Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, played Secret Santa and gifted a cow to a lucky Redditor.
Reddit user NY1227, who is identified only by the name Rachel, was flabbergasted to find that her Secret Santa was none other than the well-known business magnate Bill Gates.
Redditgifts invites people across the globe to sign up for the Secret Santa program, which matches Reddit users to create the largest online Secret Santa gift exchange. This year, 121,900 users participated in the Secret Santa program from 160 countries, breaking its own record of only 44,000 people participating in 2012.
The participants of the Redditgifts Secret Santa program provide a wish list as a starting point for their gifters. Rachel also posted a wish list that included "makeup, nail polish, [and] glittery things," and also an Apple iPad.
In a Reddit post called "Spoiler alert: Bill Gates did not get you, because he got me" Redditor Rachel described her experience when she found that she received a gift from Gates. Rachel says that she was overwhelmed after she received the 7 pound gift.
"The first thing I noticed was a stuffed animal. I didn't know I gave off the stuffed animal vibe, but I excitedly added him to my collection of teddy bears and other delightful friendly creatures. Next, I found the card. Next, I found the card. To me, from Bill. This still had not clicked, by the way, that it was Bill Gates," said Rachel.
The box also contained a confirmation of a donation to Heifer International, a $500 donation that provides a family with a cow for income and dairy products, and a copy of National Geographic's "Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips" book.
Rachel also found a picture of Bill Gates holding the stuffed cow in one hand and a note for Rachel in the other. "I paused for a minute and thought, what if this is someone screwing with me. Well of course Mr. Bill Gates already thought of this and took a picture of himself with my stuffed animal and a sign and then sent me the stuffed animal and sign," Rachel said.
"My god. Never in my entire life did I imagine, ever, ever, ever that Bill would get me. I am SO SO thankful for the time, thought and energy he put into my gift, and especially thankful for him over nighting it :) I feel SO shocked and excited that not only did I receive a gift from Bill, but it was perfectly and EXACTLY tuned into my interests. My gosh, what a rush!! I cannot express how much I really loved reading about a new charity," she added.
The lucky Redditor also took the opportunity to apologize for having an iPad on her wish list. ""...that was really awkward," she said.
"Thank you so much Bill for a fantastic and thoughtful gift. I'd really love to send a thank you card to you, but if not, I hope this post and message suffices. Thank you so much!!!!!! I will think of you every time I read my book, which will find a nice home on my coffee table once I'm done reading it," Rachel said.
