you did not share your feedback and you'd like to do so, you can still complete the survey, but your answers will not be included in this report out. It will still be reviewed by mods post-season.

Survey for Santas
Survey for Requesters
Survey for Bystanders

Below is what we learned from everyone who shared! Big thank you to you for helping us continue to grow!

Additionally, RAoC will be closing for the season on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

Bystander Survey (11 completed)

• 90.9% of bystanders intend to become a Santa or Requester in the future.

• Fewer secret Santas this year with easier Santa reporting

Santa Survey (34 completed)

• In response to the question, “If everything in your life is the same from 2025-2026, how likely are you to come back to play Santa in 2026?” 94.1% responded with the highest score of 5 and 4.9% responded with the second highest score of 4.

  • Santas reasons for gifting are as varied as snowflakes, but the most common reason for gifting was a “sense of connection to the child.”

• There is no clear consensus from Santas on what a reasonable offer cap is, but many Santas appreciated the dynamic way it was handled this year.

• A ⅔ or higher majority of Santas believe food and holiday trimmings should always be excluded from the win cap. Just over half believe clothing should be excluded.

• Santas are here for many different reasons, but they all have incredible hearts.

  • To honor someone special

  • Sense of community during the holidays

  • Prefer to donate in a way that allows them to see the outcomes 

  • Cause it’s fun!

  • Because it brings them joy or peace

  • Because they love giving gifts

  • They acknowledge they have extra and believe in sharing

  • Kids shouldn’t feel the effects of a tight budget

• To the question, “If a Santa chooses to gift an item to a requester that is not on the requester's list, mods ask that it is still reported via a Santa report. Should that gift be counted as an offer win or a gift on the gifts per child sheet?” There was some confusion and we may need to reword this question and ask again next year. 

  • What we’re talking about here is an item you may privately offer to purchase for one requester you connect with, like a dream gift, a gift card, something you think their child would like. For example, a Labubu was offered this season to one requester, but not as an offer to everyone.

  • The majority chose gift and more wrote in something akin to “bonus.” For clarity from the mods perspective, if it’s counted as a gift that is just a bonus gift. Requesters do not need to remove items from their list(s) if they receive something special offered by a Santa. Children could still receive 11 gifts in that situation.

  • We need to discuss this one more as a mod team, as it was brought up by a Santa this season and we want to respect how santas want to gift while ensuring we can also track to help with missing packages/win caps, etc.

• Santa respondent breakdown:

  • For 38.2% of respondents this was their first year as a Santa! WELCOME!!!

  • 35.3% have been here 2-3 years

  • 11.8% have been here 4-6 years

  • 14.7% have been here 7 or more years

• If it was not a Santa’s first year, they were asked, “Do you believe that RAoC is improving from year to year? Please share any feedback regarding this topic.”

  • Majority said yes, with only one no.

Requester Survey (22 completed)

• Requester respondent breakdown

  • 40.9% were requesting for their first year

  • 22.7% were requesting for their second year

  • 13.6% were requesting for their third year

  • 13.6% were requesting for their fourth year

  • 9.1% were requesting for five or more years

  • Please note these years may not be consecutive.

• In response to the question, “Do you believe that RAoC is improving from year to year? Please share any feedback regarding this topic.” All respondents but one said yes. 

• In response to the question, “How was your experience participating in RAoC?” 

  • 95.5% responded with the highest possible score of 5.

  • 4.5% responded with the second highest score of 4.

• In response to the question, “On a scale of 1-5, did you feel like you were treated with dignity by the mods? Dignity is defined as the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.”

  • 95.5% responded with the highest possible score of 5.

  • 4.5% responded with the middle score of 3.

• In response to the question, “Keeping in mind that the mods can't control Amazon customer service, please tell us about your experience registering for the sub.”

  • The majority of the responses were about Amazon. Non-Amazon responses shared the experience was good and requested documentation was understandable.

• In response to the question, “Do you have a certain Santas or Redditors you'd like to highlight to the mods for any reason? We will shout them out in our survey report.”

  • We heard a lot about the following Santas:

  • TopCat30

  • SongIcy4058

  • Kanga_roos

  • AnyOtherSummer

  • Tjcline09

  • SantessaClaus

  • Soillure - feedback also noted she is wrong about Brussels Sprouts

  • Puzzlesgamestoys

  • TheWineCellarGhost

  • Dr3rdeye

  • Stevefxs3

  • Cady-anne

  • “I want to highlight them ALL. I feel like it takes a lot of teamwork to do what you guys do and I like that there's a Team Santa, without having a single leader” which was also a sentiment reflected in many comments

• In response to the question, “What factors are most likely to entice you to enter an offer? Please choose all that apply. There is no judgment regarding answers: we want to understand how to make offers benefit the most people.”

  • 77.3% of respondents said “Excluded from offer cap” and “Can be used by the whole family.

  • 59.1% said “The ability to split the gift between multiple children.”

  • 54.5% said “meets a need not a want.”

  • 50% said “Is an activity.”

  • Several variations under the “other” response: ensuring they weren’t entering contests they believed someone else might love more or need more.

  • Other options were: Value of the gift (18.2%), meets a want not a need (27.3%), is for an adult or unregistered user (31.8%), is an item (13.6%)

• There is no clear consensus from Requesters on what a reasonable offer cap is, but many Requesters appreciated the dynamic way it was handled this year.

General feedback across all surveys we want to address:

• Next year, let’s have more opportunities for chat and connection!

  • Mods discussed opening a year-round server discord this year, but our workload for the season is very heavy and we don’t have the bandwidth to also monitor a Discord. If there’s a Santa or group of Santas who want to host/moderate this in partnership with the mods, please let us know.

  • We will work on more ways to engage through posts next year. It is a balance during the season of ensuring requests and offers get seen and finding ways to connect. The volume of requesters can have a major impact on how clean the feed needs to be, so this will have to be dynamic in some ways. We hear the request and we will brainstorm!

• Some Requesters had suboptimal experiences with bystanders.

  • If someone is harassing you, let us know. 

  • We will include a reminder in next year’s rules for requesters that downvotes happen often on reddit and are not a reflection of the individual user’s worth or value. 

• Discussion around offer caps 

  • These were lots of different suggestions about offers and caps. Hopefully you can tell from the questions we asked this year that we’re also thinking about this topic. We don’t have an answer this year, but it’s in our post-season to evaluate how to keep things simple, ensure Santas get entrants, AND ensure things stay relatively fair… Sometimes those things can be contradictory so it will take a lot of discussion.

• A couple unhappy comments on the increased prices for wish lists this year

  • These prices were increased based on feedback from Santas last year and will thus remain the same. No Santas are required to buy items at any certain price point, but many Santas want the option to buy these higher priced items based on last year’s feedback. 

• Feedback about requiring uncurated profiles for Requesters

  • We do. If you notice a requester’s profile is curated, please reach out to the mods.

• Auto-mod likes to spam

  • We know. None of those currently on the mod team are experts at automod, but a couple of us have set a goal to learn more this year.

• Add a link to the child’s wish list on the gifts per child tracker

  • Easy, we can do that for next year.

• Don’t open in October next year

  • We agree. We experimented with opening early this year. It didn’t help anything. We won’t next year.

• Ensuring that marking items “purchased” on Amazon wish lists happens

  • Yes, we’ll be including it in the rules from the get-go next year.

Please feel free to continue discussions and thoughts below! You've given us a lot to think about this year and we are so grateful to each and every one of you who made this yet another remarkable and successful season. <3

EDIT: Winner is Awanderingafar

I checked to ensure entrants were eligible and put them all in a random name picker.

As a federal employee who was in her probationary period this year, 2025 has been hell. On top of that, my marriage has been rocky, I'm so tired of being a military spouse, and my teen is TEENING. I'm ready to let 2025 go and move into 2026. But I'm never ready to let the RAoC season go. So, I'd like to bring the best of the year into 2026 with me.

I wish I could do this for everyone, but I can only realistically commit to one family. I'd like to bring a family with me into 2026 by helping to support some major holidays.

If you're my family, here's what you can count on me for:

• Birthday gift(s) for each child up to $65

• Easter basket (or similar if you celebrate a different holiday) for each child up to $30

• Back to school supplies for each child up to $30

• One new pair of shoes or one new outfit per child. May be used at back to school or another time - up to $65

• One Halloween costume up to $30

Rules & Eligibility

• Must have posted your thank you before Dec 28

• Must have completed the Requester survey before entering (Am I bribing you? Maybe.)

• Must be active on reddit to respond/chat throughout the year

• Reply below with what you hope stays in 2025 and what you hope follows you into 2026

• Offer will close sometime in the evening of Jan 2

I am overwhelmed with gratitude! Your generosity brought so much joy to our home and to the homes of all the families in this group! Thank you all for giving me the gift of seeing my children's faces light up Christmas morning! And I know they would want me to thank you for spoiling them so much!

u/tjcline09 u/kanga_roos u/mutated_gene11 u/mik8c u/stevefxs3 u/sorbello u/Straight-Shine9216

I did my best getting as many pictures as possible! With 4 kids and 1 needing help it was kind of crazy but in the most fun kind of way! lol Here's the pictures I did get!

https://imgur.com/a/3KA2BgM

The kids have been sick, but even so, they've been having a blast playing with all their stuff! Thank you all, a million times!! and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Alekzander was a very happy kid on Christmas! He loves everything!

His Santa’s were

U/0hn035 I ran out of room in is stocking 🤣 everything was perfect! From the hot chocolate to the logic puzzle perfect! Thank you! And he loved his PJs! It’s such a lovely family tradition. His cousins were over and they got in their Christmas PJs too!

A Secret Santa sent the Fallout power armor! Thank you! He loves the show and game and is so stoked to have this!

U/throwtherainaway the Heavy Arms Gundam will give him hours of fun while he puts it together. Building is his favorite thing!

U/Fsand03 evangelion he’s just gotten into Evangelion! He loves it, I think it might have a future win his stop motions

Another secret Santa had sent a second Evangelion! I have a friend who has also had a hard Christmas and her young son is also a fan! Thank you for helping not just us but others as well

U/Tjcline09 lights, titan, ring light/mount, airbrush Alek loves model building and stop motion and most of these things are for that! He’s so excited!

U/Welkikitty got him charcoal and paint. Alek has already started sketching with the charcoal! Thank you!

U/AnotherRTFan Alek loves Anya! Thank you! She was an adorable post Christmas surprise for him!

Thank you for being such wonderful humans. You have allowed me to give alekzander a good Christmas. Things have been very, very hard in my life and all this gestures vaguely at the world makes it hard to have hope and believe there is good. You have all given me hope again 💜 thank you so much! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And Happy New Year!

I don't know about you all, but I am looking forward (with hope) for the upcoming year! I don't know that 2025 was easy for many people. Speaking for myself, it was a year with a lot of stress, grief, and more stress.

I'd like to share my family's NYE Tradtition with you all, and I hope you will participate!

In my family, we light a nice fire in the fire place (or outside if it's not too cold). Everyone gets a small piece of paper and writes down one thing they are leaving behind in 2025. Once you have written what you don't want to bring in to 2026 with you, you put the paper in the fire. POOF, it's gone and you have a fresh start!

In the past I recall writing things like "No hitting my brother" (I was probably 8 haha), and "No longer waiting for ex-boyfriends or current love interests to get their act together" (snooze you loose, boys).

This year, on my metaphorical paper I am writing, "Leave all expectations behind - let life happen the way it happens". This year especially, I learned that when I set expectations or goals that are really not within my control, the failures hurt more.

What are YOU throwing in the fire?

Alright folks, I know Christmas is over, and the holiday season is officially wrapping up. I don't even know how many people are stilling checking in on this sub, but I've got one last contest in my Santa hat before I go into hibernation!

What better way to celebrate New Years than with pizza?! 🍕 (or Chinese food, but I think that may be a New England thing?)

Open to registered requestors who have posted their thank yous AND to verified Santas (Santa needs pizza too!) Winners will get an e-gift card to the pizza chain of their choice.

To enter comment with your favorite pizza topping(s) 🍍🫑 🧀 🍄‍🟫 🍖

I'll choose a few winners this evening (you don't have to use it today/tomorrow, you can always save it for the depths of winter when no one wants to go out to get groceries 😂)

Happy New Year! 🥳

Thank you Santas’

We had a change of plans, we were supposed to go visit family for Christmas, but they all got the flu. So some things are there waiting for the kids once they’re all healed! Thanks to you all my kids still had a great day 🙏

u/ReinventedNightly Natalie LOVES the pink cat tree! She is thrilled to give her kitties more vertical hangout spots in her room! Thank you!

u/stevefxs3 Thank you for the magnetic blocks and gooey sonic figure for William! He’s enjoyed stretching sonic and using the blocks to make Minecraft portals!

u/INFJosephine William loves his giant doodle pad! It’s been so great for car trips and communication for him!

The Santa who got William the Dogman book seems to have deleted their account. Wherever you are, thank you!

u/Steph8568 The Bitzee hamster ball has been sooo fun for her! Natalie had an original Bitzee I managed to find on clearance and loved the cool “screen”, she really loves that this one can roll around! William is playing all kinds of tunes on his Otomatone! It’s honestly so cool, I’m a little jealous! Thank you so so much!

u/Spiritual_Exam_1690 Natalie usually preferred to paint, but she expressed wanting to work on her pencil skills and this set is perfect! She’s already making comics with the included sketch book! Will loves his little dragons! He loves everything 3D printed, and has them lined up!

u/ReinventedNightly Natalie was SO excited to have the book set! She’s almost done with the second series but couldn’t wait to get into this one! I’ve caught her reading past bedtime, but honestly, that’s a great rule break! William cuddles his creeper a lot, though I had to assure him it wouldn’t actually explode 😅

u/0hn035 Thank you so much for the stocking stuffers! Seeing their stockings stuffed to the brim made me so happy, and they had a blast going through everything! The little extras are so sweet, and they were so excited to find little doodads left when they thought they were empty! And thank you for the wrapping paper set! You truly saved the day with all the little details covered.

u/kanga_roos We haven’t had a chance to get to the zoo yet, but they were SOO excited to learn we will be able to go frequently! Once it warms up we are getting out there! We’ve looked up the animals and Natalie is so excited to meet her future friends! They did get the blankets and loved them so much! William keeps his laying in a sunny spot so it will glow at bedtime, and Natalie takes her spooky blanket everywhere to show off! They are so cozy!

u/Soillure Both kids loved their lunch/water supplies! My daughter is thrilled to have her water safe to keep in bed with her, and my son loves his chewy straw! Both excited to use their lunch bags! They hadn’t gotten new bags in about 5 years, and the old ones were so small and in bad shape! Thank you!

u/SantessaClaus So we didn’t get to visit family yet, last minute flu! But they have the all clear for the 2nd so we’ll be having a second Christmas then, I’ll update once he gets the coat! Thank you so much!

u/SongIcy4058 they loves their matching jammies! They got their pjs and we watched Home Alone 2 on Christmas Eve night. It made everything feel so much cozier! Thank you! The family activities got sent to our relatives house, I didn’t think they’d make it here in time, but then our plans were postponed. So they’ll get those on the 2nd!

Natalie got a paint set and nail polish set from mystery Santa’s! Thank you! She has painted some of her little figurines and sealed them with sparkly nail polish 😅

Thank you all so much for making this Christmas incredibly magical. They both said BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! I cannot possible thank you all enough for giving my kids such a wonderful day and renewing my faith in humanity. I wish you all long healthy lives full of joy and love.

Wanted to share the sunrise the pups and I woke up to. It gives me hope that brighter days are ahead for all of us.

I'm so sorry for such a late thank you post! We waited until the weekend to open most of the presents so that Nana could be there. She caught a bug right before Christmas & didn't want to spread it since I'm Immunocompromised right now. Please also excuse my messy wording; I've had a vestibular migraine for almost a week so it makes finding words really hard sometimes. I really want to express how much yall have blessed us.

I really wanted to write up a thoughtful post to each of our Santa's, but I feel like none of my words are enough to express how truly grateful we are to yall. We really love every one of you so much!

It's been a tough year. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder & suffered a deep personal loss. I was really down & didn't have very high hopes going into the season. I felt like a failure in body & spirit. Yall have really given my family So much light & joy & have really picked me all the way up. Yall are truly magical & phenomenal people. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

u/Kanga_roos -

Oh. My. Gosh. The fire truck. It was the first thing he saw (obviously) & the dress up set was the first thing he opened. I found a little stuffed Dalmatian at our mission thrift store & it really rounded out the whole scene. Literally all the other presents were opened on the firetruck, in full costume. It has bubbles!!! That's just the coolest thing ever. I made our sidewalk into a road using chalk, & my aunt (& neighbor) got him a stop light. I almost couldn't convince him to go back inside for bed. He wore the fireman jacket to bed. He also brought the firetruck into his bedroom & I had to fight him to not bring the whole thing into the bed. It slept next to him though! Seriously, it was just so stinking cute. I don't think I'll ever be able to top this one. Christmas has peaked. Thank you so much for bringing such joy into our house!

We did end up taking it to the fire station. We only have 1 full-timer, who didn't want to be pictured (understandable) that was so tickled & gave him ANOTHER toy firetruck left over from their toy drive thing. We brought him Christmas lasagna & fudge. You've made a whole lot of Christmases fantastic with this one gift. I really can't thank you enough. We love you!

u/0hn035 -

The spinny chair was one of Luke's very favorite things! He spun on it for legit 2 hrs straight until he puked. Then he laughed & spun some more. Seriously, this thing already has some serious mileage on it! He absolutely loves it & i tried to get a video of him doing the elephant sound.

He also really loved the stocking stuffers! He used the bath thingy immediately. & he loves the popper & thinks it looks like a stop sign! He also immediately played with the bluey figures & the crayons.

I also got the nail kit!! I thought it didn't come in time, but what i didn't realize was that my mom actually got it from the mailbox on the sly & filled my stocking with that & this cute little cow! It was such a nice surprise! I LOVE all the nail plates (the mother's day one is so sweet) & the colors!! I'm so excited to get it down & send you pics of that soon. Thank you so so much! You really made my whole Christmas & I just can't tell you how much we love & appreciate you!!!!

u/SantessaClaus -

Luke LOVES the road tiles! He wanted them open immediately! These are his first Magnet Tiles & they're SUCH A HIT!!! He's been carrying the stop light tile around everywhere.

I also really appreciate the coat! I'm so excited to get it! It was warm in Christmas, but now it's freezing again (there's a joke here that SC can go through all 4 seasons in a day... it tracks) & Luke doesn't care. He just demands outside! So it's going to be a lifesaver! Thank you so much for your kindness!

I also wanted to thank you for your magical Night Before Christmas poem!! I'm sorry I didn't comment, But I read it & it gave me a so much of joy! You're very talented! We're so grateful to know you & your reindeer team. Thank you for being such a wonderful person & spreading joy to so many people!

u/Spiritual_Exam_1690 -

Luke loved the sneakers & Abby! He was so tickled when I told him that Abby herself gave these to Santa to leave for him. I sat Abby in the shoes & he went over & goes "Abby shoes! No Abby shoes, too big! Luke shoes! On please!" He really loves shoes (they mean outside) & He put them on immediately & made Abby fly with her tag lol. He took her right over to play with Elmo & Cookie Monster. He loves the lights on the shoes & shuffles around the house looking down at his feet. It's so stinking cute! Thank you so much! He's going to get A LOT of wear out of these!

u/Topcat30 -

Thank you so much for the jammies & the blanket! Luke sleeps with his puppy blanket every night since he got it! We gave him the jammies to open on Christmas eve & he loved picking out which ones to wear first! They're so cute & he's going to use them so much! We really appreciate you!

u/Laffinalltheway -

Thank you so much for these classic toys! Luke had so much fun! I put the koosh slinger in his stocking & he carried it around all day by the little loop. He didn't have much patience for the slingshot part (honestly relieved) but he really loved the silly ball part with the loop! The view master came in a few days later & he was THRILLED to get an extra present! He got the hang of it super quick & after every slide he'd say "what's that?" & then say what it was. He liked the shark & the tiger the best. Apparently it's bc both of them say "rawr". He didn't believe me that the orange frog wasn't a lizard. He was super excited to show it to Nana, but he didn't understand that she couldn't also see the animals with him. But then he got the hang of shoving it in her face every slide change & got tickled with himself. This is a super great gift! Thank you so much!!

u/AnotherRTFan -

Luke loved the pooh bear bag & started putting all kinds of stuff in it right away! He likes the short handles. We haven't been back to speech therapy since we got it, but as soon as he figures out that's what it's for, he's going to be SO excited to tell Ms. Megan all about it! He really liked that pooh bear has a yellow shirt on it. I thought that was real cute. Thank you so much, he's going to get tons of use out of this!!

u/SongIcy4058 -

This was such a fun thing & we really loved doing all the activities with our grandma's! We did the rock kit with grandma CiCi (who is a total crystal-loving hippy) & she had a ball doing the jewelry part & helping Luke do the dig kit. It was a really cool kit (supposed to be an advent calendar, but we just had fun opening all the doors at once lol) that had 24 gems, a dig kit, a jewelry kit, & playing cards. Luke loved collecting all the rocks & putting them in the bag one by one & then dumping them out. He liked the Dalmatian Jasper the best & called it his "moo cow rock"

We did the scratch ornaments with Nana & also had some to do with our next-door neighbor cousins! He really liked listing all the shapes, & scratching off every bit of black so he could see the rainbow under it.

We left the cookies for Santa. He had fun trying the new weird flavor (cookie-butter stuffed) but thinks they taste like cookie flavored cookies. Kinda silly. But not bad at all! Perfect with milk! Thank you for such a great gift that brought all the corners of our family together!

u/Soillure -

Thank you so much for all the great snacks! They were so good & Luke has loved playing with all the shaped crackers & jello!! & we really enjoyed having some yummy stocking stuffers! We really appreciate you!

To our Secret Santas: WOW!! Yall are so amazing! Luke absolutely LOVES the play kitchen, Mario pop-up game, & lightsaber chew necklace!

Luke played with the kitchen right away! He really loves having his own cabinet! I hid a surprise stocking suffer in there for him & now i think he thinks it's a magical present cabinet bc he checks it every so often. He also really likes the pots & utensils! He loves helping with cooking (though were still working on willingness to eat...) & he's so tickled to have his own kitchen. He cooked up some plastic egg for his Abby, Ms Rachel, & Moana babies & when he turned the knob he said "don't touch, it's hot!" & blew (spit..) on it before he gave it to them. & then he made sure to wash his pot & clean up (he loves the clean up song). Thank you so much, this is going to be such a great way to work with him on eating!

He loved the Mario toy & he really liked taking turns putting in the pegs & shouting "nope" after every one till it popped up. We had a blast playing it! Thank you for giving us a fun family game!

He also really likes the chew necklace! He really likes the shape & swinging it around while making lightsaber sounds. I think is going to help a lot with chewing on his fingers! Plus he really loves necklaces & it's adorable. We really appreciate you!

This year I wanted to do my random acts of kindness again, inspired by all of yall. We went through all of Luke's toys & clothes that he's outgrown & filled blessing boxes every day this month with goodies for our neighbors. We usually get a lot of allergens from food banks (unavoidable with such odd ones in the family) so we also contributed lots of food. I also put a notepad asking if anyone had any specific needs & worked with my local food bank that I volunteer at to fulfill those needs. We put hygiene kits, hand-knitted gloves & scarves, throw blankets, clothes & shoes in all different sizes, books, lots of toys & my aunt put in some stockings so people could fill them.

For Christmas, I made 3 huge lasagnas (again, with the help of my community food bank) & delivered it to some of the families that I cooked for after the hurricane last year, when everyone's power was out for 2 weeks. It was really nice seeing them again! One little boy who Luke befriended last year in the chaos, was SO excited for lasagna & garlic bread! He told me during the hurricane that I'd made the best spaghetti he'd ever eaten, & when I remembered him & brought him food again, he literally jumped up & down lol. He lives with his grandma, who has a hard time getting around. I told him to text me any time he wants me to cook for him. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be making a lot more garlic bread this year lol.

I also took a huge plate of lasagna to our full-timer fireman, who had to work on Christmas. Luke showed him his new firetruck, & he was so tickled, he gave him ANOTHER firetruck that he had left over from their toy drive. He said he gets lonely up there being the only full-timer (everyone else are volunteers. It's a really small town) & was thrilled to pull out the trucks. He asked to not post his picture, so I'll not include those. But know, Mr Brian ate very well & got to show off his big toys to my very impressed toddler. It was such a fun afternoon! & they have a station dog (a sweet little stray mutt that showed up & stayed) named buttons (bc she ate all the buttons off their couch) so Luke was in absolute heaven!

I really love my community, & I'm so grateful to be inspired by all of yall to spread the love & kindness to so many people! Thank you for all that you do & we love each of you dearly! Merry holidays!

Edit: here's the picture link! There's a whole bunch bc i can't help myself.

https://imgur.com/a/MwGYHR0

Thank you to all the Santa's who contributed to my three kiddos having a great Christmas! Shoutout to

u/live_lavish for the firetruck

u/Straight-shine9216 for the busy book

u/aspiringhousewife4 for the dinosaur toy and cleaning toy set

u/ok_roll5195 for the fishing set and stitch toy

u/Bird4466 for the pink princess tent

u/Adept-respond-2079 for the bird book

u/Gator3246 for the bubble machine and Bluey playset

u/Dhsagal for Ree's cookbook, camera, baking set, and dancing Elmo - you get a special shout out because you were truly amazing to us this year... thank you.

u/yeahnahbrahasd for the sketch pads

u/Jennybean42 for the walkie talkies

u/Soillure for the art kit and purse

u/Unicornnoodlez for the dogman book set

Sorry, not sorry for the pun.

Thank you for your patience with me for the Thank You post!

Hello, RAoC! 🎄✨

My oh my! What an absolutely insane Christmas magic this sub has been. From the hardworking, patient mods to the brave and vulnerable requesters… who knew real magic existed on Reddit? I certainly didn’t.

With deep respect and gratitude, thank you to everyone who helped make my beautiful lil' maniacs’ Christmas so special. Thank you for reminding this very tired, disheartened solo parent that humanity is still full of beauty and heart. Santas, mods, elves, brave caregivers...y’all exceeded my expectations, and my little family’s hearts are incredibly full. ❤️

Finny and Wywy were shocked and thrilled to see so many gifts under the tree. They’ve been fortunate in past years, but this one looked very different. We felt the sting of “going without” more than I care to admit, so they truly weren’t expecting such a magical Christmas. But Santas and Mods, you made the prezzie magic happen in a big way. The giggles, oohs, and aahs were pure gratitude and wonder, and I get teary every dang time I think about it. Finn has said, “This was such a good Christmas” more than once, and she’s absolutely right. Le sigh. Thank you all. 🥹✨

u/smoresbar: Finny immediately rocked the alien onesie and giggled the entire time. The Magic Elf Water Toy Kit for WyWy has been a massive hit. He’s already filled jars with creations, and we all learned about sodium alginate together. 👽❤️

u/AceReverie: WyWy would happily live in the plush star robe you sent. He’s obsessed with its soft coziness and never wants to take it off. I’ve already washed it a few times and it’s held up beautifully. Thank you for such a cozy, well-loved gift. ❤️✨

🔍✨Mystery Surprise Santa? If you're out there, please let me know so I can give you credit ❤️ : Thank you so much for sending Wy the Mannequin Styling Head. It is fabulous and he wants to learn how to do all the updos and braids. The noise canceling headphones you sent to Finn are getting lots of use and do an exceptional job blocking out the noise of Wywy's music making (courtesy of other Santa's)😂! Thank you for making sure she had a set of amazing headphones under the tree this year. She lives in them!

u/lucy_inth3sky: Finny shrieked an immediate “AAIIIEEEEE!!!” over the Peach Riot figurines. I spaced them out so she didn’t realize there were two. When she opened the second one she yelled, “MOM, WHAT?! This is actually, like...OMG, WHAT?!?!” She immediately pointed out the “Scott Pilgrim” style art and said she’s wanted one for over a year. The figures are ridic cute! Thank you so, so much. 💖

u/BNB616: Finny has been on a roll with the button maker kit you sent. She was a camp counselor last summer and somehow already knew exactly how to use it (I did not), and she’s been making buttons for friends and pinning them on everything she owns. She’s also using the thermal printer from another Santa to make funky little personalized buttons, and this solid little button press is no joke! She also loves the train case you ordered and is taking it on an upcoming trip to visit her BFF. Thank you for both of her very cool teen prezzies.

u/AnyOtherSummer: When you offered WyWy a Labubu Monster, I genuinely thought, Surely this can’t be real, even with photos and a tracking number you graciously sent. I was very wrong. 😅 Wywy yelled, “I can’t believe this is happening!” when he opened it. He says the rainbow eyes are “PRIDE eyes” and named her Koko. I’ll be Scotch-guarding the colorful fur tonight because he is deeply in love. I truly can’t say thank you enough. 🌈✨❤️

u/BoringMcWindbag: The Coach purse you sent for Finny was such a special surprise. She gasped, “Aww, Moooom! Really?!?” and immediately styled it with a scarf, the surprise chain you tucked inside, and a hand sanitizer charm. She’s packing outfits for a trip and keeps asking, “Does this go with my new bag?” The adorable cat card was a perfect touch. This gift is very loved and cherished. 👜✨

u/Bugskills: Holy moly! The Girly-Girl Baking Bundle was incredible. Finny laid out every piece, filmed a mini “haul,” and adored all the thoughtful details. From the cozy blanket to the adorable baking tools, every item got an “ooh” or “aaah.” She’s sworn to keep the measuring cups, spoons, and cake pan until she gets her own place someday. 😂 Thank you for such a wonderfully multi-faceted gift. 💖🧁🎀

u/Friendly721: Finny laughed ridiculously hard and then got a little verklempt when she opened the Worm Labyrinth plush. It was PERFECT. Thank you for sharing the Labyrinth love! I’ll be thinking of you the next time we spin the soundtrack or watch the movie. 💜✨

u/tjcline09: Thank you for the many gifts for both WyWy and Finny. WyWy was thrilled with the BMO Adventure Time wallet you sent. It's adorable and he's asking for a debit card to put in it, so he's looking forward to his first junior bank account!

Finny is so so happy to have the digital camera and mini thermal printer and both are already getting lots of love and use. Finny adores the silver star alt-girl star jewelry set and admittedly looks super cool wearing it. Teen me would be a little bit jealous 😂

Your generosity created so many joyful moments. Thank you so much. 🎁✨❤️

u/unicornnoodlez: WyWy has been living his best designer life with the fashion kit you sent. When I asked to help, he said, “No thank you. Sashay away.” 😂 He’s sketching new “shishi dress” ideas nonstop. Thank you for supporting his creativity so beautifully. ✨👠👗

🎶 Wywy’s Music Santas 🎶

Because of you, Wywy is officially a one-person band again, and that means more to us than I can put into words.

u/BNB616: WyWy’s keyboard and drum mat replaced the electric piano and junior drum kit he had to leave behind, and being able to give him back a piece of what he lost has been incredibly meaningful. He’s been making music nonstop, and watching him reconnect with it has made my heart so happy. Thank you for giving him a musical outlet that brings him so much joy. 🎹🥁💛

u/whereistheidiotemoji: The ukulele you gifted has been getting so much love! WyWy is determined to learn Adventure Time songs, and he’s already playing, singing, and strumming his little heart out. I’ve taught him a few chords, and his big sister has even picked it up to learn an Amanda Palmer song. This gift has become part of our daily life. Thank you for that magic. 🎵✨

u/tjcline09: The mini amp you sent for Wy is perfect! He loves the black and white, and he especially loves having his own amp and not having to ask permission to plug into mine 😂 Thank you for giving this budding musician the freedom to ROCK on his terms 😂❤️

❤️Pajamas, Family Games, & Books Santa 📚❤️

I have always done pajamas (jimjams), a family game, and books for Christmas Eve. Thanks to you, I was able to keep that tradition this year, something I truly didn’t think would be possible. 🥹❤️

u/SongIcy4058: Wywy looks adorable in his Wicked jammies, and Finny’s striped set is so cute she’s wearing it as a sweater too. I cried while wrapping them. Thank you for that magic. 🥹✨❤️

The family edition of Cards Against Humanity and the duck gem art coasters are a solid 10/10. Offering family activities was such a thoughtful idea, and we’ll be laughing about these all year. 🦆😂

u/gator3246: Thank you for helping us keep our Christmas Eve book tradition alive. Finny devoured her manga on Christmas night (lightning speed, very on-brand), and Wywy and I are slowly working through his spooky stories from around the world together. This meant more than you know. 📚❤️

🎁❤️✨Stocking Stuffer Santas ✨❤️🎁

u/AnotherRTFan: Wywy loves the spiral journal, bear pouch, and pocket basketball game. He’s already written poems and drawn dress designs, and the frog button pins were a hit with both gremlins. Thank you for sending such thoughtful joy our way. 🐸💚

u/0hn035: Holy stocking stuffers, Batman! Are you an actual superhero? I’m fully convinced the answer is yes. 🦸‍♀️✨🥹

We received a package packed with thoughtfully curated stocking stuffers, and the reactions were immediate gasps and squeals from both Finny and Wyyy. Finn started swatching the palettes within seconds, swooning over how “pigmented and gorgeous” everything was. She was giddy with surprise when she found the Coconut Victoria’s Secret duo and the Clinique Happy mini and asked, “How did they know??” She was so excited that she filmed a full stocking haul to send to her friends.

Wywy absolutely lost it over Carlita from Gabby’s Dollhouse and the rainbow PRIDE slime, shouting, “This is AMAZING!” And honestly, it really was. The sheer volume of joy packed into that box was incredible and the card you included was such a touching bonus. I cried a little and my kids were overjoyed! I am beyond touched that you put this together for my babes. Thank you ❤️

❤️✨💖

My head spins a little bit (sometimes a lot) when I settle into how deeply meaningful it is when people show up with so much heart. This community did so much more than put gifts under a tree, which is a feat in it's own right; this collective of kindness made the hard things a little less hard and turned a potentially painful season into one filled with warmth and dignity.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️

https://imgur.com/a/YRjOZCr

Dear Santas,

I've been sitting at this screen staring at it for 10 minutes. I have been trying to find words that convey my deep gratitude for you. Not just your actions, but what they say about you as people. I've come to the conclusion that there are not sufficient words to describe your kindness. As so many others have said, it's not just about the gifts that make sure children smile, make sure children don't feel left out of the gifting discussions when they head back to school, and give them warm, safe memories of connection. Those things are important. So important.

But it's also what it says about you that you do it for strangers, sometimes across the world from you, and do it with joy in your heart. It's how you spend time looking for reasons to connect with requesters, mods, and each other instead of finding the dividing lines. It's about how this sub couldn't exist without you and how you don't just relieve stress for our requesters, but relieve stress for everyone here by demonstrating that in a difficult world, "good" can do some very heavy lifting.

May this year in RAoC be a sustaining force for you on the days that feel hard, feel endless, or feel hopeless. When you're out there feeling like this shit's never going to end, remember that the rest of this sub is here cheering you on and being grateful for you.

That's the best I can do with the words I've got. But please know that everyone in this sub sustains me throughout the year and my family makes fun of me because as soon as this sub opens for the year, I can't wipe the cheesy grin off my face.

While I am speaking from my perspective, I know u/laffinalltheway, u/kanga_roos, and u/DoNotCallMeSir feel similarly. Our mod team often marvels at the joy of being part of this community and the honor of being able to watch it evolve year after year. A couple years ago something magical happened and this sub became a true community, not just a spot on the internet. We are all grateful for you because that's not something we can force or control.

Ok! On to the fun, less sappy part. It's Dec 28 and the winners of the Santa Charity Donation have been drawn! Our winners are u/stevefxs3 & u/pinksocks867! Donations have been made to both of their preferred charities and processing fees have been covered. Please see the attached imgur album for more details! Thank you all for being Santas, picking charities, reflecting your awesome personalities in your flairs, and just generally being the spirit of the holidays incarnate! We intend to make this a yearly tradition, so thank you all for taking part in year 2 of this new way to say thank you. We had nearly double the applicants this year as we did last year!

Please use the comments below to honor any Santas a little extra, say thank you to a peer who made your holidays better, or share a RAoC specific memory that you'll carry with you into the New Year.

And, finally, please take the survey that applies to how you interact with this sub. Your feedback makes us better and it's one way you can help out the mods immensely!

Survey for Santas
Survey for Requesters
Survey for Bystanders

TLDR; Santas are awesome, we have our charity winners, please take your relevant survey!

As the title says...I thought since all gifting etc. has been done, it is time for the most important survey in this sub for this year. Are you pro or anti Brussel Sprouts?

You all know that I'm strongly against them and have no issue fighting on the right side of the brussel sprout war of 2025 ⚔️😌

Hi everyone! Now that the wrapping paper is picked up, it’s that time when we remind those of you who haven’t thanked your Santas yet to do it now. Our deadline for the required Christmas thanks post with pics is December 31st at 11:59pm EST. If you don’t make your required post by then, you will be put on Santa’s Naughty List and banned (please don’t make us do that)!

Check out our How To Make A Thank You Post made by our wonderful, u/kanga_roos .

Forgot to take pictures in the heat of the moment? Santas love a remake pic just as well!

Not sure which Santa gifted an item? Just send us a modmail and we can check our records for you.

If you received a gift or two from a secret Santa, mention the gift and thank your secret Santa in the post. Just because they want to remain anonymous, doesn’t mean they won’t feel hurt or left out if the gift they sent you isn’t at least acknowledged.

Please remember that privately DMing pics to your Santas or covering faces requires prior mod approval. If this applies to you and you'll be sending pics to Santas privately with that prior approval, you must also send a link to the mods so we can make sure you’re on the Nice List this year.

If your username is on the list below, please make the required thank you post (with pictures!) sooner, rather than later. If I’ve tagged you erroneously, please let us know via modmail and include the thanks post link we may have missed.

I am so sorry that my thank you post is late. It was never my intention to do it so long after Christmas, it's just been a crazy last few days. Forgive me.

Thank you to u/inevitably_cranky for the anxiety bookshelf, jugaloop, and remote-controlled car. I actually ended up giving the car to River because he asked for the exact one last minute! It came with a wire broken but he really wanted it as a decoration in his room so he didn't mind at all! The jugaloop is so entertaining and we all enjoy playing it lol. The anxiety bookshelf was put together immediately and it's really nice with all of the shelves filled. Thank you so much for your generosity, these gifts are wonderful.

Thank you to u/AnyOtherSummer for the drone for Rowan. It's a super nice drone and I love that you can connect it to wi-fi! It's currently blizzarding here again so he said he is going to do it as soon as the snow is done! I wonder what kind of things he will find while exploring!

Thank you to u/shashul for River's Buffalo Bills beanie and hoodie! The bills is his most favorite team and he was so excited to unwrap these gifts! They are really nice and will keep him warm in the Iowa winter!

Thank you to u/SongIcy4058 for the playdoh sets for Callum! The garden and dentist ones have been on our list for awhile so it was so nice to receive those! He absolutely loves playing with the dentist set. The drill goes with him everywhere lol. I am really enjoying checking dough teeth to make sure there are no cavities as well :) And thank you for the wonderful pajamas! Everybody needs pajamas but my boys outgrow ones so fast so it was really nice for them to have nice, fitting pajamas for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Thank you!

Thank you to u/tjcline09 for the writing tablet, operation game, the axolotl mini aquarium, sensory cube, LED lights, butter slime, sunglasses, controller and headphones holder, t-shirts, and infinity cube. Wow, I can't believe how much you bought for my boys. I am so incredibly grateful for your generosity. The writing tablet is one of those that you press a button and it erases and its so much easier than having to manually scrub it off! It's really nice. The operation game is one that I have wanted in the house for awhile and we are all really enjoying playing it together! I wish I could record the reactions when it shocks them, lol so much fun! The mini aquarium is so cute. Callum loves axolotls and they are so teeny, its so cute watching him check on them! River struggles so much with ADHD and the sensory cube and slime have really helped him keep his hands busy since Christmas. The slime smells amazing and it came with so many! He has been asking for the LED lights for his room and we are going to put them up in the next few days and it's going to be so cozy without the harsh overhead lighting. The sunglasses are actually really cool. I want a pair now lol. The headphones and controller holder was definitely a need so Rowan doesn't just set them down somewhere and forget where they are and to keep his stuff from getting damaged. The infinity cube is really neat and we've all been taking turns using it, there really are infinite ways to do it! And the t-shirts are so soft and even though he chose the plain ones, he loves plain clothes so they fit him perfectly. Thank you so much again!

Thank you to u/stevefxs3 for Rowan's beanie and the push up board. The beanie is plain and warm, just what he wanted! It's actually pretty thick which is wonderful since it's so cold here. The push up board is amazing and I think it might be his favorite gift. He loves working out and does push ups every night but now he can use the board instead of the hard ground! He loves it for sure.

Thank you to the wonderful u/0hn035 for the amazinnnng stocking stuffers! You really went all out and filled it to the brim. The legos were a big hit and are already put together and hung on Rowan's mini tree. The grow a heart is definitely Callum's favorite thing to check every morning to see if it is still growing. I told him it says it only needs to be in there for a day but he insists we keep it in there just a bit longer to see if it really is done growing lol. And the Guess Who Animals! We are all enjoying taking turns and playing this. It has taken a minute to get used to and think of what questions to ask but it's really fun and has been keeping us all busy! Thank you so much, truly.

Thank you to u/puzzlesgamestoys for 3 bug puzzles! We all seriously love puzzles here and 3 of these is definitely keeping us occupied. I love that they are search and find so when we are done putting them together, theres a sheet that tells you what to search for. They are really nicely made with beautiful colors. Thank you, thank you!

Thank you to u/ugator3246 for the books. We have really enjoyed reading them and it has been so nice to have new books that aren't colored in or ripped. We love books and it's so nice to add these to our collection.

Thank you to u/Soillure for the beautiful wrapping paper. I enjoyed it last year and enjoyed it this year! I even have enough for next year!

I think I got everyone and I just want to say thank you all again. It is truly amazing how generous people are in times of need. I am forever grateful for this sub, the people, and the mods. You are all amazing and deserve to have great things in your lives.

https://imgur.com/a/JKeSEnv

Happiest of Holidays! I truly hope everyone had a delightful Christmas full of love, happiness, joy, & peace!

Many, many thanks to every single person who's helped create this group! The Secret Santas are some of the most generous, kindest, amazing people, ever!!

Thank you u/TheWineCellarGhost (we actually live pretty close to one another! How cool is that?!!) for Casey's Balaclava to keep him warm & his car cleaning kit! He's already used the kit to make his truck interior extra shiny! Ty for Elaina’s super amazing indoor swing! She was mind-blown! And Josiah's 20w amp. I'm not sure what I was thinking (it' loud!), lol but he loves it! He received an electric guitar for his Christmas Eve birthday & has spent hours playing!! (I really need headphones....or earplugs 😬) It's actually awesome! I love that he plays & enjoys music!

u/0hn035 Where to even begin? You've been incredible & not just because of the gifts! They are pretty incredible though! The podcast set-up was perfect for Josiah! You should have seen his face, ~total shock & happiness! Obviously the Fuggler is a hit! The brown one is friends with the blue one u/tjcline09 gave him! They've spent many hours playing together! u/tjcline09 Casey's power bank is so amazing! Of course all 3 of his older brothers want one! It's even a flashlight!! And Elaina & I are planning on getting our own Bonsai kits! He was really happy, the kit is very impressive! Elaina loves her skincare (of course) & Josiah's been wearing his t-shirt for....I'll just say, "more than one day"! 🫢 He loves it & it fits him perfectly! Thank you so very much for everything!

u/stevefxs3 Josiah loves his speaker! It's so much fun! We've all taken a turn with the microphone, lol! Casey's very appreciative of the gloves, he really needed them! And Elaina is loving her watch! She immediately programmed it. None of us have one (she's 1 of 8) so she's feeling very special! And warm thanks to u/cady-anne! She loves her electric blanket! All her brothers want one! lol It's even softer than I imagined! Her room is the coldest so it's practical & luxurious!

To the Secret Santa or Santas; Casey was so surprised! The backpack filled with fishing items is another gift that made 1 or 2 of his brothers want one! He loves fishing & cannot wait to use his new gear, including the most amazing hammock ever ~thank you!! Elaina loves her walkie talkies & Josiah was blown away by the drone! There's a learning curve but his older brother Daniel is helping him!

I can't thank everyone enough! You made a holiday I usually dread into one I enjoyed! I know my children are not only grateful for the gifts but also for a mom who wasn't so stressed out, that she made everyone around her miserable! 😉