Mystery ‘Elf’ giving away thousands of dollars in cash and gifts in Colorado Springs, revealed

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The holiday season was made a little brighter as an anonymous "Ugly Sweater Elf" left envelopes around Colorado Springs with cash inside and a message encouraging everyone to pay it forward this Christmas.

Now, the elf is ready to come out and reveal himself to the community he's given so much to. Phillip Tapia of Colorado Springs has spent tens of thousands of dollars in the last few months giving away cash and gifts to people in the Springs. His message: pay it forward and keep on spreading kindness.

The majority of the gifts were envelopes with cash containing anywhere from $20 to $100. The enclosed card read "All I ask is you 'Pay it Forward' by simply doing a good deed for someone else. Be part of this Holiday Movement! There is a lot of Ugliness in the world today; but it doesn't need to be that way."

Tapia says some other gifts included leaving wrapped flat screen TVs at gas stations.

One Colorado Springs mom, Carri Pannier, said the Ugly Sweater Elf paid off thousands of dollars in medical bills for her young son who was born with a congenital heart defect.

This is the first year Tapia has been the self-proclaimed "Ugly Sweater Elf", but he says it certainly won't be the last.