Local woman behind thousands of Christmas surprises says helping others is ‘always magical’
Published at | Updated at
IDAHO FALLS – Shelly Yorgeson is smiling from ear to ear as she waits to make someone’s Christmas magical this year.
For the last 10 years, the Idaho Falls native and her husband, Bret, have been the faces behind Operation Christmas Magic, a nonprofit that provides a “grand surprise” for those without the means to provide Christmas for themselves. It’s an effort that has spread into six countries since its inception.
She and her crew are brimming with excitement for this year’s recipients in eastern Idaho this weekend. EastIdahoNews.com is not divulging any details because we don’t want to spoil the surprise, but we are planning to attend the giveaway and do a follow-up story.
Though it’s an organization that’s been around for a while, the Yorgesons have made a conscious effort to keep it a secret. This year, Shelly agreed to do her first-ever media interview to talk about her love for this project and how it got started.
“We’re finally letting the secret out — not all of it but just a little bit,” Shelly tells EastIdahoNews.com. “It’s always magical.”
It all started with a Youtube video from WestJet Airlines Shelly watched with her family called “A WestJet Christmas Miracle.”
Shelly barely made it through the video.
“We were making candies and I don’t think I even helped finish making them. I was like, ‘We’re going to do something like this. I don’t know what it is.’ Nine days later, we pulled off the very first Operation Christmas Magic,” Shelly recalls.
Shelly says they’ve helped more than 3,000 people to date. It warms her heart every year to see how the “grand surprise” impacts families all over the world.
“Generally, the people we surprise aren’t on anyone’s list. They’re usually the people helping other people,” she says. “That’s what makes it so magical.”
Many of the recipient’s stories are told in a book Shelly wrote in 2020. She has fond memories of helping a local father with cancer. He and his wife had lost their home and were living in a friend’s garage trying to make ends meet.
He had to travel to Salt Lake frequently for treatments but his car wasn’t reliable.
“Somebody was listening and a car was delivered to that family … with a big bow on it,” says Shelly. “It’s absolutely an amazing miracle that happened.”
None of this could happen without the community’s support, she says, and she’s grateful for the kindness and generosity of those who get involved.
“It’s like the three wise men bringing gifts,” says Shelly. “It’s everybody pitching in to bring some light and love to each other.”