When employees at a South Carolina Home Depot heard that a regular customer of theirs had been the victim of a theft that left his family without Christmas gifts, they pitched in to do something they didn’t have to, replacing those stolen gifts and giving this family a belated but happy holiday.

Fox Carolina reports that the family had been visiting relatives in Florida and were heading back home with all their gifts in the car when someone broke into the vehicle and made off with all the good stuff.

“The baby’s diaper bag was gone,” says the mom. “All my bags, the kids’ suitcase too. And most importantly the kids’ gifts were gone.”

All that was left was a single suitcase and a pair of shoes.

After returning home, the dad, who owns his own carpentry business and shops at Home Depot just about every day, mentioned to some of his pals at the store what had happened.

Employees then contacted the family and said they wanted to help give the kids the Christmas they were supposed to have.

The Depot workers even included a note from Santa explaining why the hardware store was doing work that should have been done at the North Pole.

“All my elves are away on vacation during January, and I don’t have enough help to make the toys,” reads the note from Santa to the Home Depot staff. “I know you consider this family part of your Home Depot family and that I can count on you to give them a Christmas they deserve.”

The kids got their gifts, along with a present for the parents.

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