Woman 'couldn't believe her luck' after realising her secret Santa was billionaire Bill Gates
Turns out being one of the richest people in the world allows you to give pretty good gifts, as one woman found out after having Bill Gates be her secret Santa.
Often you'll find secret Santa to be just a bit of fun where you get to pass around novelty gifts, and sometimes you'll hit the jackpot with an item you'll actually end up using.
These typically have rather limited budget caps, and you'll often be landed with someone across the office that you know very little about, but one woman managed to end up with what many would consider the best possible scenario.
While it exists no more, social media site Reddit did run a dedicated secret Santa program from 2009 to 2022 where users from all across the world would be able to give and receive gifts with other users at random.
Advert
There is certainly a novelty in getting someone from across the globe - and receiving a gift from a similar distance - but it's perhaps more appealing if you're lucky enough to be given presents by a celebrity.
Certain high profile names like Snoop Dogg and Jimmy Fallon have been known to participate in the Reddit secret Santa, but Microsoft founder Bill Gates is perhaps the best of the lot, as one individual certainly found out in 2019.
Shelby from Michigan was indeed that lucky user, and has gone to the pleasure of uploading a YouTube video explaining the process of receiving gifts from a man with a net worth of over $100 billion.
She initially received a notification that a parcel from Washington was being overnighted and joked to her husband, as reported by CNN, that maybe it could be from Gates himself - little did she know how right she was!
What turned up at the FedEx depot was an 81 pound collection of presents, and it's clear that the tech billionaire put a lot of thought into the process.
Highlights in the package were a signed original manuscript of The Great Gatsby, Hogwarts and R2D2 LEGO sets, and a collection of Twin Peaks memorabilia including scripts, t shirts, and even an L.L. Bean jacket that was worn by crew members during production of the show.
All of these gifts were presumably based on her Reddit profile, but perhaps most thoughtfully of Gates was a donation to the American Heart Foundation, as Shelly had requested that people donate to the charity following her mother's passing earlier that same year.
Gates said in a letter to Shelby: "I know no gift will ever make up for losing someone so important to you. I was very sorry to hear about your mom, and I've made a donation to the American Heart Foundation in her memory. I hope you and your family find your 'new normal' this holiday season."
It goes to show that while incredible wealth can give you the power to give a fantastic collection of personal gifts, perhaps the most impactful of all is the charitable actions that mean far more for people's personal experiences.