BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (WFXT) – A family near Boston, Massachusetts is known for its elaborate holiday display.
All season long, the front lawn of their home is lit by thousands of lights, glowing statues and Christmas trees.
There’s one decoration that stands out from all the others and it’s making a difference for others in the town.
Stephanie and Mark Sabourin found a Christmas mailbox at a nearby hardware store last year.
“We thought it was a really cute decoration. It had lights on it. We thought, ‘Let’s add it to the front lawn,’” Stephanie Sabourin said.
The mailbox caught the attention of the town and began to fill up with letters addressed to Santa and the North Pole from kids nearby.
“This kid wants a soccer ball. This kid wants some Legos, and this kid asked for a Barbie doll,” Stephanie Sabourin said. “We can do this.”
The Sabourins decided to send a lifeline to the community over social media and offered help to those in need.
“If you could use some extra help around the holiday with gifts, make sure you include an address and we’ll try to surprise some people, and it snowballed from there,” the family posted online.
The family’s six children agreed to give up their own Christmas presents so the family could get each child in need three gifts.
Last year the couple bought and delivered presents to 37 families, and this year they said it’s just about the same.
They realized that showing up to a family’s doorstep was suspicious, so they came up with their own cover.
They told the children the Grinch had stolen some presents from the North Pole and Santa’s Elf Ranger Police Force caught the Grinch. They explained that’s when the Grinch had a change of heart and was returning all the gifts.
Mark Sabourin dressed up as the Grinch to deliver the presents to each home.
As much as their front lawn has become an attraction, the mailbox has become a way for families in need to put presents underneath their tree.
“It’s those middle-of-the-road people that don’t get that help that we’re trying to reach,” Stephanie Sabourin said.
The family said they hope to expand their display next year and deliver gifts to even more children.
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