A “SECRET Santa” helped nearly 200 shoppers at a Walmart in Pennsylvania, the U.S., have a happy Christmas by paying off all of the store’s layaway items.

    Ryan Kennedy, manager of the Walmart store in Everett, said he received a call from a mysterious person identified only as “Santa B” who offered to pay off all US$46,265.59 worth of layaway items.

    “It was complete disbelief,” he told CNN. “It was definitely a great gesture. I was completely shocked.”

    A few days after the initial call a woman delivered a check to the store and Kennedy began notifying the 194 customers with layaway accounts their balances had been paid.

    “Some individuals were just brought to tears when they were notified about it,” Kennedy said.

    This was the third consecutive year the anonymous Santa B had offered to pay off the layaway deposits at a Pennsylvania Walmart, a company spokeswoman told CNBC.

    “When customers quietly pay off others’ layaway items, we’re reminded how good people can be,” Walmart said in a statement.(SD-Agencies)