HOUSTON – A secret Santa is making the holiday brighter for many by paying off layaway balances.

With one simple phone call, holiday cheer came early for dozens of shoppers at the Walmart at Westheimer and Dunvale.

A secret Santa dropped by the store and paid off nearly $31,000 in layaways.

"He came in around 12 o'clock this morning with a check and paid off everyone's layaway," Eric Jackson, Walmart store co-manager, said.

Linda Harvey was one of the lucky ones who had her entire Christmas shopping list paid off, nearly $700 worth of stuff.

"For my grand baby, the bicycle and the helmet and pads and an Xbox," Harvey said.

Others, like Charlise Malveux, had a brand new big screen she was hoping to bring home but struggling to finish paying off.

"I feel very grateful and appreciative because I didn't have the money to get it out of layaway; I was going to cancel it," Malveux said.

While the secret Santa wants to remain anonymous, what is clear is the joy he brought to others and what many of them plan to do in return.

"Now I want to pay it forward with the extra money. I feel really blessed right now," a woman named Bianca said.

Spreading even more holiday cheer and a whole new meaning to the season of giving.

"I love Christmas. I love the angel. Thank you," Harvey said.