A Boy Stands Outside In The Cold Selling His Toys To Buy His Mom A Christmas Gift — Until A Man Rewards His Kind Heart
His thoughtful gesture paid off thanks to the kindness of a stranger.
Craig Pattenaude and Trnava University via Unsplash / Africa Studio via Shutterstock The Christmas season is a time for giving. It’s a time for people to show their loved ones just how much they mean to them. Giving gifts, no matter how big or small, is a way to signify to others that their presence and love is appreciated. B
ut, sometimes, it can be difficult to afford those gifts we’re so used to giving and receiving. This requires creative thinking and problem-solving to come up with a solution for where Christmas gifts can come from, a challenge one 10-year-old boy in the U.K. took to a new level.
A 10-year-old boy sold his toys so he could buy a Christmas present for his mom.
The little boy was seen standing on the sidewalk outside his house next to a lineup of toys and a sign that read “Toys for Sale for Mum’s Christmas Present.” A man driving by named Ryan stopped to talk to the boy. When Ryan asked the boy what he was doing, he explained that he was selling toys he no longer wanted to buy a Christmas gift for his mother.
“My mum does a lot for me and … she does weekend shifts so she can buy me Christmas presents,” he shared. The boy stated that he thought selling some of his toys was the least he could do to thank his mother for her sacrifice and buy her a gift in return.
Ryan was touched by the boy’s simple but sweet gesture. After declaring he would buy all of the toys, Ryan paid double what the young man asked for, and then added in an extra 100 pounds for the boy to get something for himself.
Understandably, the heartwarming video has struck a chord with viewers, garnering 1.3 million likes and 10,000 comments on TikTok. Viewers have shared sentiments like “he’s such a sweetheart” and “protect this boy at all costs.”
The average person is finding it more and more difficult to pull together enough money for Christmas gifts.
It’s not surprising that this story has resonated with so many people, as it has become consistently harder for people to afford Christmas gifts. In 2022, Fortune reported that 69 percent of American adults said that they noticed an increase in gift prices, which was an 11 percent increase over the previous year. Furthermore, 57 percent "say it has been harder to afford the things they want to give.”
These statistics highlight the sacrifices many people have to make in order to afford holiday gifts for loved ones, whether that means working more hours or selling beloved toys.
The Internet is riddled with people asking the all-important question: What do I do if I can’t afford Christmas? Users in a Reddit thread recommended just telling loved ones the truth, while Quora users shared tips on the best ways to handle financial difficulties around the holidays with children involved.
There are options if you feel like you just can’t afford the holidays this year.
Even if you’re strapped for cash this year, there are still things you can do to make the holiday season special. There are a lot of homemade options for gift-giving. Anything from a thoughtful letter to a home-cooked meal can serve as a sweet reminder of how much someone means to you. It may not feel like a traditional gift, but that does not make it any less special or meaningful.
Christmas is about showing people that you love them. It’s important to remember that there are many ways to do that. We can all certainly learn an important lesson from the example of a 10-year-old boy selling toys to make money to buy his mother a Christmas present.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer who covers entertainment and news.