A father-of-two was left stunned at the contents of a note left for him and his family by a neighbor he had never spoken to before.
Money worries are a very real concern for Americans today. In September, the Financial Health Pulse Trends Report, put together by the financial services website the Financial Health Network, found 70 percent of American households are struggling to make ends meet.
While the New Year brings with it the chance to turn over a new leaf, it also comes in the wake of Christmas and the significant expenditure that comes with the holiday season.
In October, the National Retail Federation projected consumer spending on the winter holidays to reach a record $902 per person on average across gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items.
That’s why the note Jason, living with his family in New York, received from his neighbor this Christmas was so warmly received. “My wife saw one of them knocking on the front door while we were cleaning,” Jason, who asked that his surname be omitted from the story, said.
When he went to the door Jason found something unexpected: an envelope with the words Merry Christmas written on the outside and $200 within. It was an extraordinary gesture made even more extraordinary for one key detail. “We hadn’t spoken to these neighbors before,” Jason told Newsweek. “We were very confused.”
There was something else remarkable about the gift: Jason’s family were the only house on the street to receive the money. When Jason and his family went over to thank their neighbors and introduce themselves, they asked why they were the only ones to be given it.
“When we talked to them they said they wanted to do something nice for the holidays,” Jason said. “The couple is very young, while me and my wife and I are in our 30s. We got two young boys, so maybe the holiday cheer was because of our kids? Or it could be religious goodwill since they told us to have a blessed holiday. Either way their intent was very genuine and kind, and really that’s all that matters.”
Jason said that the “rarity of the situation” convinced him it was worthy of sharing to Reddit. A picture of the note was shared to the social media platform under the handle u/VentingSylvar.
Some were baffled. “Bro what neighbor just gifts 200 bucks without y’all even meeting? I’m confused,” one commented, with a second writing: “OK, it’s weird, and people in here are pretending like it’s not weird. It’s a nice gesture, but it’s weird as hell to anonymously give someone you’ve never met $200.”
Others were envious. “I hope they move into my neighborhood next,” a third said with a fourth adding: “My neighbors have only given me dirty looks.”
Jason hopes people take something else away from his experience though. “Be kind to one another,” he said. “The current climate is so divisive these days. We need to be helping each other. A kind gesture no matter how small goes a long way.”
Jason also confirmed that the money was well spent. “We put most of the money towards bills, using only about $30 of it for a nice dinner for my family,” he said.
The post Dad-of-2 Finds Note From Neighbor He Never Met, Can’t Believe What’s Inside appeared first on Newsweek.
