'Secret Santa' Movement Hits Acworth

The "Secret Santa" movement has made it to the Acworth with local residents playing Secret Santas and paying off layaway items for strangers, according to 11Alive.

Across the country, anonymous benefactors have dropped into local Kmart stores and paid off layaway balances for families with children. A product of the Great Depression, layaway numbers have made a startling comeback during the Great Recession.

11Alive reports that local shoppers at the Cobb Parkway Walmart in Acworth have been anonymously paying bills for layaway items. Store managers told the TV station that Secret Santas usually request bills with holiday items like toys and electronics.

A statement released by Walmart suggests that the Secret Santas' "random acts of kindness" are making the holiday season more joyful for many in a struggling economy.

It’s difficult to tell where this trend of generosity started—you can see reports of the movement on Patch sites across the country, such as —but it’s clear that where “layaway angels” tread, tears of joy follow.