The best presents are the ones that surprise and mean something special to the recipient. Putting time and effort into curating the perfect thing can lead to downright joy, especially if the person you’re giving a gift to has no idea it’s coming.
One eight-year-old boy nailed his holiday present to his mom this past Christmas for all those reasons and more. So naturally, the sweet story soon went viral on social media.
An Unexpected Gift
Last holiday season, a mom named Ruth Hagmann received a Christmas gift from her eight-year-old son, Hudson. In a video that has since gone viral on TikTok with thousands of views and comments, Hudson handed his mom a small gift.
Inside was a pair of glasses and an American Girl tag. Hagmann immediately teared up and covered her face as Hudson went to retrieve the larger present: an American Girl doll named Molly.
“It’s Molly! It’s my Molly!” the mother said in disbelief, wiping back tears as her family watched. As for Hudson, he was so excited for his mom to open the present that he could barely stand still. Apparently for good reason: this surprise was months in the making.
A Lost Childhood Relic
Months before the Christmas exchange, Hudson told his mom he was scared of losing his favorite toy, a little crocheted ghost. He then asked her if she had ever lost a toy. She had indeed.
Growing up, Hagmann had Molly. “I brought her everywhere. I was obsessed with her. I did everything with her,” the mom told Good Morning America. When she turned ten, her father died. Hagmann's family moved, and she lost the doll.
“We moved around so much when I was little that I ended up losing Molly, and that made Hudson sooo sad to hear,” she shared on Instagram. For the rest of the year, Hudson continued to ask her about the doll.
Secretly, though, Hudson had started planning the ultimate Christmas gift and had asked his family for help. They spent months looking online, but thanks to a 2021 re-release of The American Girl for its 35th anniversary, they were finally able to locate Molly. Everyone managed to keep the big secret for months.
“After I stopped sobbing, I just was staring at him in awe, and I just kept saying, 'You have no idea what this means to me.' And he was just saying, 'I love you, Mommy, I love you, Mommy,'" Hagmann continued to GMA.
“I think he just wants me to … feel like, I don't know, that I could have my favorite toy — and it was just so sweet. So, I just kept telling him how much I loved him and how thankful I am.”
An Unforgettable Christmas
Hagmann added that it was just so wild that her son cared enough to ask and to question her childhood in the first place, adding that he’s an “old soul” and a thoughtful kid. “It was just an amazing Christmas. It was one I’ll never forget,” she added.
But things got even better. After the post went viral American Girl contacted Hagmann. They had seen the video and wanted to send the family to New York City to visit the American Girl doll café. They also offered to give Hudson any Mattel toy that he wanted.
“He truly healed my inner child with this gift,” Hagmann added on Instagram. “I can’t believe how sweet he is.”
Knowing Our Impact
This story is so sweet because it goes to show you how much kids can surprise us and how the little things can make a big difference.
Hudson was curious about his mom’s past and asked questions, showing that he cared and wanted to bring her some joy. And, he did it in the sweetest way possible.
The action also reminds us that we, too, have the power to impact people we love in a positive way.
By practicing active listening, asking questions, and taking the time to get to know one another, we can make a huge difference in each other’s lives — with or without a physical gift to match.
More from Goalcast:
Little boy sitting in a chair wearing a police oABC News
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark