Secret Santa couple pay off $10,000 Christmas laybys in Melbourne Kmart

Read the story that will restore your faith in humanity: ‘Secret Santa’ couple pay off $10,000 in Kmart laybys in extraordinary random act of kindness to help struggling families for Christmas

  • Generous couple donated $10k to pay off families’ Kmart laybys for Christmas 
  • Pair walked in to Melbourne department store and offered to pay off installments
  • Hundreds of bills were paid that were Christmas themed or toys for children 


A $10,000 random act of kindness has helped local shoppers give their children a dream Christmas after a couple paid off hundreds of laybys.

A Kmart in Melbourne’s south-east last week saw the generous pair walk in and offer to close the installment payments, helping struggling families fill their stockings.

‘That selfless act has done more for my family than I can even begin to explain,’ mother-of-two Kiandra Balazs told Seven. 

Mother-of-two Kiandra Balazs (pictured) had more than $300 paid off by the generous couple who walked into a Melbourne Kmart and donated $10k to help families for Christmas

The generous couple recently walked into the Cranbourne Kmart and approached staff, offering to pay off thousands in laybys.

They had one request – that the orders would have a Christmas theme or contained toys and items for children.

The $10k donation ensured kids will be waking up to Lego, Hot Wheels and Barbies on Christmas morning without their parents feeling the financial burden.

Ms Balazs said she received a call from the department store informing her a Secret Santa had paid off her bills.

‘I instantly burst into tears, and we went, and picked up the layby,’ she said.   

The mother-of-two took to her Facebook page to thank the mystery couple, saying they had made her Christmas.

‘To the amazing beautiful person who anonymously donated a large sum of money to pay off laybys at Kmart Cranbourne I hope you see this and know how truly generous you are,’ she said.

‘I have 2 children (2 and 3) and had no idea how I was going to find the money to pick up that layby and I now don’t have to stress about it anymore. 

‘My children are going to have a great Christmas thanks to you thankyou from the bottom of my heart for your truly selfless act.’ 

'My children are going to have a great Christmas thanks to you thankyou from the bottom of my heart for your truly selfless act,' Ms Balazs (pictured) said

‘My children are going to have a great Christmas thanks to you thankyou from the bottom of my heart for your truly selfless act,’ Ms Balazs (pictured) said

The generous couple recently walked into the Cranbourne Kmart and approached staff, offering to pay off thousands in laybys as long as they were for children or Christmas themed

The generous couple recently walked into the Cranbourne Kmart and approached staff, offering to pay off thousands in laybys as long as they were for children or Christmas themed

She was one of hundreds of people who had their Christmas orders covered, with a representative for Kmart saying the couple were motivated to help others for the holidays. 

‘I think the intent behind the donation was alleviating some of the financial pressures for families,’ Kmart spokeswoman Kate Thiedeman said. 

‘We really have a lot of people coming in and supporting our Kmart wishing tree appeal that do it in smaller amounts but every year they support those in need’. 

Other shoppers at the Melbourne Kmart said it restored faith in difficult times.   

‘It’s pretty amazing, those people that did it are pretty amazing, I wish I was able to do that for other people,’ one woman said.