Happy Holidays! 5 Heartwarming Christmas Miracles

Every Christmas, we all hope for happy endings. The spirit of forgiveness, compassion, and generosity washes over people and the results are often amazing. As you celebrate this year, think of what you can do to create a Christmas miracle for someone else. Let these stories warm your heart and move you to give, not just during the holiday season, but all year round.

1) Linda Kennedy and Christmas Miracles Ministry

Linda Kennedy had a mild stroke that led her to quit her job and create Christmas Miracles Ministry. After creating a committee and finding three needy families in her community, Kennedy donated items to the families. In fact, Christmas Miracles Ministry received so many donations that they were able to provide for an additional four families.

2) Caroling in Newtown

After the terrible tragedy in Newtown on December 14, the community has come together to create a new tradition. In addition to the outpouring of support, community members have gotten together to spread some Christmas cheer. Dan and Michele McAloon decided to gather other families to carol in the neighborhood, where three of the victims lived. Sometimes, the gift of love and cheer is the best thing to provide in the midst of recovery.

3) Secret Santas in Tennessee

In Dyersburg, TN, two anonymous people paid the layaway bills for 30 families who were in danger of losing their items. A recipient of the Secret Santa gift, Joyce Mathis, found out about the gift when she went to tell the manager that she was going to have to cancel her order. These random acts of kindness aren’t uncommon and they should make the front page, not just during the holidays.

4) Miracle post Sandy

Kerry Ann Troy and her family survived Hurricane Sandy. They spent a week with their relatives in Connecticut and were staying in a hotel room. Their house was no longer livable and they had no other options. In addition, the family was excited for a trip to Disney World paid for by the Make–A-Wish- Foundation for her son Connor, who suffers from neuromuscular disease. There was the likelihood that the impact of the storm would also impact their ability to travel to fulfill her son’s wish. Then one day, a school administrator told Troy that there was a vacant, fully furnished home that the owners wanted to donate to a displaced family. They could live there until they got everything sorted out. However, their Christmas miracle was not over yet. Donald Denihan, a businessman, found St. Ignatius Martyr Church and asked Sister Diane Morgan to give him a tour of their town. Sister Morgan showed him the Troy’s home and their story. Denihan, in addition to helping another family, promised to rebuild their home.

5) Christmas for a military family

Savannah Grace Gilliam, a three-year-old from Georgia, told Santa that she wanted her father to return from Afghanistan for Christmas. Surrounded by her older brothers, Santa instructed them to say “Daddy Come Home” and from a door in Santa’s workshop, Ltc Geburn Gilliam appeared. Ltc Gilliam returned one month early after spending time training Afghanistan troops. His daughter’s response, “Daddy, I thought you were coming home after my birthday silly!”.