Each holiday season the ED sponsors a family in need through the Joy of Giving Sponsorship Program. Each year a giving tree is placed in the department with items from the patient's wish list along with her siblings and items the family could utilize to make the holiday stress a little easier. This year the ED sponsored a family of four; a pediatric patient with an extensive medical history who spent quite some time here with us at SBMC, her two siblings and their single mother. Two weeks before Christmas the giving tree still had ornaments with wish list items hanging and one of our nurses, Caitlin Lynch, took it upon herself to photograph the giving tree and shop for the remaining items. She purchased each item consisting of gift cards, toys, video games and warm clothing which she wrapped and kept in her car. The week leading up to Christmas, Caitlin approached me to let me know what she had done to help and to see what was still needed. She then went out to her car on her break on a busy Monday and brought the needed items. When thanking her for her generosity she responded by telling me that she just wanted the family to have a nice holiday and she felt bad that all the items were not purchased. This act of kindness truly came from the heart of a compassionate and caring nurse who opened her heart this holiday season to a family of strangers in need. It is examples like this one that remind me of how special nurses truly are. Because of Caitlin, this deserving family was able to have the absolute Christmas.