A group of Secret Santas has been hitting Kmart stores around the Bay Area, including Petaluma, to pay off customers’ layaway Christmas gifts.

The phenomenon began on December 6 at a Grand Rapids, Mich. Kmart when one woman paid off layaway charges for three strangers.

Steve Mills, manager of The Plaza North Kmart on Petaluma's Eastside, told Petaluma Patch that more than 20 people have come into the store over the last week to pay off Kmart layaways, prompting the store to call them "Layaway Angels."

"Last year we had two or three, but this year, it's really ballooned," Mills said. "It's pretty astonishing."

The "angels" want to remain anonymous, and generally pay off the bills of Kmart customers who have laid away children’s clothes and toys, he said.

"These are people with good hearts, who know people are struggling and who want others to have a good holiday," Mill said.

After the mysterious donor pays off the layaway bill, Kmart calls the customers immediately to notify them. And the responses have been emotional.

One woman came into the store weeping when she found out that a layaway angel had paid off her children’s Christmas presents.

Have you seen other acts of random kindness in our community? Share your stories below.