One mom came up with a heartfelt solution for her son who couldn’t fit a Christmas tree in his tiny apartment.
Bradley had casually mentioned that he had no room for a tree in the small space he shares with two roommates in Vancouver, British Columbia. A few weeks later, on Nov. 20, his mom, Janice, called to say she was coming over with a gift. (Bradley asked that we not include their last names as to protect their privacy.)
When Janice arrived, she presented Bradley with a beautiful wreath adorned with twinkling lights and his favorite Christmas ornaments from when he was a kid. He posted a photo of the present on Reddit, where it amassed more than 81,000 upvotes.
When Bradley received the sentimental surprise, he was moved to tears.
“Partially because Christmas has always been a big thing for me emotionally,” he said. “But the thought that went into it — out of nowhere, just out of the goodness of her heart — blew me away. The actual construction of it is beautifully done.”
Janice carefully selected the ornaments, which included a few of his childhood favorites (like a parachuting Snoopy and the A&W Root Beer bear) but also meaningful trinkets from loved ones who have since died.
“There’s an ornament my late grandpa gave me when I was only 2, one handmade by my late aunt and another that was on my late uncle’s tree that he wanted me to have before he passed,” Bradley said.
Bradley decided to hang the wreath over his bed so, “in a way, my family can watch over me.”
Kind gestures like these are typical of Janice, Bradley said. As a single mother who raised two kids and a pediatric nurse for more than 30 years, she’s accustomed to putting others first.
“The world is full of heroes that make it their goal to lift up others and bring love to this world and ask for nothing in return. My mother is undoubtedly one of those heroes,” Bradley said. “She makes me so proud and encourages me to be a better person. She’s worked so hard for others for so long. I just hope she can know how much her acts of kindness mean to the people around her.”
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