A Victorian woman was taken by surprise after a Woolworths worker slipped a sweet note in her online delivery, bringing the mother to the verge of tears.
Sharon Zabeilski ordered party supplies for her son’s sixth birthday from the supermarket’s Croydon store, east of Melbourne, but she didn’t expect the special gesture from staff.
“Sometimes it’s the small things that make your world shine,” Ms Zabielski wrote on Facebook, sharing a photo of a note from a Woolworths worker.
“Happy Birthday,” the colourful message says.
“Hope you have a super duper day! With love, from the Croydon on-line (sic) team.”
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Ms Zabielski said when she first came across the note, she was confused.
She then showed her son Nash, who turned six on November 25.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Ms Zabielski had to tell her son that he was unable to have a birthday party this year.
“I called Woolworths to provide feedback and I was in tears. I was like, ‘That’s so freaking sweet’,” Ms Zabielski told Yahoo News Australia.
“With Covid and not being able to have parties and him not being able to have his friends but then have some random stranger wish him a happy birthday, like heavens above.”
Katrina Ablett, the woman behind the note said she felt compelled to do it after packing the order which contained balloons and a Freddo ice-cream cake.
This was the first time she had left a note like this with someone’s online order, so she got the okay to do so from her manager.
“I really did feel compelled to do it,” Ms Ablett told Yahoo News Australia.
“As I was packing it I was thinking, ‘Oh my God someone’s having a birthday, this is so cute, it’s obviously a little person’s birthday’.”
When Ms Zabielski took to Facebook to locate the person behind the note, Ms Ablett ended up messaging her.
The two soon got in tough and ended up speaking over the phone.
“It was so good to hear… it’s such a little thing, just a little note just made someone so happy,” Ms Ablett said.
The note is still displayed on the Zabielskis’ fridge.
“It’s been a really good experience for all of the children to see, you know, some random stranger has reached out and be so kind,” Ms Zabielski said.
“I mean, I’m sure it only took a minute or so but it meant the world to all of us.”
In response to Ms Zabielski’s post on the Woolworths Facebook page, the supermarket said it had been in touch with the Croydon team.
“We’ve been in touch with our team at Croydon and found out that your lovely personal shopper who left the note was Katrina,” a Woolworths representative said.
“We’ve thanked her personally for going that extra step above and beyond to put a smile on her customers’ faces. We’re so proud of everything our teams have done throughout this difficult year.
“We hope the birthday celebrations were wonderful!”
This article originally appeared on Over60.