‘OVERWHELMED BY KINDNESS’
Community rallies round after children’s Christmas presents stolen:
AMOTHER who feared Christmas had literally been stolen from her children has praised the community that kept the spirit of Santa alive.
Katy Williams, 45, from Penisarwaun, near Caernarfon, had a few friends over early on Christmas Eve, safe in the knowledge the presents were in the family’s garage.
However, when she went to check on them at around 9.15pm she was devastated to find heartless thieves had stolen all of her four children’s Christmas gifts.
It is believed the criminals broke into the garage through a side window and cleaned it out of £1,200 worth of presents.
She and husband Emyr, 46, immediately called police and put an appeal out for information on Facebook – which is when something truly magical happened.
As the couple wondered how they were going to salvage Christmas, the kind-hearted people of the community came to their resccue.
Katy and Emyr were inundated with messages from people asking if they could drop presents off for the family so they could still celebrate the special day.
Between 10pm and 2am a stream of Santa’s little helpers started bringing toys and gifts for their children Ioan, 15, Enlli, 14, Gethin, who was 10 on Boxing Day, and Lois, eight.
Mrs Williams said: “We are overwhelmed. I put something on Facebook asking for information about the theft and people just started coming round.
“Toys you can replace but it’s the moment they have that magical Father Christmas feeling. We were worried about it ruining Christmas forever.
“What stood out more than anything else is the kindness. We have had strangers knocking at the door because they have heard what happened.
“Today the kids have got their presents. Who can ask for more? But worse things could have happened so we keep our perspective. We are focusing on the kindness and not letting anything else take the day.”
She said the couple’s younger children, Gethin and Lois, thought there had been some confusion over their list to Santa, but were happy and grateful just the same – as their faces testify in the photos Mrs Williams shared with us.
Her friend, Heidi Bakewell from Aberdaron, started a JustGiving campaign to raise £1,000 to replace the presents. That currently stands at more than £2,700.
Mrs Williams added: “We are astounded at people’s kindness and generosity. It’s brought out the true spirit of Christmas into what was a horrible situation – and made into something else.”