With Christmas right around the corner, it’s time to get the little ones ready for their yearly visit from Santa Claus. Sure, they might not catch a glimpse of him on Christmas Eve, but the magic of knowing he’s about to bring them a bunch of fun new toys is all the excitement any kid needs.
Of course, being able to meet Santa in person is on a whole other level. Not the ones you might find in malls or parades, but the ones you see doing everyday things — like shopping at Walmart.
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A few years back, a video of a little girl meeting “Santa” captured the hearts of millions. It’s as good a time as any to bring that magical moment back.
Sophie Jo Riley Saw Santa At Walmart.
In December 2017, a little girl named Sophie Jo was shopping with her parents at a Walmart in Hurricane, West Virginia. She saw Roger Lark, a man who sports a white beard and a red shirt, and took him for Santa. An incredibly adorable video shows the two meeting, with Sophie Jo looking like she’s met up with an old friend after a long time.
The video was posted to Facebook by WSAZ News Channel 3, and filmed by Lark’s nephew, Robert Beaver.
The Minute-And-A-Half Long Video Is Pure Wholesomeness.
In it, Lark strikes up a conversation with Sophie Jo, who walks right up to him in the middle of the store. Lark compliments the girl’s nails after she shows them off to him, and then asks what she’s doing to get ready for Christmas.
With the encouragement of her mother, Sophie Jo says that she’ll leave cookies for Santa, but he has to share them with the reindeers. Lark happily plays along until Sophie Jo’s mother tells her to say thank you and move along.
The Video Was A Viral Sensation.
It was viewed 15 million times on Facebook, with 200,000 people giving it a like. WSAZ later brought Lark onto their show to discuss the magic of the video and uploaded the clip to their YouTube channel .
Lark Admitted That He’s Been Mistaken For Santa Plenty Of Times In The Past.
“A little well-placed ‘ho ho ho’ helps some parents,” Lark said when discussing kids he might see while out shopping.
He also discussed how, while there are no sweet little girls in his family, he has grandsons who are a huge part of his life, and whom he loves being around as much as possible.
Lark continued by sharing his perspective on the video, as well as how he remembered everything going down. For Lark, it was simply an honor to be involved in such a wholesome moment with a sweet little girl like Sophie Jo.
He May Not Be Santa, But Lark Still Encourages Giving.
The initial video has since been monetized by different organizations. As per Lark’s wishes, any money earned from it was to go to local charities.
Lark ended the news segment by encouraging viewers to donate clothes they no longer need to charity. Rather than want anything for himself, Lark only wanted to spread the message of giving.
h/t Upworthy
