Some Great Inspirational Stories - Christmas 2022
The Airline That Made Holiday Dreams Come True
Canadian airline WestJet delivered holiday cheer for 250 passengers on a flight to Calgary. The airline placed a digital Santa Claus at an airport, and asked passengers what they wanted for Christmas. While everyone was in the air, 175 WestJet workers sprinted to nearby stores and bought everything they asked ‘WestJet Santa’ for — from pairs of socks and underwear, to big-screen TVs. When the passengers arrived at their destination, every one was met with their dream gift at baggage claim.
This isn’t the first time WestJet has whipped out the holiday cheer, either. Last year, a flash mob of 150 volunteers performed a jolly dance in the waiting area for a red-eye flight, complete with Santa on the tarmac and stockings stuffed with new iPods.
###
The College Student Who Found Her ‘Home Away From Home’ for Christmas
While all her classmates were eagerly making plans with family and friends for their trips back home for the holidays, Jackie Turner, a junior at William Jessup University near Sacramento, was worried she would be the only student left on campus for Christmas. “This time of year is hard,” Jackie said. “Everyone is talking about their cousins, their families, all the things that make up Christmas.” But Jackie says she doesn’t have any of that — and never did. She told CBS News that her childhood was abusive, and she never shared in any of the experiences she heard her classmates talk about. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, the straight A-student posted an ad on Craigslist offering $8/hour to rent parents for the holidays. “Maybe for like a couple hours,” she said, “just be, like, the light of their life for that moment.”
She got dozens of responses to her ad — about half from parents who wanted to help, for free of course — and about half from other young people who felt the same way she did. So, she held a meet up Christmas potluck dinner.
###
When Beyonce Surprised Walmart Shoppers With Their Gifts
While en route to a concert in Boston, Queen B made a pitstop at a Massachusetts Walmart to make Christmas that much brighter for a bunch of shoppers. The Grammy-award winning singer gave out gift cards to each shopper in the store, totaling roughly $37,500 total in gifts for their friends and families.
###
The Homeless Man With Terminal Cancer Who Gave Everything He Had
A homeless man in Colorado used what little he had to give a selfless gift during a toy drive at a local Walmart. Glen McCarthy walked to Walmart to get a cup of coffee, and was instantly touched by the toy drive that was going on. He ended up buying a Barbie and a Hot Wheels set, but he couldn’t stop thinking about a shiny new kid’s bike he saw. “And I looked at that bike, and the bike was marked $59, but the tag underneath it said $44,” he said.
It’s not a lot of money for some, but for Glen, it was nearly everything. Later that night, he still couldn’t stop thinking about the bike and how happy it would make a kid in his shoes, come Christmas morning. He walked back to Walmart and asked about the bike, since the tag listed two different prices. Once a clerk realized what he was doing, she told him that he could have the bike for $44.
I got to thinking, this is probably going to be my last Christmas. I’m no one, so might as well make some little kid happy. It took my losing everything to realize that I’m happier now in my life than when I had when I had big money,” he said.
###
The Teen Who Couponed His Way Into Buying $1,000 Worth of Food for the Poor on Christmas Eve
Sixteen year old Jordan Cox has a knack for extreme couponing, a talent he uses to help he and his struggling mom get by, according to the Telegraph. But this Christmas season, the savvy teen decided to also use his unique skill set to help struggling families in need. Jordan collected hundreds of coupons and purchased about $935 worth of groceries for less than a penny. He then donated it all to Doorstep, a nonprofit that disperses food to disadvantaged families.
“I decided I wanted to help as many people as I can, and to also show that it’s possible to shop very cheaply, if you know how,” Jordan said.
###
