A Christmas Surprise

This post is sponsored by Aflac. I was compensated for writing it but all opinions are 100% mine.

I got to take part in something so fun this month: a Christmas surprise for a very deserving family! It is said that it is better to give than to receive and that is so true! Planning, preparing, and delivering this Christmas surprise was a highlight of the holiday season!

Elizabeth has been a dear friend of mine for over ten years and we’ve shared a lot of life in those ten years: pregnancies, adoptions, births, child raising. We’ve seen highs and lows. In recent months, Elizabeth has suffered a number of strokes. The strokes have left her with deficits requiring rehab, numerous hospitalizations, lots of doctor appointments, and tests galore. As with any illness, that’s taken a toll on her family and her finances as well. Elizabeth can’t drive, her husband and kids have had to take on added responsibility, and life hasn’t been a lot of fun lately.

This time of year can be really challenging for people dealing with the aftermath of a serious accident or health event, especially those that don’t have supplemental insurance. The ripple effect of the financial burden can be compounded during the holiday season. This is what inspired the Aflac Holiday Helpers program! Supplemental insurance from Aflac, a leader in voluntary insurance sales at the workplace, pays cash when policyholders are sick or hurt so they can focus on recovery and not on financial stress. Major medical insurance may not always cover every expense related to a serious health event, so supplement insurance from Aflac is there to help fill in the holes. When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast.

This season, Aflac partnered with online influencers and celebrity parents and philanthropists Kevin and Danielle Jonas to give a combined $50,000 to help families who are going through challenging times due to health events.

When I had the chance to bless someone in my community with a big Christmas surprise through the Holiday Helpers program, Elizabeth instantly came to mind. She is someone who has given so much to others over the years and it felt incredible to be able to give something to Elizabeth and her family.

Since life hasn’t been full of fun, I thought it would be neat to help Elizabeth’s family get back to the lifestyle they enjoyed before her strokes and give the family a whole lot of holiday fun! I showed up at their house with a basket full of surprises that they can all enjoy together to create memories this holiday season!

We gave the basket to Elizabeth and let her discover each surprise! I wrapped everything up individually and added little tags with descriptions.

They’ll stay a night at a local resort/hotel that’s always beautifully decorated for the holiday season and filled with fun family-friendly activities in rooms overlooking the atrium with a direct view of the beautiful Christmas tree.

When they check in, they’ll find a delicious edible arrangement waiting for them, they’ll visit an interactive exhibit with ice sculptures and ice slides and have a souvenir family photo taken, they’ll decorate gingerbread houses, take part in a snowball fight, go snow tubing, and eat dinner and breakfast in hotel restaurants. We also gave them popcorn and hot cocoa to enjoy in their room while they relax with a TV show or an online movie.

And while they’re enjoying the hotel getaway, the family will also get their house cleaned with a gift card we provided.

I’m hoping this surprise will add some fun to their holiday season, provide a retreat in the midst of appointments and medical concerns, and allow them some really great family bonding time that they’ll remember for years to come!

Be sure to check out the new ad Aflac debuted this season, Ski Patrol. When life throws you the unexpected and that situation impacts your lifestyle, be sure you’re protecting your health and lifestyle with help from supplemental insurance like Aflac.