Angela Beatty of Haddonfield says she'll be glad to see 2019 in the rear view mirror.
"It's been a rough year. Our cat, Bertie, has been missing since July. He got out of an open garage door. My dad suffered a heart attack and had open heart surgery," she said.
And then last week, her car was T-boned while she and her daughter were driving, totalling the vehicle. Beatty and her daughter were OK.
So when her family received a box of Christmas lights, and a letter, she thought someone was being kind. But the letter was critical of Beatty's lights, or the lack of them.
"You have received this notice because of Christmas violations," the letter reads. "You have earned this dubious 'award' based on certain Christmas flaws that we need improved."
"We received this anonymous, nasty letter, offensive letter, on Christmas Eve," Beatty said, "and we have no idea who it's from. And we have no idea why they are harassing us about our lights."
Beatty shared the letter on Facebook. Word spread, and kinder people responded — first, a woman she had just met.
"She dropped off a gift card to a local restaurant," Beatty said. "Anonymous person saw my post on Facebook, and she dropped off Christmas cookies on Christmas Day. A gentleman knocked on the door and he wanted to say he was sorry about what was happening and handed my son a Wawa card."
And then Friday morning, the former mayor of Haddonfield stopped by.
"Jack Tarditi and his wife Barbara dropped off a dozen Haddonfield donuts. And he said he was sorry, and Merry Christmas, and ignore these people, and Haddonfield loves you," she said. "It was really nice."
Kindness wins.
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