Elderly Woman Celebrates Christmas Alone after Her Children Find Out She Is a Cleaner

Victoria’s children often failed to call her during the year, except at Christmas. This year, her son found out she was a store cleaner and stopped talking to her entirely. Victoria thought she would have to spend Christmas alone until there was a sudden knock on her door.

Victoria held a broom tightly, having stopped cleaning after seeing the man who entered the furniture store where she worked. It was her son, Matthew, looking at her with wide eyes and shock on his face. Victoria smiled and moved toward him, but he turned and hurried out of the store.

She was surprised by his reaction. Matthew had always been very close to her. But as children grow older, Victoria thought, things change. She decided to talk to him later and went back to her work.

When her husband died ten years ago, her children, Matthew and Marina, suggested selling their large house. They planned to buy her a small apartment that was easier to care for, and use the remaining money to start their own businesses.

Their businesses eventually succeeded, and they became so busy they rarely contacted their mother. As Christmas approached, Victoria realized her savings weren’t enough to support herself or buy presents for her children and grandchildren.

At 65, she started working as a cleaner at a furniture store in the mall. The job wasn’t difficult, and she was still able to do it. With her wages, she could pay her bills and buy gifts. But she kept her work a secret, fearing her children’s reactions.

It seemed best to stay quiet, especially after seeing Matthew look embarrassed when he saw her cleaning. Still, she called him to explain.

"I'm sorry, mother. I'm busy now. I’ll call you later," Matthew said that night when Victoria reached out. She worried and bit her bottom lip.

"But, honey. About today—" she began.

"Goodbye, mother," he interrupted, and the call ended.

Victoria couldn’t understand his strange reaction. She thought being a cleaner was nothing to be ashamed of. She decided to call her daughter, Marina, to see if she knew why Matthew was acting so strange.

"Mom, I’m busy. I’ll call you later," Marina said quickly when she answered Victoria’s call. Victoria couldn’t get a word in.

"It’s okay. I’ll see them at Christmas and explain everything myself," Victoria thought and continued her evening.

Neither of her children called her to confirm plans for the holiday. Usually, they celebrated at one of their homes, but Victoria was unsure which one would host this year. They hadn’t returned her calls as promised, and she started feeling anxious.

Two days before Christmas, she sat with her neighbor, Lorena Atkinson. She shared her worries. "I’m sure they’ll call soon, Vickie," Lorena said after listening. They sat in Victoria’s living room, eating cookies and drinking coffee.

Victoria asked, "I don’t understand why they’re acting like this. They aren’t answering my calls. What did I do wrong? What if they don’t invite me for Christmas? What should I do?"

“Don’t worry. If they don’t invite you, come to my house. But honestly, there’s nothing wrong with your job,” Lorena reassured her, biting into a cookie.

Lorena was about Victoria’s age, and her family hosted Christmas at her spacious penthouse. It was always a lively celebration, and Victoria felt sad knowing she might not be included.

Despite Lorena’s kind words, she couldn’t shake her worry. Why are they acting this way? Why are they avoiding me? she wondered.

After finishing coffee, Lorena left with a warm hug, promising everything would be fine. But Christmas morning arrived, and still no calls from Marina or Matthew. Victoria spent the day crying. She looked at the gifts under her tree and hesitated as she went to make breakfast.

Suddenly, there was a knock. Probably Lorena, she thought sadly. I’ll accept her invitation to dinner.

She opened the door and was shocked to see her children and grandchildren yelling, "Surprise!" Victoria’s heart pounded, and she clutched her chest, then quickly smiled.

"Why are you here?" she asked, astonished.

"We came to see you, Grandma! We’re spending Christmas with you this year!” Marina’s daughter, Elizabeth, said happily. The ten-year-old carried a large gift box. The other children, aged between five and nine, rushed past her straight to the presents under the tree.

“Everyone, calm down. Let’s sit first, and Grandma will give out gifts,” Marina said, then turned to her mother. “Sorry we didn’t call earlier. It was a surprise for us, too.”

“Oh, come in. Please!” Victoria beckoned, smiling. Marina's husband arrived first, followed by Matthew's wife, who hugged her warmly.

Matthew was last to come in. He made eye contact and saw tears forming in Victoria’s eyes. He pulled her into a long hug.

"I’m so sorry, Mom. I don’t know what came over me when I saw you at that store," he said, holding her tightly.

Victoria was happy to hug him back. "Were you ashamed of me?"

"At first, yes. I couldn’t believe my mother was a cleaning lady. But then, after I spoke to Mrs. Atkinson, I realized I was more embarrassed with myself," Matthew replied.

"What? Mrs. Atkinson called you?" Victoria asked, pulling back slightly.

"Yes. She told me she lives here and that we’d met when you moved in. I gave her my contact info in case of emergencies," he explained.

She continued, "She also scolded me for not inviting you or answering your calls. She said I should be ashamed that I have a successful business, while you work so hard just to support us. That made me see everything clearly."

“What do you mean?” Victoria asked.

Matthew explained, “I was ashamed for not paying you back the money you gave us for our house. You gave it so easily, and never asked for anything in return. Now we have good jobs, nice cars, and a renovated home. But you’ve been struggling. I felt like I failed you. I was angry at myself, but it was really guilt.”

At that moment, Marina placed a hand on Victoria’s back. "I was also mad at myself. For not knowing you needed help. For not realizing you were working as a cleaner. You shouldn’t have had to do that when we already had enough. We should have paid you back long ago."

Victoria nodded and said, "It’s okay. I didn’t do it for money."

Marina added, "But after Mrs. Atkinson’s words, we realize how much you’ve sacrificed. Thanks to you, the kids have gifts, and we’re not worried about you."

"We need to pay you back," Marina said sincerely. "Especially after she told us. She said you worked so hard so we could have Christmas and she also called me. You deserve to rest."

Victoria smiled and thought about thanking Lorena later. "Let’s forget about all that now," she said. "It’s Christmas morning. Let’s open presents."

They shared a joyful day. Victoria’s children paid her back and started depositing money into her account regularly.

Victoria kept her job because she enjoyed it. She liked chatting with her coworkers. She retired comfortably at age 70 with a good savings.

Her children always remembered to invite her and answered her calls promptly.

What can we learn from this story?

• Being proud of honest work is unnecessary. No job is shameful if you work honestly.
• Remember the sacrifices your parents made. Marina and Matthew forgot to repay their mother but learned to appreciate her efforts and made amends.