Aamer Madhani

USA TODAY

A Chicago area family received an unexpected belated Christmas present this week: a photo album from the Obamas.

Alane Church told NBC's Today show on Thursday that the photo album, which appears to have been meant for the godmother of Sasha and Malia Obama, was erroneously packed in the bottom of a box of gifts for Church's family from a relative who lives in New York. Church said her family received the box Tuesday.

"My husband started to unpack this box and realized it was in major disarray," Church said. "The gifts were broken opened. Parts of the old box were in this box repackaged. In the bottom of the box was the extra gift, and we were reading the tag, trying to figure out, you know, where this came from and it was opened. We discovered this was a personal gift for Mama Kaye" and Papa Wellington.

Mama Kaye is the nickname of the Obama girls' godmother, Kaye Wilson, who is a longtime friend of first lady Michelle Obama and her mother Marian Robinson. Papa Wellington is her husband, Wellington Wilson.

Church let the Today show get a glimpse of the cover of the album, which features a grinning Malia, but declined to show the camera any of the other pictures.

"We are sort of wanting to keep it private for Mama Kaye. It's very special, very special. Private moments of their year 2013 together," Church said.