To the person who paid for my meal,

Because you were in the car in front of us, I didn’t get to say thank you. So I am using this platform to reach out and thank everyone who is as kind as you during the holiday season. I wanted to thank you for making my day and being so kind out of nowhere. It was a simple gesture and you left with only a simple message of “Merry Christmas.”

During the holiday season, it is important to remember that the best thing about the holidays is giving. Thank you for reminding me of that. As great as it is to receive gifts, it’s even better knowing you made someone happy. The meal did not cost that much money, but the price is not what matters. It is the thought and caring about a total stranger. Thank you for making me feel warm and giving me the holiday spirit I desperately needed. I just returned home from school and finals drained all the spirit out of me. You returned it and, for me, 'It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.'

I thought immediately about how I could repay you, and unless you are behind me in a drive-thru, I could not think of any other way. As I thought about it harder, I realized the beauty of this kindness is that there is no expectation to repay someone. It is a gift where people are not looking for something in return. Being completely anonymous and doing a great act for nothing is the ultimate holiday spirit. You have motivated me to also try giving random gifts for strangers. When you get a gift it sets off a chain reaction of gift giving, and that is what really matters.

So thank you again for not only paying for my meal but also reminding me of the basic skill of holiday spirit. This letter is for anyone who has passed along a little kindness this year. You are the people who make this time of year so special and help remind us all of what it means to be a great person.