ORLANDO, Fla. — The Christmas angel who covered up spray-painted swastikas with gift wrap and a message of love says she'd like to think that others would have done the same thing.

Woman saw series of swastikas painted on businesses on Christmas Day

She, her dad covered one with gift wrap, wrote, "Love is greater than hate"

She says she likes to think anyone else would have taken similar action

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Mary Peabody said she was driving back from her boyfriend's house on Christmas morning when she spotted swastikas spray-painted on buildings along Alafaya Trail.

She told her father, Chuck, to grab wrapping paper, scissors, and tape and come with her; she wanted to cover up the hate symbols so neighbors didn't have to see them, especially on such a special day.

"I thought we would just cover a couple of them on this one apartment complex so it would look nice so no one had to see it on Christmas morning," Peabody said. "We kept driving and saw two more, and two more, and then we saw a complex with like 10 swastikas, and we were like, 'No. We are going to try and cover as many as we can so no one else has to see them,' " she said.

The "tagged" buildings included an apartment complex across the street from the University of Central Florida and numerous businesses in the area, including 4Rivers barbecue restaurant, Habaneros Mexican restaurant, Firestone, Bank of America and others.

This is Mary Peabody. Her and her father were the ones who covered spray painted swastikas with wrapping paper and the message of, “Love is greater than hate,” down Alafaya Trail near UCF.#hero @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/U0H57GBB79 — Spectrum News Wildman (@NewsWildman) December 26, 2018

"We are to love our neighbors, and this is a very special day for us," Chuck Peabody said. "We are celebrating Jesus being born, and people waking up, that's the type of thing they see? It's just wrong."

On one swastika at the apartment complex, Mary and Chuck Peabody covered it with wrapping paper and wrote the message, "Love is greater than hate."

"You see hateful things happening in the world a lot right now, and this was one that I could do something about," Mary said. "I didn't want to leave it and assume someone else would do it. I think everyone should take action on their own and try to get rid of any kind of hate or bad stuff you see in the world."

The Orange County Sheriff's Office said it's continuing to investigate.

"This is a small action. I would like to think that anyone would have done that. It's a small thing that could totally save someone's day," Mary said. "I'm glad that it did make some people feel good."